Boca Chica

[BogieMaker]

I may check out Calypso but haven't seen it yet.

I would be interested in your take on the Calypso. I will be in Boca Chica for one day in early April and always though the hotel looked good from the outside.

The website is.

http://calypsobeachhotel.com/indexEN.html

I usually stay at the Costalunga while in Boca Chica and highly recommend it. Not the best place I ever stayed but worth the $40 per night. The Costalunga is very girl friendly.

The rooms on the ground floor are two bedrooms with a stove and fridge. The ones on the pool side were very quite when I stayed there. The last two trips I was on the second floor facing west and there was a lot of noise on the street until about 1:00 AM. I believe there is a bar about half a block West of the hotel. One of the motococho guys said there were girls there but I never checked it out.

[Member #4480]

My next choice would be Costalunga and that might quickly escalate to #1 if it is dead quiet at night, which I think it is.

Although my info is fairly dated, Costalunga was a lot better than some of the dumps in Sosua. My suite had two bedrooms, a mini type kitchen with a fridge, Key safe, A / C (in one room only) , cable TV with porn channels, hot water and of all things, a bidet.

The hotel facilities included a pool, restaurant and Internet cafe. The thing I didn't like about the hotel at the time was that there was no bar, so you had to either hang out in the restaurant or lobby. Speaking of which, they typically had girls avail on-site.

As for noise, it's far enough away from the strip not to be a factor. However, there are some motoconcho's out front, so if you're really sensitive book a room on the back side.

Also, as side note re BC hotels, if you're on a budget and don't mind roughing it a little, I recommend the Casa Coco Hotel:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...c.html#REVIEWS

[Zip Head]

Yes, it is fine and the employees are friendly (or were a couple years ago) , but it is a block or two back from the beach, in spite of the name which suggests it is on the beach.

I'm on the ground here in Boca Chica right now. Won't post a full report till the end of my trip but have been having fun and enjoying the "quaint" town of BC. This is my first trip here although I have done Sosua many times. Overall I like Sosua better for the cleaner beach and diving; Boca can be a bit more of a hustlers' paradise, as others have mentioned.

I have been staying at the Zapata Hotel, right on the beach, very nice and chica friendly with some limitations (the owner, altho a great guy, is trying to maintain some kind of "family" atmosphere, and he won't let you bring chicas in to the bar of for food, etc). Doesn't bother me much. Think my room is about $65 a night. I also walked around and did a check of several other hotels just for a possible next trip. Costalunga apartments are pretty nice, simple but more than adequate and only $40 a day for one person. Costalunga is a few blocks from the beach but VERY nice and Quiet at night. There are some night noise issues at Zapata, mostly next door hotels and bars and some middle of the night dog barking issues.

I also checked out hotel Madjera (think spelling is close) and it is right on the beach and only $40 a night, similar to Costalunga, very basic but looks clean and no chica limitations. If Ihad dto do it again, I might try Madjera for a night or two and stay there if it was quiet at night (you never know since it is on the beach and all along the beach are restaurants and bars with sometime loud music going to the wee hours.) My next choice would be Costalunga and that might quickly escalate to #1 if it is dead quiet at night, which I think it is.

All for today. Back to the USA tomorrow and more report to follow then. If Ihave a chance I may check out Calypso but haven't seen it yet.

[Frannie]

Looks like I've found a no-nonsense chica friendly hotel in boca chica. The calypso beach hotel seems cheap and ideal for my one day stay. Has anybody tried it?

Yes, it is fine and the employees are friendly (or were a couple years ago) , but it is a block or two back from the beach, in spite of the name which suggests it is on the beach.

[Lakeside32]

Looks like I've found a no-nonsense chica friendly hotel in boca chica. The calypso beach hotel seems cheap and ideal for my one day stay. Has anybody tried it?

[Cagep1967]

I saw what appeared to be new embedded reflectors in the asphalt (lane markers) on the highway between Boca Chica and the exit for Las Americas Airport (SDQ). Seems the concrete barrier was also painted and maybe new reflectors installed on top of the barrier. I did not drive that road at night this trip, but I would imagine the reflectors and the other improvements should make that section of road easier and safer to drive on at night.

