Travel to Monte Cristi

[nyjcr]

Which road would I take to travel to monte cristi from San Jose De Las Matas
Do I have to go through Santiago, or through Moncio and Mao, not sure how the roads are in that part of the country.
Someone mentioned that I need to go to Puerto Plata, which doesn't make a lot of sense to me...

Thank you as Always!
JC

 

[Hillbilly]

Moncion, down the hill to El Cacique, left at the intersection; through Santiago Rodriguez to Los Almacigos, then El Partido and on to Santiago de la Cruz. Right at the intersection to Dajabon. Dajabon to Montecristi is a straight run, BUT there are perhaps six checkpoints that you DO NOT run through.

You stop and smile , they look in the car.

ALTERNATE ROUTE: SAJOMA to Santiago, take Joaquin Balaguer highway west to Montecristi.

Do you know your way through Santiago?

Either way it is an interesting trip.

HB

 

[nyjcr]

Moncion, down the hill to El Cacique, left at the intersection; through Santiago Rodriguez to Los Almacigos, then El Partido and on to Santiago de la Cruz. Right at the intersection to Dajabon. Dajabon to Montecristi is a straight run, BUT there are perhaps six checkpoints that you DO NOT run through.

You stop and smile , they look in the car.

ALTERNATE ROUTE: SAJOMA to Santiago, take Joaquin Balaguer highway west to Montecristi.

Do you know your way through Santiago?

Either way it is an interesting trip.

HB

Thanks HB, very detailed directions...
I've never been to that part of the country, so would like to do some exploring....
My main concern is the road conditions, not sure how long it will take to get down to monte cristi through moncion...
jc

 

[nyjcr]

Then you'll write the trip and let the rest of us know afterwards, right?

But of course
Looking forward to it...

 

[Matilda]

Moncion to montecristi is about 2 hours give or take! Great directions from HB

Matilda

 

[dv8]

I've never been to that part of the country, so would like to do some exploring....

i went to monte cristi about two months ago. from POP through luperon, punta rucia and then country dirt road. then on the way back through esperanza and navarette.

monte cristi is a bit surprising. very wide roads through the city but hardly any asphalt there. lots of road works going on so be ready for an occasional bumpy street. the city center has some really stunning old wooden buildings. sadly, they are in deplorable condition but the architecture itself is pretty impressive.

take a ride outside the city towards el morro de monte cristi, a park with fantastic ocean views. the road is narrow but in a good shape. i would not risk passing through there on a rainy day but you have nothing to worry about with this weather. before the park you can see salt planes. monte cristi is famous for it's salt, harvested from ocean water. do i even make sense? ocean water fills shallow pools and eventually dries up leaving behind rocks of sea salt. there is a small museum on the site so you can learn some history of the place. i have some of this salt at home, smells like the ocean and is really good.

try coco mar restaurant. not so much for the food (although it's ok and the portions are gargantuan) but for the decor of old radios, sewing machines and other memorabilia.

 

[nyjcr]

i went to monte cristi about two months ago. from POP through luperon, punta rucia and then country dirt road. then on the way back through esperanza and navarette.

monte cristi is a bit surprising. very wide roads through the city but hardly any asphalt there. lots of road works going on so be ready for an occasional bumpy street. the city center has some really stunning old wooden buildings. sadly, they are in deplorable condition but the architecture itself is pretty impressive.

take a ride outside the city towards el morro de monte cristi, a park with fantastic ocean views. the road is narrow but in a good shape. i would not risk passing through there on a rainy day but you have nothing to worry about with this weather. before the park you can see salt planes. monte cristi is famous for it's salt, harvested from ocean water. do i even make sense? ocean water fills shallow pools and eventually dries up leaving behind rocks of sea salt. there is a small museum on the site so you can learn some history of the place. i have some of this salt at home, smells like the ocean and is really good.

try coco mar restaurant. not so much for the food (although it's ok and the portions are gargantuan) but for the decor of old radios, sewing machines and other memorabilia.

Interesting how you describe monte cristi, not what I pictured, but I guess that's why we are calling this an "adventure"...

 

[dv8]

it's a small town with ambitions, i think. few cars and lots of goats

 

[mountainannie]

note in today's news that the staircase down to the sea at El Moro was burned in a fire. Think it would be a hard climb back up without them.. but the beach is rocky and rough sorta like the NE coast.. rather a treat for me. There is a really nice Hotel/ hostal on the hill to the right as you go on the beach road to El Moro high on the hill with little cabins.. Cannot think of the name of it. no.. here it is but they have upgraded.. put in tvs and wifi and ac and probably tripled the price.. ugh El Hotel - El Morro l Ecoadventure Hotel l Montecristi

You can get one of the fishermen to take you out to one of the offshore island for the day.. be sure to pack lunch and plenty of water,.

The restaurant to the left of the beach road, right at the T intersection had the best fish that I ever ate on the Island.

Be advised that the mosquitos in Monte Christi are organized, and obviously trained at military camps by the US or Cuban army. They probably do not carry dengue or chichi because they are LOUD.. bring plenty of bug spray.

The Haitian market is in Dajabon on Mon and Friday.. And if you go to Pepe Salcedo.. Manzanillo, you can actually swim across the Massacre river, which is right next to some gorgeous sand flats. There is also a decent fish restuarant there.