South Korea to supervise construction Pedernales International airport; President Luis Abinader to visit Korea

NanSanPedro

Nickel with tin plating
Apr 12, 2019
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Boca Chica
yeshaiticanprogram.com
I was in Pedernales a couple of years ago. Slept there one night on the way to Haiti. I was less than impressed but all we did was use it as a stopover. I wouldn't mind going again but that busride (and the busride to Dajabon) is too long for these anciano bones.
 
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JD Jones

Moderator:North Coast,Santo Domingo,SW Coast,Covid
Jan 7, 2016
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I was in Pedernales a couple of years ago. Slept there one night on the way to Haiti. I was less than impressed but all we did was use it as a stopover. I wouldn't mind going again but that busride (and the busride to Dajabon) is too long for these anciano bones.
Driving isn't any better. That's a long azz ride.
 

Kipling333

Bronze
Jan 12, 2010
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I have been rereading some excellent trip reports posted here 10 to 15 years ago relating to this Pedernales ,Barahona and Lake Enriquillo area . It was a much more pleasant time on DR1 with focus on travel and daily living rather than all the political stuff and people refrained from cheap comments and biting. Most of the reports are from people who are not posting any more but included many wonderful photos of their experiences. I am hoping that plans will be developed to explore the Northern side of Lake Enriquillo and that the road from San Juan to Constanza can be upgraded. I was unaware that there even was a road there until I read the reports . I mention all this because many people have expressed a wish that tourists could see more of the DR than the beach and the state of the roads in Altagracia, El Seibo and Hato Mayor is so bad that this type of tourism in the Cordilleras can not be achieved. I was also unaware that the water level of the lake had increased so much that the border crossing at Jimani can not be used. If an investment can be made in these roads in the SW, there will be an entirely new type of tourist industry.
 

JD Jones

Moderator:North Coast,Santo Domingo,SW Coast,Covid
Jan 7, 2016
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I have been rereading some excellent trip reports posted here 10 to 15 years ago relating to this Pedernales ,Barahona and Lake Enriquillo area . It was a much more pleasant time on DR1 with focus on travel and daily living rather than all the political stuff and people refrained from cheap comments and biting. Most of the reports are from people who are not posting any more but included many wonderful photos of their experiences. I am hoping that plans will be developed to explore the Northern side of Lake Enriquillo and that the road from San Juan to Constanza can be upgraded. I was unaware that there even was a road there until I read the reports . I mention all this because many people have expressed a wish that tourists could see more of the DR than the beach and the state of the roads in Altagracia, El Seibo and Hato Mayor is so bad that this type of tourism in the Cordilleras can not be achieved. I was also unaware that the water level of the lake had increased so much that the border crossing at Jimani can not be used. If an investment can be made in these roads in the SW, there will be an entirely new type of tourist industry.
I tried to do a trip from La Descubierta on road 47 to Elias Piña but the road was washed about about a km from EP so I had to come back and take rd. 50 to San Juan de la Maguana.

Much of it was trails and the rest was caliche roads which made for slow going and took forever to make it. If I wasn't in my Wrangler I never would have made it.

I could have stayed up in those mountains for months exploring. There's no place else like it on the island.
 
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CristoRey

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Sosua is the next smallish practically insignificant thing in comparison, certainly when it comes to revenue where Sosua is a drop in the ocean.
Anything in the same country that competes for tourist dollars will likely diminish north coast tourism even more. Just like Punta Cana decimated north coast tourism and the area switched to more long term residents.

The government is really into AI resorts, cruise ports and new airports, and that will be the new Pedernales. BIG revenue.
100% aGREED.
Keep putting all of our eggs in one basket and pray it all works out.

I remember one of the projects the South Korean government completed in Vientaine, Laos along the Mekong River while I was living in that part of the world several years ago. I was not impressed. Hopefully they do a much better job with this airport.
 
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william webster

Rest In Peace WW
Jan 16, 2009
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All eggs in one basket

After long, complicated course on Investment Mgt, our instructor added a final bit of advice

For the least trouble managing, put all your eggs in basket - and never take your eyes off that basket

Perhaps the gov't heard that !!
 