I live here most of the time and have seen over the past 4 years lots of road improvements. They are actually filling in potholes on a semi regular basis. The streets are being repaved, barriers are painted with bright yellow paint and reflectors being installed.

Danilo seems to be doing a bit of good in a short period of time.

That stretch of highway in boca chica has always been dangerous at night, if they've gotten that far to put in the reflectors great. It will make it much safer. What they need is the pedestrian bridges, I don't recall any on that stretch of road.

[Charles Pooter]

Do you recommend taking cash and exchange it for DOP or using the ATM

Obviously if you arrive with, and hold, sufficient cash for your whole holiday you risk losing a lot in what is a very dishonest country. For this reason many prefer to accept the ATM transaction charges and only draw enough for a day (or two) at a time.

But I would recommend not using the ATM machines (and even less ones which are not outside a bank) , but using your debit card at the teller counter inside the bank. This has three advantages:

1) You can draw larger sums than at most ATMs.

2) No chance of your card getting mangled or eaten, and a lot less chance of it being criminally cloned.

3) You can tuck away your money and "adjust your clothing" in a safer environment than out on the street.

4) You can ask for small notes and coins. Change is often hard to come by in the DR and not having it can result in overpaying.

The disadvantages are that you can only do so during bank opening hours (which vary from bank to bank) and that you need to carry your passport (copies are not acceptable).

[Stebo419]

I always take some cash and and an ATM card. I use the ATM card to take a daily amount of money out of my account so I am not carrying too much money at any one time. Last time I went to the DR I took about $1000 cash with me and pulled about $2500 out of various ATM's to pay for expenses.

In Boca Chica the Banco Popular on Av Duarte just past the park is good for taking out large amounts like 10, 000 DOP. In the daytime this ATM is sometimes very busy and you might have to wait in line. Also the Banco Popular ATM might require you to use the Spanish menus. This is the bank I ususlly use in Boca Chica. I have also used the BanReservas which is near the Hamaca but I have never successfully withdrawn more than 4, 000 DOP per transaction and end up doing two transactions in a row. The English menus work at this ATM which is nice if you can't read Spanish. The bank charge for using an ATM was 112 DOP last time I was in the DR.

There are several cambios on Av Duarte and most have a sign outside giving the current exchange rate. I have used the one next to the entrance to the Boat House without any issues. You can also get money exchanged at the Hamaca and the Don Juan but will not get as good a rate.

I would agree you should only use your ATM at banks and not the stand alone machines. I have never had any problems using my card but make sure you let your bank know you are traveling to the DR before you leave so the don't cancel your card the first time you use it.

Thanks for the information.

[BogieMaker]

Do you recommend taking cash and exchange it for DOP or using the ATM

I always take some cash and and an ATM card. I use the ATM card to take a daily amount of money out of my account so I am not carrying too much money at any one time. Last time I went to the DR I took about $1000 cash with me and pulled about $2500 out of various ATM's to pay for expenses.

In Boca Chica the Banco Popular on Av Duarte just past the park is good for taking out large amounts like 10, 000 DOP. In the daytime this ATM is sometimes very busy and you might have to wait in line. Also the Banco Popular ATM might require you to use the Spanish menus. This is the bank I ususlly use in Boca Chica. I have also used the BanReservas which is near the Hamaca but I have never successfully withdrawn more than 4, 000 DOP per transaction and end up doing two transactions in a row. The English menus work at this ATM which is nice if you can't read Spanish. The bank charge for using an ATM was 112 DOP last time I was in the DR.

There are several cambios on Av Duarte and most have a sign outside giving the current exchange rate. I have used the one next to the entrance to the Boat House without any issues. You can also get money exchanged at the Hamaca and the Don Juan but will not get as good a rate.

