Punta Cana

[Osanhopps]

I haven't been to Punta Cana or Higuey in a few years. The last time I was there was in 2008. What are the changes in those area. What should I be looking out for. I will be renting a condo during my stay there. I see the resorts have gone way up since the last time I was there. I am not going to monger as much this time, just want a little rest and relaxation. Who's got the info?

[Snomis85]

Any reviews of G Spot VIP Gentleman Club? According to google map, its next to Steves bar / Hotel Flamboyan. I'm with my SO so my time to "disappear" is limited but I want to get in on the DR action. There's also a Bikini Wash behind Flamboyan but I don't see anything there.

[Lonely566]

My GF and I are heading to Punta Cana. She doesn't mind if I bang some DR ladies. Can anyone name a Hotel there with pool that allows a girl or two to visit the room? Thanks. Lonely.

[JjBee62]

Any good options for public transportation from Sosua / BB to PUJ? Taxi would be quite expensive as it is 5 hours drive. I don't want to rent a car in DR, so please advise.

Thanks!

Sam

You can catch either Metro or Caribe in Puerto Plata or Sosua to go to Santo Domingo. Cost is about 360 pesos and depending on which bus and where you get on, 3 to 5 hours. I think there are 2 buses that run Santo Domingo to Bavaro, but I don't have any info on them. Probably 2. 5 to 3 hour trip.

I've done Metro fro. SD to Sosua and Caribe from Puerto Plata to Santo Domingo. Buses are clean and comfortable. It will take you all day to make the trip. Of course there is a slight chance someone will try to pick you up on the bus. Happened to me on the Astrapu bus from San Pedro to Santo Domingo. I declined, didn't want to get off in a strange neighborhood with a strange girl.

[Bone Yard]

I have not actually done this, but in my research I see you can take a bus from Sosua to Santo Domingo (Metro or Caribe Tours), and then Expreso Bavaro from Santo Domingo to Bavaro.

I'm told Metro from Santo Domingo to Puerto Plata is under US $10. About RD $750. It's 4-5 hours from Sosua to Santo Domingo and about 3 from Santo Domingo to Bavaro.

You'll need to get from one bus station to the other since it doesn't look like they're close by each other. Of course you'll also need to get from the bus station to your final destination.

Hope that is of some value.

http://www.expresobavaro.com/index.php

http://www.caribetours.com.do/site/portada/

http://metroserviciosturisticos.com/

Any good options for public transportation from Sosua / BB to PUJ? Taxi would be quite expensive as it is 5 hours drive. I don't want to rent a car in DR, so please advise.

Thanks!

Sam

[CrazyDave]

I was told by a Bavaro hotel employee that Higuey was the 3rd largest city in DR but that is not true as it is actually the 9th largest city with over 100,000 population. I stand corrected and should have checked the internet.

[PitrSam1]

Any good options for public transportation from Sosua / BB to PUJ? Taxi would be quite expensive as it is 5 hours drive. I don't want to rent a car in DR, so please advise.

Thanks!

Sam

[JjBee62]

I was trying to say that Higuey is 3rd largest city in DR and most tourists stick out like a big sore thumb. Very few of the Higuey residents speak English. Also, with a 35%+ unemployment rate, crime is a major problem. If you do not speak Spanish or have a trusted Dominican friend then you WILL get ripped off as I have NEVER met a Higuey taxi driver who could speak English during my 12 years /53 trips to the Bavaro / Punta Cana / Higuey area.

The whole thing seems like a bit of a bother. If someone is staying in Punta Cana, they paid a premium for the flight, they are paying a premium for the hotel, meals, drinks and everything.

After all of that, it seems ridiculous to give money to a complete stranger, hoping they return, hoping they buy the cigars and hoping they get the right cigars, just to save a few dollars.

[Frannie]

Any tips on where to find decent local cigars at reasonable prices? I'm staying at the Barcelo Bavaro Palace. I suspect resort pricing will be premium so I don't mind running into town to buy some.

I am not familiar with that area, but usually in the DR you can find things like cigars in regular groceries, colmados, or supermarkets used by Dominicans, so it might make sense to check these out and compare prices to souvenir and tourist shops before you start traveling long distances in search of specialist cigar stores.

