Santo Domingo

[QUOTE=Jay Streets;1125596]What is the best dating site to meet girls that I will actually find when I visit DR[/QUOTE]Facebook, hi5, badoo, sexyono, tagged are free. Dominican Cupid and Match. Com international are pay sites. Match. Com is totally retarded and I would suggest not to use them. Match. Com does not allow you to send a chica your email address or for you to get the chica's email address (Match. Com will edit your private messages to a chica preventing you from sharing email addresses). I like to get a chica's email address and chat with her in msn messenger and possibly see her on cam. I am not sure if match.com edits phone numbers, I could potentially get a chica's cell phone number and send her a text message to her cell requesting her email address.

[QUOTE=BoricuaOnline; 1125589]Relationships often fails because bad or lack of communication, Jao should have told her that it is true that he wants sex but also a 4:00 am Cheeseburger with fries from Manolos. With her!

To non pros common chicas, waitress etc. I usually sell the illusion that she can have a long term relationship that can end on marriage with me. A line like " my brother married a dominican girl and they get along so well that I am convinced that I can be as happy as they are If I meet the right girl." makes them try to be the right girl, then I describe how that girl should be " romantic, smart, funny blah blah blah and the sexual part is not mentioned unless she did it first but is usually implied using non verbal language.[/QUOTE]I remember all your advice and I told a chica one time that my brother was married to a Dominican (total lie) and she was impressed.

The chicas are not stupid. They know there is so much available pussy floating around in Dom Rep. The waitress chica sort of believed me when I told her I was single searching for amor verdadero (true love). However when I disappeared for the next three days without answering my cell or calling her, while I was with another amiga, the waitress chica knew I was a bullshitter and put her tota on lock-down mode with me. LOL.

[QUOTE=Doker44; 1124992]Thanks all that responded, I will follow your advice. Really hate not knowing cab fares ahead of time.

I know there is a nice bus that is cheap but has anyone ever hired a driver from Boca / SD to PP / Sousa?[/QUOTE]If you are staying in boca chica and you want to visit Santo Domingo, the cheapest way is to take a gua gua (a small bus) , that will take you from boca chica to santo domingo for under three dollars. The gua guas run frequently between boca and santo domingo. They do not run all night. The last gua gua out of santo domingo returning to boca chica might be around 10pm.

Leave early from boca chica and then do a tour in santo domingo. The gua guas usually let off passengers near zona colonial. El Conde is a pedestrian only street that runs through zona colonial. At the beginning part of el conde (near park independence) is a restaurant called Grandes (also known as Pacos) that has outdoor seating. The street outside Pacos is very busy with cars, taxis, gua guas. Lots of people walking around near Pacos. Just about always some Pros sitting inside Pacos.

From Pacos you can walk along El Conde to the other side about 10 blocks. At the other end of El Conde is the first Cathedral built in the New World with a park in front of it. You can get an outside table at Conde Penalbe hotel which fronts the park and sit outside and watch the pedestrian traffic (sit at one of the numerous outside tables and order a beer or whatever you like to drink). Half a block from that outdoor cafe is hard rock cafe where you can also sit outside and have a drink.

You can easily get a taxi in the street where Pacos is located and maybe visit GBP, confirm the taxi price, if the taxi driver doesn't know where GBP is located tell him on avenida 27 de febrero between tiradentes and avenida lincoln near arysmendy motors. GBP opens around 2pm. Taxi prices should be no more than 200 pesos, unless you travel to some far off barrio.

While in Zona Colonial you can also visit playboy palace, small place. 6 chicas, prices starting at 1000 pesos. I have been told the independent putas who walk el conde will take 1500 pesos even though some may initially ask for 100 dollars. Hotel Monument on el conde had a sign on their door saying rooms for $29 US (you may want to confirm that hotel monument is chica friendly before staying there).

If you get delayed in Santo Domingo or maybe you want to spend the night in sdq, there are hotels that are chica friendly and not expensive (Navarro across the street from club 305, price I have been told is 1400 pesos per night).

From Zona Colonial you can easily walk to Foxys and baby dolls on the malecon. From Baby Dolls you can walk on the Malecon to Avenida Pasteur, make a right and visit sky high and satin dolls. Around the corner from satin dolls is club 305. Three blocks from club 305 is lapsus, two blocks from lapsus is la parada. Two blocks from satin dolls is coppa disco.

A male foreigner walking alone in santo domingo will be approached by various Dominican guys with offers of chicas. Many street hustlers in Santo Domingo are ex cons from the States. The tour guide guys near the cathedral, will also offer chicas. They wear light blue shirts and wear an I'd card around their neck saying they are "official" tour guides.

When in doubt about anything in DR ask the price before you buy or use anyone's services.

If you spend the night in SDQ there are more places you can visit. Having a dominican cell phone will be helpful for collecting chica cell phone numbers, to call when they have free time or when you have free time.