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MariaRubia

Well-known member
Jun 25, 2019
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Sousa was/is still the next big thing for him (the author of post #8).
He just has not realized that his obsession with Sosua is not shared by the majority of people visiting the (insert emoji of the flag of the Dominican Republic here) nor the membership of DR1.

Pedernales will add to the options available to visitors to the (insert emoji of the flag of the Dominican Republic here). And I do not believe it will diminish the tourists going to other places in (insert emoji of the flag of the Dominican Republic here).

You used Punta Cana is used as an example. Punta Cana has a much better beaches than the north coast and offers a higher level of service. Free market competition is a beast. But in my opinion the best beaches that I have been to in the (insert emoji of the flag of the Dominican Republic here) are located in Las Galaras.

I beg to differ sir. The issue, to me, is to get the airlines to want to go to a different place as well as Punta Cana. We already have Air France pulling out completely from the country, British Airways refusing to put on more than 3 flights per week, and hardly any airlines prepared to fly to Puerto Plata or Samana, where there is already a well developed infrastructure and many hotels. And the only way to make All-Inclusive work - and especially cheap all-inclusive - is to have very big numbers, and that means a lot of flights.
 
Feb 16, 2016
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I beg to differ sir. The issue, to me, is to get the airlines to want to go to a different place as well as Punta Cana. We already have Air France pulling out completely from the country, British Airways refusing to put on more than 3 flights per week, and hardly any airlines prepared to fly to Puerto Plata or Samana, where there is already a well developed infrastructure and many hotels. And the only way to make All-Inclusive work - and especially cheap all-inclusive - is to have very big numbers, and that means a lot of flights.
What exactly did I say that you disagree with? (insert the WTF emoji here)

1. Pedernales will not add to the option available to visitors to the (insert emoji of the flag of the Dominican Republic here)?
2. That it will not diminish the tourists going to other places in (insert emoji of the flag of the Dominican Republic here)?
3. That Punta Cana has much better beaches than the north coast and offers a higher level of service?
4. That free market competition is a beast?
5. That the best beaches that I have been to in the (insert emoji of the flag of the Dominican Republic here) are located in Las Galaras?

I respectfully request your response Sra.
 

CristoRey

Welcome To Wonderland
Apr 1, 2014
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All eggs in one basket

After long, complicated course on Investment Mgt, our instructor added a final bit of advice

For the least trouble managing, put all your eggs in basket - and never take your eyes off that basket

Perhaps the gov't heard that !!
When I said "all of our eggs in one basket" I was referring to tourism and yes, I hope it all works out in the end.
 
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El Hijo de Manolo

It's outrageous, egregious, preposterous!
Dec 10, 2021
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Dominican Republic
What exactly did I say that you disagree with? (insert the WTF emoji here)

1. Pedernales will not add to the option available to visitors to the (insert emoji of the flag of the Dominican Republic here)?
2. That it will not diminish the tourists going to other places in (insert emoji of the flag of the Dominican Republic here)?
3. That Punta Cana has much better beaches than the north coast and offers a higher level of service?
4. That free market competition is a beast?
5. That the best beaches that I have been to in the (insert emoji of the flag of the Dominican Republic here) are located in Las Galaras?

I respectfully request your response Sra.
this drool is getting very old hat
 

MariaRubia

Well-known member
Jun 25, 2019
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What exactly did I say that you disagree with? (insert the WTF emoji here)

1. Pedernales will not add to the option available to visitors to the (insert emoji of the flag of the Dominican Republic here)?
2. That it will not diminish the tourists going to other places in (insert emoji of the flag of the Dominican Republic here)?
3. That Punta Cana has much better beaches than the north coast and offers a higher level of service?
4. That free market competition is a beast?
5. That the best beaches that I have been to in the (insert emoji of the flag of the Dominican Republic here) are located in Las Galaras?

I respectfully request your response Sra.

My point was that when it comes to mass tourism, it is an either/or situation. Punta Cana or Pedernales. Or Puerto Plata. When they opened Punta Cana they effectively closed Puerto Plata. If Pedernales takes off in a big way, it will take traffic away from Punta Cana, precisely because not enough airlines will not want to fly to both places to make all-inclusive work.

It's probably a similar thing with cruise ports. Puerto Plata is now a major cruise port. But if you tried to open another one in Pedernales, the cruise ships are not going to want to call at both - they just want their itineraries to show "Dominican Republic" and most people don't care exactly where they land. So again it would be an either-or situation.
 