I would agree you should only use your ATM at banks and not the stand alone machines. I have never had any problems using my card but make sure you let your bank know you are traveling to the DR before you leave so the don't cancel your card the first time you use it.

[Stebo419]

Go to a bank ATM, use your debit card. Never use an ATM at a business like a gas station.

Do you recommend taking cash and exchange it for DOP or using the ATM

[Riky Rapido]

Where's the best place to exchange USD to DOP?

Go to a bank ATM, use your debit card. Never use an ATM at a business like a gas station.

[Stebo419]

Where's the best place to exchange USD to DOP?

[Jaosousa]

I saw what appeared to be new embedded reflectors in the asphalt (lane markers) on the highway between Boca Chica and the exit for Las Americas Airport (SDQ). Seems the concrete barrier was also painted and maybe new reflectors installed on top of the barrier. I did not drive that road at night this trip, but I would imagine the reflectors and the other improvements should make that section of road easier and safer to drive on at night.

[Matth]

The southern beaches were the only place I had not been to in the D. R. , so at the last minute I booked and left. I paid about 60 a night for zapata, and it was clean, comfortable, good staff, free breakfast, and chica friendly and a gated area you could stay in if you did not want to be bothered on the beach. Do not get room 9 if you stay there, as it is next to the common areas and loud at night and you will be up by 6. Wifi was about $5 a day, but was secure. The beach is public, and a pain in the ass. You cannot sleep or relax as you are bothered every minute or less. Be live was the last 4 days and I paid $70 a day thru trip and was all inclusive and stayed in presidential suites. Room and beach was amazing, service was fine, and at least on the beach you were protected from the sales people, but the buffet food sucks, and it is 200 a day to bring a girl on. The separate places on the resort to eat were fine, so it is worth making a reservation. I usually had dinner downtown as it was good and reasonable. The touts are a total pain in the ass, and most are working together with the chicas so be careful. You will neg. With them and rent the room, and be with the girl and she says something else and starts raising hell. Lot's of girls on the streets, and most with hot bodies, but pretty hard faces. Every one I spoke to got ripped off, but it was just in a suttle way. Best bet is to go after the people that are at work and not the street girls, as there are all available for the right price. The cost was 35-75 american depending on the girl. Do not take one back to your room, and do not go where they want to go. There are many close places at reasonable prices and if you stay at one place you can get a nice one for about 750 for an hour. One guy took a girl to his room, fell asleep, she opened his safe and cleaned him out. I strongly recommend pregame. I went to Dom, Cupid and had many regular girls interested, and had a university girl, classy, and cute that was 19 take the bus from La Vega (prettiest girls and most normal there and in Santiago) and it was a GFE. Made her pay the bus to come, to see if she was sincere, and then reimbursed her. She came and it was great. Just always be aware that on the street the men and women are they to take from you. You can get all the regular girls you want, because their jobs pay little and they need the extra money. Expect 2500-3000 a day for a day on the beach, dinner, drinks, fun, and send them home. It was fun, but not sure I would go beg. Too many beggers, petty thiefs, and it is constant lies, and you do not want to put yourself into any of those street girls. Lot's of Haitians. I would pregame, and though, and use be live, and Zapata for a good value. One last thing is when the girls come up to hug you, push them away, as they only want to pick pocket. If you want to be left alone with the touts learn to say Tengo chica, Adios!

[BogieMaker]

enrique feliz said the proliferation of firearms is added the presence of a large number of alleged haitian prostitutes, many of them to minors, walking the beach and streets of the town of boca chica, both day and night.

*"by increasing haitian women are ensuring that even in the country illegally, is the fact of the large number of beggars and panhandlers who appear daily in boca chica, restlessness and anxiety leading to domestic and foreign visitors" said the business leader.

so are there guns because of the prostitutes or the other way around? in the us there are a lot of people who are against any kind of gun control. most would probably crap their chaps if they saw the proliferation of guns in the dr let alone boca chica.

i of course like and i am not against prostitutes either haitian or dominican although maybe the guns should be used on those who employee the services of **** women.