[QUOTE=Parkinsons; 1124766]Thanks for the intel. Being my hotel (Barcelo Capella) is kind of far removed, what is a "correct" cab fare for a ride into SD city? Just so I won't get ripped off.

Also, I'll be staying four nights. Should I spend any time mongering in Boca Chica as well? I RTFF on the Boca Chica section too, but doesn't seem like there's as much action.

My strategy will be studying up as much as possible before my trip. Once there, avoid following folks who tell me oh they know this nice place here or can hook me up with some nice chicas there, etc.

Thanks in advance.[/QUOTE]There are mongering opportunities in Juan Dolio. Last time I was in Juan Dolio about a year ago there were 4 places with pay for play chicas. Showgirls was open and had about 4 attractive chicas who got up and danced nude on the platform, takeout price was around 2500 prices. Two blocks from Showgirls on the Boulevard is El Caucho with chicas. 5 minutes from El Caucho on the Boulevard is Caprichios with about 5 chicas.

On the main highway near Juan Dolio is club VIP.

At night and in the daytime I saw pros walking around near the public beach.

Friday night continued, Koki and I drove over to the hotel where his monger friend was waiting with the baby dolls chica. We drove the chica back to baby dolls and then drove to Princess Casino on Avenida 27 de Febrero. Princess casino has a disco on the second floor. It was some where around midnight when we entered the place. Three foreign guys entering the place, we got looks from a few people in there. Koki and his friend ordered drinks from a waitress and I ordered a beer at the bar. I paid with a 500 peso bill.

Drives me crazy waiting for my change sometimes in SDQ. The waitress chica came and gave koki and his friend their change and I was still waiting for my change (there were no other people buying drinks at that bar). Same thing happened to me in 305, I gave the bartender a 1000 peso bill to pay for a 600 peso bar tab and I waited and waited and waited for my change (no other clients at the bar buying drinks there). After motioning to the bartender, where is my change, he returned to me with a 500 peso bill and asked me if I had 100 pesos. I gave him a 100 pesos bill and he asked for a tip, I walked out. Same thing at hard rock cafe, I gave the waitress money for the bill and waited, that day I had a chica waiting for me and the skies were getting dark, so I wanted to get out of their quickly before the rain. I eventually walked inside to where the cash register is and the guy was at the cash register casually counting and organizing the money in the cash register chatting with the waitress who had my money. I said perdon, I want my change.

Back to Friday night, we stayed in Princess for one drink, the place had about 50 people mostly all couples. We then drove over to coppa. On the way to coppa we saw some street walkers on avenida churhill near the malecon, nothing special and we turned on independencia. Behind the malecon center on avenida independencia we stopped for a blonde hair street walker. She was wearing a wig, she said she was 19 years old with no kids, attractive chica, I felt her ass and she pulled down her bra and I felt her tits. She said 1000 pesos and 1500 pesos for anal. We drove away and continued to coppa. Saw about 4 other street walkers on independencia near pasteur.

Coppa was half full at best at around 1am on that Friday night. Santo Domingo gets quiet on the weekends, so maybe some of the high end putas left santo domingo for the weekend. Koki told me, he and his friend have been in Coppa for the last three Friday nights and it has been slow. Koki and his friend exited Coppa and returned to Baby Dolls where his friend paid for another chica, a big chested light skin chica who refused to do anything with him when she got to his hotel room. They returned the chica to baby dolls and the management gave Koki's friends a credit to use on another chica.

I stayed at coppa alone and drank beer. They showed a bunch of blooper videos on the tv screens, people falling and doing stupid stuff, accidents etc. I was laughing my ass off. I went outside to the balcony that fronts the sea and two 20 year old chicas were taking photos of each other. I offered to take a photo of them together and afterwards started chatting with one. A tall sexy chica from Bani with braces, she told me she studies in santo domingo. I bought them a beer. I then asked the waiter I knew, if they were putas and he said yes.

I walked back to my hotel at around 5am and went to sleep alone.

The next day I drove to another city and picked up an amiga and then drove back to santo domingo. On the highway returning to santo domingo 6 Porsche carreras and one Porsche cayenne all in a row passed me on the highway, some kind of Porsche club.

I met Koki and his monger friend with my amiga at D'Luis Parrilada on the malecon, near to where Foxys is located. Very good food. We sat at a table over looking the water. Good meat and good service. 1000 pesos was the bill for me and my amiga. I gave the guy outside on the malecon 25 pesos near my car and he made sure I had no problem with other cars while I made the you-turn on the malecon. Returned to my hotel for a bit and then drove over to el tronco on avenida espana for some drinks. El Tronco has about 5 waitresses who are not ugly and some sexy dominican chica chicas came into the place with some Dominican guys. Avenida Espana was closed at the corner where El Tronco is located. I had driven by Avenida Espana earlier that day and saw they were setting up a stage for a carnaval event on Sunday.

