Santo Domingo to Samana

[kickingmule]

Hi, I'm new here and a bit ignorant so please bear with me.

I am meeting a lady who is from Samana. I had already booked my flight to Santo Domingo, and now I understand Samana is about 2.5 hours away by car from Santo Domingo. I do not mind paying for a taxi to get me there, what should I expect the cost to be, and how do I go about booking a taxi I can feel comfortable with?

Santo Domingo is a pretty big city and I'm going to spend my first night there after I arrive at 8:30pm. I want to book a hotel that puts me as close to Samana as possible for my cab ride the next day. I don't foresee a big night out on the town as I will be on a plane all day. I'm just looking for a comfortable hotel with a breakfast included in the morning. I'd like to be on the road by 10:30AM or so roughly. What can I expect?

Thanks,

 

[AlterEgo]

If you don’t plan on “seeing” Santo Domingo, I’d suggest you stay at a hotel near the airport, because Samana is the other direction. The highway north towards Samana isn’t far from the airport.

 

[NanSanPedro]

If you don’t plan on “seeing” Santo Domingo, I’d suggest you stay at a hotel near the airport, because Samana is the other direction. The highway north towards Samana isn’t far from the airport.

This is very good advice. In fact, there is a bus station going directly to Samana close to all the airport hotels. I don´t know the price but I´d be shocked if it´s over 1000 pesos. Find a hotel you would like by the airport and stay there. They will help you get to the bus station as well.

 

[kickingmule]

Thanks guys, I have US dollars. I imagine I'll need to convert them rather quickly to even get to the hotel from the airport. Is that correct and doable after I arrive? Maybe just hit an ATM if available at the airport.
To be frank I like to carry a little more cash than I should so I'm not excited to be carrying luggage, laptop, and cash on the bus. I do not look like any form of Dominican and my Spanish is only passable, so I'm an obvious tourist. If I stay at a place like Hampton by Hilton, will I be able to find a shuttle or even a taxi? If so, how would you recommend I do so, placing safety/convenience a higher priority than the cost.

Thanks again,

 

[NanSanPedro]

Thanks guys, I have US dollars. I imagine I'll need to convert them rather quickly to even get to the hotel from the airport. Is that correct and doable after I arrive? Maybe just hit an ATM if available at the airport.
To be frank I like to carry a little more cash than I should so I'm not excited to be carrying luggage, laptop, and cash on the bus. I do not look like any form of Dominican and my Spanish is only passable, so I'm an obvious tourist. If I stay at a place like Hampton by Hilton, will I be able to find a shuttle or even a taxi? If so, how would you recommend I do so, placing safety/convenience a higher priority than the cost.

Thanks again,

The hotel will help you with everything. I would try to avoid converting anything at the airport. Let the hotel find one for you. Taxi too. Personally, I would get my cash at home and hide it in various locations. From the airport to the hotel to the bus station should not be a problem. Then, as your feet get wet, you´ll figure out the ATM thing. FYI, Use Banresevas and/or Scotia Bank. They have much better ATM exchange rates than Popular

 

[Northern Coast Diver]

Thanks guys, I have US dollars. I imagine I'll need to convert them rather quickly to even get to the hotel from the airport. Is that correct and doable after I arrive? Maybe just hit an ATM if available at the airport.
To be frank I like to carry a little more cash than I should so I'm not excited to be carrying luggage, laptop, and cash on the bus. I do not look like any form of Dominican and my Spanish is only passable, so I'm an obvious tourist. If I stay at a place like Hampton by Hilton, will I be able to find a shuttle or even a taxi? If so, how would you recommend I do so, placing safety/convenience a higher priority than the cost.

Thanks again,

Just to expand on the great advice that you have been given. From the airport to the Hampton the fare is 1,000 pesos, 20 USD = a bit more than 1,100 pesos. The taxi will accept $20 US, so no need to worry about changing at the airport at unfavorable rates. Hotel reception will call a taxi in the morning. Taxi rates to Samana will be around $250 USD. Caribe tours bus service costs about $10 US and is like Greyhound in the US, totally safe, big luggage in locked compartments under the bus, hand luggage aboard. I believe the bus station also has a Caribe Express office where you can exchange dollars at a fair/standard rate. Travel safe!

 

[MariaRubia]

Just to expand on the great advice that you have been given. From the airport to the Hampton the fare is 1,000 pesos, 20 USD = a bit more than 1,100 pesos. The taxi will accept $20 US, so no need to worry about changing at the airport at unfavorable rates. Hotel reception will call a taxi in the morning. Taxi rates to Samana will be around $250 USD. Caribe tours bus service costs about $10 US and is like Greyhound in the US, totally safe, big luggage in locked compartments under the bus, hand luggage aboard. I believe the bus station also has a Caribe Express office where you can exchange dollars at a fair/standard rate. Travel safe!

I agree with all of this, except the taxi fare to Samana. You can book with a reliable English-speaking driver that hotels use for US$ 180 to Samana. US$ 250 may be what the Hilton is quoting but this is definitely too high. I've worked in hospitality for a number of years, I know the taxi fares off by heart!

If you need the number for a good driver, DM me.

 

[reilleyp]

Hi, I'm new here and a bit ignorant so please bear with me.

I am meeting a lady who is from Samana. I had already booked my flight to Santo Domingo, and now I understand Samana is about 2.5 hours away by car from Santo Domingo. I do not mind paying for a taxi to get me there, what should I expect the cost to be, and how do I go about booking a taxi I can feel comfortable with?