Feb 16, 2016
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I see it this way...
How long does it take to build an international airport?
To have the airlines decide to fly to it?
How long will it take to bring Perdernales into the awareness of the average AI tourist so that they book a trip there?

Now during all of that time...if things are going well...
Tourism over all is increasing in the Dominican Republic.
Perdernales will take market share out of the overall tourist market.
But in my mind (and this is just a guess cause I have not been to Perdernales) they are going to be two very different markets.
So if Punta Cana decides to compete and "go hard in the paint" no worry.

Now I will stipulate that I know nothing about Puerto Plata in it's prime.
I am rather unimpressed by the place.
In the current state that I find it.
But I think that Punta Cana is off the chain.
If Puerto Plata was as good as Punta Cana is now...then I must stipulate to the ideas that @MariaRubia is proffering.
 

CristoRey

Welcome To Wonderland
Apr 1, 2014
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Sorry what does that mean? I've never heard that expression before.

I think Punta Cana is absolutely dreadful by the way.
I've never been over there but I hear some of the resorts are really nice. Maybe slow season is a better time to visit?
 

CristoRey

Welcome To Wonderland
Apr 1, 2014
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I have been rereading some excellent trip reports posted here 10 to 15 years ago relating to this Pedernales ,Barahona and Lake Enriquillo area . It was a much more pleasant time on DR1 with focus on travel and daily living rather than all the political stuff and people refrained from cheap comments and biting. Most of the reports are from people who are not posting any more but included many wonderful photos of their experiences....
I like to mix it up a little as life (for me) isn't always as peachy as I'd like it to be so why not share it with the rest of ya :giggle:

I mentioned in another thread recently how Dominican vloggers have been posting a lot of (for better or worse) content on YouTube that focuses on more than just Punta Cana.

Here's one the fellas I subscribed to last year. You should check out the video he did on Baja de Iglecia it's absolutely amazing. Enjoy!

 
Feb 16, 2016
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Sorry what does that mean? I've never heard that expression before.
(Insert the "ROTFLMAO" emoji) here
Off the chain.png

I think Punta Cana is absolutely dreadful by the way.
People here on DR1 have expressed their distaste for EASTSIDE either but is on the come up.
People here on DR1 don't like what I write or how I write it...yet they won't put me on ignore.
There are even people here on DR1 that do not like Bourbon (insert the "how could that be" emoji) here.
If I let what people like and don't like bother me...well...I could not be me.
It's all good.
 

MariaRubia

Well-known member
Jun 25, 2019
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(Insert the "ROTFLMAO" emoji) here
View attachment 7419

People here on DR1 have expressed their distaste for EASTSIDE either but is on the come up.
People here on DR1 don't like what I write or how I write it...yet they won't put me on ignore.
There are even people here on DR1 that do not like Bourbon (insert the "how could that be" emoji) here.
If I let what people like and don't like bother me...well...I could not be me.
It's all good.

I see no reason to put you on ignore and I'm not at all interested in taking part in these arguments that some people have on here. I honestly have never heard that expression before. And I know that some people love Punta Cana but personally I just don't get why. I completely appreciate that we all have different opinions though.
 
Feb 16, 2016
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I see no reason to put you on ignore and I'm not at all interested in taking part in these arguments that some people have on here. I honestly have never heard that expression before. And I know that some people love Punta Cana but personally I just don't get why. I completely appreciate that we all have different opinions though.
Thank you for your thoughts and yes I respect your opinion that you don't like Punta Cana.
I understand why you had not heard that expression before.
It is slang that has creeped into my everyday vernacular.

I like Punta Cana because when I went there I felt like all the other experiences I have had while traveling in the past. I no longer felt like I was in the Dominican Republic. My travel partner and I had a great time there. My travel partner knew how to work the system and got us all kinds of deals that I'm sure I would have never been able to get on my own. Coco Bongo was unlike any other club I had ever been through. To say it was an off the chain experience would be understating it. It was expensive trip but worth every peso to me. Had I known about Punta Cana when I first moved to the Dominican Republic that is where I would have chosen to live.

Now if Pedernales is going to be built with the infrastructure and attractions similar to Punta Cana except more natural beauty. I'm there when the regional jet service kicks off.