Traveling to Santo Domingo, Santiago/Puerto Plata and Punta Cana

[gf1025]

Hello everyone!
I'm new here and I would like to get some advise on my upcoming trip. I'm Dominican and my boyfriend's birthday is coming up he sugested we go to DR for his birthday. Now, my grandparents and extended family are all there. My grandpa lives in Santo Domingo and Grandma in the mountains in Puerto Plata (closer to Santiago, though). We can only go for about 6 days because he wants to be here on his actual birthday and my brother graduates just 6 days later. So what would the best route would be to make sure we go to all of our destinations? I really want to go to Punta Cana since is supposed to be so beautiful!! I went to the DR last year and went to Playa Dorada and was a little dissapointed (too much seedweed). I'm thinking we can go to Santo Domingo, then Punta Cana and then Santiago/Puerto Plata. But not sure if transportation would allow us to do this at all. Any pointers? Any advise would be gladly appreciated.

 

[Hillbilly]

Remember you will lose 6 hours going from Punta Cana to Santiago (if you are driving yourself and know the roads..) If you are taking public transportation it will be much longer.

You might want to leave Punta Cana for another visit, and go see Punta Rucia or Monte Cristi....or Playa Grande...or Sos?a!!

That way you can see your family, spend some time with them and still get to the .

Have a good time...

HB

 

[kapitan75]

lots of driving ahead

I agree with the last poster, you should skip punta cana for the next visit. puerto plata to santiago to santo domingo is very doable on bus or private car. pp to sti 1 1/2 hours drive, sti to sto about 2 hrs. you can try sosua for a day visit at the beach, no seaweed there.

 

[gf1025]

Remember you will lose 6 hours going from Punta Cana to Santiago (if you are driving yourself and know the roads..) If you are taking public transportation it will be much longer.

You might want to leave Punta Cana for another visit, and go see Punta Rucia or Monte Cristi....or Playa Grande...or Sos?a!!

That way you can see your family, spend some time with them and still get to the .

Have a good time...

HB

Thanks for the sugestions hillbilly!
I didn't even know about most of these beaches. (I really like Playa Grande). I'll have to talk to him about this since it's his birthday.
Maybe is better to fly to Punta Cana, then go to Santo Domingo, then Santiago and fly back from Santiago or just have the rest of the family join us in Santo Domingo and skip my beloved Santiago, altogether. Would that make the travel time more manageble? I know I can take a bus from Santo Domingo to Santiago and be there in 2 hours or so.

 

[gf1025]

Now that I think about it, We'll probably better off going to Santo Domingo for a day and staying in the Santiago/Puerto Plata area for the rest of the trip. I'm sure the beaches like cabarete, sosua and Playa Grande will keep us entertained. Not to mention he loves to golf and Playa Grande seems to be THE PLACE for that!
Thanks for the tips!!

 

[Hillbilly]

FYI: There is also golf in Santiago....

I was just figuring that all that time spent on the road would cut into your holiday time.

Have a blast...visit some of the good restaurants in Santiago...

HB

 

[gf1025]

FYI: There is also golf in Santiago....

I was just figuring that all that time spent on the road would cut into your holiday time.

Have a blast...visit some of the good restaurants in Santiago...

HB

I know what you mean! That always happens to me since I have family everywhere in the island. I love Santiago though, my favorite, (grew up there). Where do they have golf in Santiago? I didn't know.

 

[Hillbilly]

Across the bridge, take first right after the Shell station. Go up the hill and follow the road to the end...Las Aromas Golf Club

HB

 

[gf1025]

Thanks again, as it turns out now he only wants to go for half the time, he said I can go earlier. So I think the traveling all over the island I'll be left to do on my own. Figures! Any resorts you would recommend? That's what he wants to do, and is his birthday so I got to make him happy.
Which are the nicest beaches in Puerto Plata? The ones with the whitest sand?