Cofressi - to Haiti and other transportation

We have just booked (yesterday) to go to the Ocean Palms in Cofressi, near Puerto Plata on Saturday January 13. Obviously a last minute thing.

1. Is there any possibility of arranging a trip (independent or tour) from there to Haiti - specifically La Citadelle in Cap-Haitian? Any contacts would be appreciated.

2. We have several passports (legally). Is there any difference in using Canadian, UK, Irish, with regard to Haiti visit and entering/ returning to the DR?

3. What is the transportation situation between the EMI Ocean Palms (formerly Hacienda Elizabeth) and Puerto Plata?

Thanks

I can only answer the last bit. From Cofresi to Puerto Plata there is about 15 minutes. You can take a taxi - but if you do it regularly it will add up. You will get a more fun and genuine experience if you jump on the guagua (shared mini taxi on regular route) which is a lot cheaper. I am not certain where it leaves from, but ask around.

Cofresi is nice. Narrow beach but great for swimming. The next neighbourhood towards Puerto Plata is Costambar which is a nice and very relaxed little area with a few good restaurants and a broad beach.

Regards,
Susanne

As far as Haiti is concerned there are 1 and 2 day excursions available. Your Rep. at the hotel can probably handle that for you. If you're going to the Cap, 2 days for sure. The roads are terrible and during the last bus tour, it nearly rolled three times and the passengers on one occasion had to push the bus back up on it's wheels themselves. The Haitians wanted to much $$. You will probably enjoy yourselves if you like wading in 10 to 18 inches of filth.

I mentioned these posts to a couple of my students who are from Haiti and they ALL said that now is not the time to go to Haiti. They said it was very dangerous and one of the students said his cousin was murdered last week. The words he used were "politically eliminated." They also said that they were from the "better" families but even so, nightly hear gunfire from thier upscale homes. Just a word of caution and passing on information that has been made available to me. Personally I can not comment as I have not been to Haiti since the time of Papa Doc.

Papa and Baby days where still the best.

You know Eddy, that is what all the Haitian students tell me and most of them were not even alive in the era of Papa Doc and only have memories of Baby Doc. They tell me there were tyrants but there was no civil unrest.

I know several Haitians in Montreal who would go home immediatly if the "Baby" was to return. The International comunity should mind their own business and get rid of the hipocrite they have in there now. (Worst than ever) Come on home BABY