Santo Domingo is a pretty big city and I'm going to spend my first night there after I arrive at 8:30pm. I want to book a hotel that puts me as close to Samana as possible for my cab ride the next day. I don't foresee a big night out on the town as I will be on a plane all day. I'm just looking for a comfortable hotel with a breakfast included in the morning. I'd like to be on the road by 10:30AM or so roughly. What can I expect?

Thanks,

If the main focus of your trip is your girlfriend in Samana, then just stay at the Hampton near the airport. If you’ve never been to Santa Domingo just to stay out of there. Call ahead to the hotel and ask them to send over the taxi driver and it should cost you no more than 1000 pesos. There is no need to go into Santa Domingo because that trip will cost you about $50 and it’ll take about an hour if traffic is bad, and is going out of your way. If you need transportation, let me know. I will send my guy down to the airport and he will pick you up. It will cost you around $200.

 

[kickingmule]

Thank you so much for the useful replies. I was off a little bit when I said Samana, it is actually Las Terrenas, but I imagine the Taxi fares aren't much different. That is quite a difference between $10 on the Caribe Tour Bus and a private driver in the neighborhood of $200. Since the difference is so great I might talk to the staff at the hotel and see if the time for Caribe is at a time I would like to go at. I don't imagine the Caribe bus go directly to the hotel in Las Terrenas, and if it doesn't that might put me in a position where I need to hail a random taxi.

If I do go with a private driver it seems you all know drivers that a better value than the typical hotel driver if he is going to be $250, so I might hit you up for phone numbers.

 

[JD Jones]

He's learning!

 

[kickingmule]

Well I'm here in Santo Domingo now. Tomorrow I need to decide which route to take. It seems if I use the Shuttle it will cost me $20 to get to the shuttle station, about $10 for the ride and likely another $20 to get a ride to the hotel from wherever I'm dropped off. Maybe $50 bucks and quite a bit of hassle.
If Maria or Reilly P see this, I'd use either of their drivers. I send you both messages.
Thanks for the suggestions,

 

[Manuel01]

Hi, I'm new here and a bit ignorant so please bear with me.

I am meeting a lady who is from Samana. I had already booked my flight to Santo Domingo, and now I understand Samana is about 2.5 hours away by car from Santo Domingo. I do not mind paying for a taxi to get me there, what should I expect the cost to be, and how do I go about booking a taxi I can feel comfortable with?

Santo Domingo is a pretty big city and I'm going to spend my first night there after I arrive at 8:30pm. I want to book a hotel that puts me as close to Samana as possible for my cab ride the next day. I don't foresee a big night out on the town as I will be on a plane all day. I'm just looking for a comfortable hotel with a breakfast included in the morning. I'd like to be on the road by 10:30AM or so roughly. What can I expect?

Thanks,

Take a BUS from Snto Domingo to Samana. Why wast so much $ ????? Better spend at a GREAT Dinner !

 

[kickingmule]

I appreciate all the help and the private message I received.

For the record, I used a driver from Hilton and he was $170 dollars. He took me directly to my hotel and was ready immediately. I just wanted the convivence, and when I realized, it was going to cost me time/money to get to the Tour/bus station, and that I was also going to get dropped off at a place where I'd need to get another taxi, it just wasn't worth the savings for me. I'm travelling with a pretty high budget, but I do realize I could have got here for at least $100-$130 less. I feel it was worth it, buy getting here early and directly I got to enjoy the facilities/food for the whole day.

Thanks again, perhaps I'll report back my overall experience as I get a handle on Las Terrenas.

 

[JD Jones]

Was she happy to see you?

 

[johne]

Was she happy to see you?

JD....jajajajaja. You looking to start 80 page thread? You know that's another sub chapter on DR1.

 

[Notengo]

Was she happy to see you?

Duh.

- I'm travelling with a pretty high budget -

 

[MariaRubia]

Was she happy to see

She definitely would have been if he mentioned his high budget. Things are very slow in Las Terrenas at the moment very few tourists to chapiar.

 

[MariaRubia]

JD....jajajajaja. You looking to start 80 page thread? You know that's another sub chapter on DR1.

I really miss those threads though. That guy who fell in love over breakfast and proposed marriage via Google translate. Or the other one who pulled classy putas at the casino who he said only wore real Versace.

There is doing the rounds on TikTok a huge English woman who looks like she eats a mattress for dinner every day with this seriously ugly short sanky guy in Bavaro. She wants an intimate wedding and he is inviting the whole barrio.

 

[MariaRubia]

I appreciate all the help and the private message I received.

For the record, I used a driver from Hilton and he was $170 dollars. He took me directly to my hotel and was ready immediately. I just wanted the convivence, and when I realized, it was going to cost me time/money to get to the Tour/bus station, and that I was also going to get dropped off at a place where I'd need to get another taxi, it just wasn't worth the savings for me. I'm travelling with a pretty high budget, but I do realize I could have got here for at least $100-$130 less. I feel it was worth it, buy getting here early and directly I got to enjoy the facilities/food for the whole day.

Thanks again, perhaps I'll report back my overall experience as I get a handle on Las Terrenas.

Well I am going to LT soon and I am paying the same $170 you paid to get there and I've lived here 12 years. So you definitely paid a fair price and it was worth coming on here to check it out first.

Remember the guy who drove you also needed to drive back so it's a five hour round trip with tolls and expensive gas.

 

[kickingmule]

Was she happy to see you?

I was taking a shot in the dark with the whole trip. She is a very attractive lady that works full time but yeah it seems she is very happy to see me.