Saturday night there was also a concert on the other side of the pontoon bridge, up the hill, going towards avenida espana and Dominican guys where out in the street selling tickets and offering parking spaces. I showed Koki and his friend the apartment where I used to stay and then walked over to coppa. Coppa was empty on a Saturday night around 11pm. Koki and his friend exited coppa to find chicas. I then took my amiga to plaza uris to show her the bars there. After that I tried to get money from some banco popular ATM machines and was not able to. I had withdrawn 5 mil pesos numerous times before without a problem. The next day I was able to withdraw 5 mil pesos without a problem. I returned to my hotel with my amiga at 2am and went to sleep. I had an early flight the next day.

Sunday morning I knew Avenida Espana would be closed, so I took the Malecon to avenida maximo gomez and made a right, drove up to avenida 27 de febrero and made a right and drove up onto the express part of avenida 27 de febrero. No traffic Sunday morning and I was at the airport in 15 minutes.

I bought two anti-parasite pills at the pharmacy in the airport for 100 pesos, name of the medicine is Malercon or something like that. I had previously bought and ate some cut up pineapple for 3 pesos from a street vendor on Avenida Independencia. I figured if I got some amoeba or other parasite from the pineapple I would have the anti-parasite pills to treat it.

[QUOTE=Flaco Loco; 1125348]Does anyone know of a card that doesn't charge for withdrawal? I used charles schwabb bank in the past and they didn't charge a thing. I recently closed my account due to bad customer service and won't go back out of principle.

Any suggestions?[/QUOTE]Bank fees for me this past trip using ATM machines were $10 per transaction. The Dominican banks are getting $5 per transaction and my bank Chase got $5 per transaction. Some DR banks only allow you to withdraw 2000 pesos at a time (banco leon) which further contributes to their thievery.

US taxpayers bailed out the financial sector including most banks and this is how they reward the average US taxpayer by charging outrageous fees, at the same time they are giving their executives bonuses and record compensation, highway robbery.

Either set up a Pay Pal account and get a debit card from them or a charles schwab account and get a debit card from them or bring hundred dollar bills and exchange your money in an exchange house in the city. NEVER change money in the street in DR.

[QUOTE=Jaosousa; 1125961]Bank fees for me this past trip using ATM machines were $10 per transaction. The Dominican banks are getting $5 per transaction and my bank Chase got $5 per transaction. Some DR banks only allow you to withdraw 2000 pesos at a time (banco leon) which further contributes to their thievery.

US taxpayers bailed out the financial sector including most banks and this is how they reward the average US taxpayer by charging outrageous fees, at the same time they are giving their executives bonuses and record compensation, highway robbery.

Either set up a Pay Pal account and get a debit card from them or a charles schwab account and get a debit card from them or bring hundred dollar bills and exchange your money in an exchange house in the city. NEVER change money in the street in DR. [/QUOTE]Hello, Jaosousa,

What is a exchange house? Is it safe and is it a good deal to exchange money in the airport? How about at the hotels?

Jaosousa,

Hope all in all you enjoyed yourself bro.

BBL

[QUOTE=Blk Big Bootyluv; 1126106]Jaosousa,

Hope all in all you enjoyed yourself bro.

BBL[/QUOTE]Like I told Bq Ribs, sex mongering is like going out fishing. Some fishing trips you catch more fish than other trips, but overall it is always enjoyable to be out on the water fishing. The weather was good in DR, hot and sunny, I had no serious problems with anything, overall I was treated very nice in DR. If I could have stayed in DR, I would have.

[QUOTE=Vincelee76; 1126017]Hello, Jaosousa,

What is a exchange house? Is it safe and is it a good deal to exchange money in the airport? How about at the hotels? [/QUOTE]In beach towns like Sosua there are small places that usually have a blackboard outside the place listing the exchange rates for different countries. Some may have a sign "Cambio", in Spanish the word for change is cambio.

Years ago I used to change money in the street in Sosua without a problem. Using a cambio is safe. Many cambios the worker sitsl behind some metal bars, walk into the place and ask the exchange rate for the currency you will be changing. In Sosua you could walk around and visit different cambios or talk to the guys in the street and exchange money with whomever gave you a better rate. Currently the exchange rate is around 37 dominican pesos to one US dollar.

In Santo Domingo most guys exchange money at Franks on El Conde in zona colonial. Western Union offices also change money, western union offices usually have a sign outside saying something like "Vimenca". There is one street corner in Zona Colonial where money exchange guys hang out. I have seen those guys standing around talking with Politur, so they are probably not scammers. For a newbie to DR I would suggest only using a "Cambio" an office with a physical location or a western union office. The Cambios are safe, count your money a few times before leaving especially if you are exchanging a lot of money.