If you are interested in obtaining high quality "gourmet" cigars, then you might consider going on the one of the trips from a resort to cigar factories, which I believe may have transportation provided. You can also see some discussion on other Web sites, like here:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g147293-i28-k5471475-Buying_Cigars-Punta_Cana_La_Altagracia_Province_Dominican_Republic.html

[Charles Pooter]

I was trying to say that Higuey is 3rd largest city in DR

You can try to say that, but you won't succeed in convincing anyone. Anyone with a clue would place it behind Santo Domingo, Santiago, Puerto Plata, La Vega, San Pedro, La Romana, and San Francisco. This list also counts San Cristobal as bigger:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...nican_Republic#Cities_with_population_figures.

... most tourists stick out like a big sore thumb. Very few of the Higuey residents speak English. Also, with a 35%+ unemployment rate, crime is a major problem. If you do not speak Spanish or have a trusted Dominican friend then you WILL get ripped off as I have NEVER met a Higuey taxi driver who could speak English during my 12 years /53 trips to the Bavaro / Punta Cana / Higuey area.

Depends on his common sense and street smarts. Even Sosua is not for everyone (as a recent visitor of mine, a Thailand vet, soon proved).

But I agree with you, if he is not up for a little adventure he should not try it.

I think two of the most surefire ways to get ripped off would be giving a chica money to buy cigars and hiring a taxi for a round trip.

[CrazyDave]

Why on earth not? It is not Acapulco or Detroit. The worse that could happen is that someone would ask him to rest a sack of beans or a piglet on his lap if the bus gets crowded.

I was trying to say that Higuey is 3rd largest city in DR and most tourists stick out like a big sore thumb. Very few of the Higuey residents speak English. Also, with a 35%+ unemployment rate, crime is a major problem. If you do not speak Spanish or have a trusted Dominican friend then you WILL get ripped off as I have NEVER met a Higuey taxi driver who could speak English during my 12 years /53 trips to the Bavaro / Punta Cana / Higuey area.

[Charles Pooter]

You can take a bus to Higuey for about $3 dollars (1 way) BUT I would not advise this unless you speak fair / good Spanish.

Why on earth not? It is not Acapulco or Detroit. The worse that could happen is that someone would ask him to rest a sack of beans or a piglet on his lap if the bus gets crowded.

[OsuGuy33]

Hello all,

I am a fellow monger and looking to see if anyone has stayed around this hotel, where I can sneak away for a quickie?

As I was reading through the forums, I read people have paid the hotel maids for some action? Is this true? How do I go about this? That would be nice and simple! Might have to try it!

Happy hunting!

[Bone Yard]

Thanks CrazyDave! I'll give that a shot.

Go to the Barcelo Bavaro Premium Club and ask a chica that lives in Higuey to buy you some cigars. Higuey is about 30 miles from Bavaro and is the only large city in the area. Everything in the Bavaro area is 2 x's as expensive as Higuey. You can take a bus to Higuey for about $3 dollars (1 way) BUT I would not advise this unless you speak fair / good Spanish A taxi would cost you about $80 dollars round trip. Many of the chicas that work at the Barcelo Bavaro Palace Deluxe live in Higuey and go there everyday after work and I am sure they would be happy to buy you some cigars. Bavaro / Punta Cana is a tourist area and everything is expensive!

[CrazyDave]

Any tips on where to find decent local cigars at reasonable prices? I'm staying at the Barcelo Bavaro Palace. I suspect resort pricing will be premium so I don't mind running into town to buy some.

Go to the Barcelo Bavaro Premium Club and ask a chica that lives in Higuey to buy you some cigars. Higuey is about 30 miles from Bavaro and is the only large city in the area. Everything in the Bavaro area is 2 x's as expensive as Higuey. You can take a bus to Higuey for about $3 dollars (1 way) BUT I would not advise this unless you speak fair / good Spanish A taxi would cost you about $80 dollars round trip. Many of the chicas that work at the Barcelo Bavaro Palace Deluxe live in Higuey and go there everyday after work and I am sure they would be happy to buy you some cigars. Bavaro / Punta Cana is a tourist area and everything is expensive!