Puerto Plata

[Victor Lazlo]

Just read in the paper about an american businessman, age 68 who was murdered. Found in a pickup truck with many bullet holes in him in the Puerto Plata area.

Just wondering if anyone knows more details, or has any cautions so we may avoid the same fate.

Go to dr1 and look for a thread titled "My Father was murdered today", for an extensive discussion of the matter. The victim was a resident, not a monger or tourist. Like it or not though, the crime rate seems to be increasing in the DR.

(Note: the www. and .com are implied. ISG seems to consider them a competitor and will not allow the link to be posted intact.)

[Ponderosa]

On my trip down later this month I may want to venture into town (PP). Is Casa Marinana (Franks Place) worth a look see and what should I expect as far as costs? Their web site looks interesting.

I will be at BBs the last Sat. of the month and have yet to see the bikini contest. What is it like and does new blood come in for the contest? Can you sample the merchandise before the contest and when does it usually begin?

OK, so maybe it is more than two questions, but it does cover two topics.

Thanks in advance for your comments and I look forward to meeting some of you in a couple weeks.

[Npaul1]

Just read in the paper about an american businessman, age 68 who was murdered. Found in a pickup truck with many bullet holes in him in the Puerto Plata area.

Just wondering if anyone knows more details, or has any cautions so we may avoid the same fate.

[The Mayor]

Me and my team will be at BB's November 9th-13th, hope to see some of you guys there!

[JP Yank]

Hey fellow Mongerers, it looks like I finally got some trip plans worked out.

Anyone going to be in the DR between 10/26 and 11/2? I still plan to be at BBs for a few nights and am thinking about checking out Field of Dreams for a few nights.

PM me if interested. Would like to have a Presidente with fellow mongers.

I will be at BB from Oct 25 to 29. It is Bikini contest there on Sat and I know place is full. If you want a room there better contact them now. Name is John and I be spending a lot of time with Elizabeth at BB. Love to have a cerveza.

[Jadedguy]

Delta is starting a direct flight to POP from Atlanta in mid-December.

On the mention of this a couple times on the forum... I got very excited. Especially because Delta has a huge hub in ATL, and a direct and short flight should save me a couple of hundred dollars. Living here in ATL, I can say that a reasonably priced flight to POP is nigh impossible to get ahold of.

I went to the Delta website and played with booking a flight from December, all the way through March of next year. I was depressed to find that the rates were still high imho. They are comparable to AA or Continental. Between close to $500 and up to 600 BEFORE taxes and fees.

Drives me crazy that fares are so cheap from such a distance as NYC. I know it's about numbers, but d@mn man.

[IFRpilot99]

Hey fellow Mongerers, it looks like I finally got some trip plans worked out.

Anyone going to be in the DR between 10/26 and 11/2? I still plan to be at BBs for a few nights and am thinking about checking out Field of Dreams for a few nights.

PM me if interested. Would like to have a Presidente with fellow mongers.

[Srilm]

I caught JetBlue to STI a few weeks ago left JFK 10ish and got there 2pm ish - yes in afternoon

Delta is starting a direct flight to POP from Atlanta in mid-December.

[Ponderosa]

Gentlemen,

Thanks for all the info. I am on the same flight mentioned by Escort King. Leaving JFK at 10 and arriving STI 1:50 in the afternoon.

The more I read your replies and look at my itinerary (I catch my plane from Ohio to connect JFK at 6:30am) the more I think using the taxi is best this time around. With the security BS I'll need to be at the airport by 5am, meaning I will be getting up to go by 4am. I will already be pretty tired when I arrive, and if I do the bus thing I will be there a bit later and I tend to think a lot more tired. I need to save my energy for the chicas.

Any other mongers out there on the same flight that wish to share a taxi to PP or BB contact me. I am leaving on Oct 27.

[Escort King]

Getting there is NOT half the fun. American offers no direct flights out of New York (where I am). They will transfer in Miami or San Juan, which guarantees a loss of luggage. Use carryon if you can.

JetBlue flies directly from NYC to Santiago, but they are all red-eye flights. You would end up in the Santiago airport in the middle of the night, with no taxis, no anybody. It would be morning before you could change $, get a taxi, or anything else.

The taxi fare from the airport to Caribtours is $400-500 DR ($12-$13) if you insist and confirm that in advance. The bus fare from there to Sosua is about $3 US.

The bus stops first in Puerto Plata, then actually stops in Charamicos, so it is a short taxi or motoconcho ride (if you are traveling light) into anyplace into Sosua.

JetBlue originally offered service into Santo Domingo and Santiago. They dropped Santo Domingo, and if they ever get clued in that a lot of the populace likes going to the north coast, maybe things will get easier.

Their fares are INCREDIBLY cheap, so make your decisions on time and $.

I caught JetBlue to STI a few weeks ago left JFK 10ish and got there 2pm ish - yes in afternoon

[Silver Shadow]

Getting there is NOT half the fun. American offers no direct flights out of New York (where I am). They will transfer in Miami or San Juan, which guarantees a loss of luggage. Use carryon if you can.

JetBlue flies directly from NYC to Santiago, but they are all red-eye flights. You would end up in the Santiago airport in the middle of the night, with no taxis, no anybody. It would be morning before you could change $, get a taxi, or anything else.

The taxi fare from the airport to Caribtours is $400-500 DR ($12-$13) if you insist and confirm that in advance. The bus fare from there to Sosua is about $3 US.

The bus stops first in Puerto Plata, then actually stops in Charamicos, so it is a short taxi or motoconcho ride (if you are traveling light) into anyplace into Sosua.

JetBlue originally offered service into Santo Domingo and Santiago. They dropped Santo Domingo, and if they ever get clued in that a lot of the populace likes going to the north coast, maybe things will get easier.

Their fares are INCREDIBLY cheap, so make your decisions on time and $.

[Professor10]

Having taken the Carib bus from SD to STI and then able to hook up with some mongers to Sosua, I saved over $70 which translate to two additional chicas TLN. So I would take the bus from STI to Puerto Plata and then find someone to share a cab either to Sosua or BB's. The difference of an hour is no big deal, - maybe if it saved 3-4 hours, but for one hour, take the BUS!

[Jadedguy]

I would see if anyone else is flying in at the same time and share a cab... but cab it.... it could take you hours getting there the other way... why waste your vacation time.

Taking a cab will save you something very valuable on your trip... time. In my opinion, it's well worth the added cost. Your best bet, as mentioned by Escort King, is to find someone to share the ride with if possible.

[Escort King]

I am flying into STI for my next trip to the DR (I got a great price on airline tickets there). I will be going from there to Costambar and BB's. I am trying to be frugal with my money to leave more for my exploits. I don't want to be so cheap however that I mess up the rest of my vacation.

So my question here is: Am I best to taxi it from Santiago (I hear it is about $70 US each way, correct me if I am wrong here) or is it practical to taxi to the Caribe bus line, take it to PP and then taxi to BB's? I speak almost no Spanish, but I am not afraid of trying this if you guys think I could do it and you recommend it. There may also be another alternative I did not think of and I would love to hear about that also.

Posting a reply here is great or PM me if it is more appropriate. I just activated my membership here so I can do PMs now.

I would see if anyone else is flying in at the same time and share a cab... but cab it.... it could take you hours getting there the other way... why waste your vacation time.

[Puerto La Cruz]

IJ: To make a long story short, Sosua is a city divided into two sections, El Batey and Los Charamicos. Sosua has its own horseshoe beach which is Sosua beach. You can walk from El Batey to Los Charamicos on the beach, or, vice versa. The two sections of the city are on opposite sides of the beach. There isn't actually a hotel on Sosua beach but the Sosua Beach Club is next to the beach. Very snooty, very pricey and certainly not chica friendly.

Casa Marina, about a five minute walk from Sosua Beach Club also has a beach but it is quite small and I believe it is private. Its another nice place but not chica friendly.