In Santo Domingo while standing in front of my hotel on Independencia, I was approached by guys offering to exchange money, they offer a really great rate, but they are super slick with switching out the big bills at the last minute and before you know it, they are gone and you got much less money than you were supposed to get. As a general rule do not exchange money with guys in the street in Santo Domingo.

Airport exchange place is a ripoff, very bad exchange rates. You can pay for the taxi from the airport in US dollars. When you check into your hotel you can ask them for the nearest exchange place. As you get closer to your travel date you can check online to see what the exchange rate is, so you have a good idea if some place is giving you a shitty rate when you are in SDQ.

Some restaurants and bars print the bill in US dollars, Euros and in Dominican Pesos. Many hotels take US dollars or euros as payment. Manolos next door to hostal riazor you can pay in euros, dollars or pesos. Same at the hard rock cafe, also coppa discoteca. You can even pay for play for pay in Dollars. Usually the prices are better using Dominican pesos. Don't be worried if you don't always have Dominican pesos, you can pay for many things in Dollars.

[QUOTE=Jaosousa; 1125561]Wednesday night I had a date with an online chica. I sat near Burger King in Carrefour for two hours chatting with the chica. I drank two cups of coffee and I bought the chica one cup of coffee. The chica did not want to go to another place. She was attractive, sexy body, nice clothes, no kids, works in an office. My Spanish is OK (far from perfect) so I can converse with the chicas and get them to laugh. This chica was looking for a serious boyfriend and invited me to go out with her the following Friday. She took a taxi home and I drove to San Cristobal.

I can never find the entrance for Luperon to head back to the Malecon, from autopista duarte. I made a right on Churchill and took that to the Malecon. The ride to san cristobal at 9:30pm was easy. When you enter san cristobal there is a monument with a roundabout, with a texaco gas station, mundy car wash is also there. The chica took a moto to meet me near the monument.

I met the chica's mother, grandmother, aunt and boyfriend of the aunt. Very hospitable people, they invited me into to their homes for coffee and / or beer. Attached to the texaco gas station (I have been told texaco is best and isla is the worst) is a small bar called azul or blue bar. Two floor place, roof top terrace, two coronas and two whiskeys the price was around 500 pesos. If there are no other clients, the sexy bartender will play whatever music you want including American / English music.

I was told playa palenque, about 45 minutes from san cristobal is very nice.

In San Cristobal there are several liquor store bars, that are tranquil for drinks.

Thursday afternoon I met another online chica on el conde near pacos. She came with her friend. Two nineteen year old chicas, with no kids. It was raining heavy so we sat in a pizza joint and had a coca cola. I bought two umbrellas and we made our way back to my hotel. We stopped at a small bar on Independencia across from the cemetery called Republic bar. The lady bartender was friendly and played whatever music we wanted. The chicas drank whiskey and I drank presidente beers. I asked them if they had cedulas, because my hotel would ask to see their cedulas, they said yes. Republic Bar had no other clients, it is a small bar, very good air conditioning, small wooden porch outside. Could be a place to take a chica for a non-fancy date if a guy wanted to do some dancing with a chica in a place with no other customers. Within walking distance of pasteur and independencia.

The online chica after drinking two whiskeys and walking in the rain, starting to complain about her shoes being wet and that I should buy her a new pair of shoes. Also after two whiskeys she started to speak more English. Pro or Semi-pro for sure. I took the two chicas to my room, told the online chica that I didn't believe her tits were natural (a bullshit line that oftentimes gets the chicas to show their tits to convince you they are natural). This chica showed me her tits in the room with her friend watching youtube music videos sitting on the bed. I then asked online chica if she wanted to see my car. We walked to my car and discussed some business. She wanted me to buy her new shoes and I wanted a blowjob. She let me play with her tits in the car, I really didn't like her nipples. She said it was too soon for me to get a blowjob and I wanted to say it was too soon for her be asking me for gifts, like new shoes. I lost interest in her as she was making believe she was more of a hard core pro than I initially suspected. I said I would take her shopping the next day, left her in the car, went and got her friend who was in my room and told then I had to drive to the airport to pick up three friends. My chica then said her friend would want to meet my friends.

I drove them over to near pacos (parque independencia and el conde) , gave them some taxi and food money and we parted ways, I did not call or see her again (I can always see her on another trip, she might be fun in bed).

I then drove on the malecon to the Isla gas station and parts of the malecon was flooded and still moderate traffic at 9pm, convinced me to not drive past carrefour to visit waitress chica. I believe I went to bed relatively early that night.

Friday I walked around zona colonial and visited playboy palace around 4pm. 6 chicas with three rooms with new A / C units, rooms looked clean.

I met waitress chica and she said she needed to visit a medical clinic. I went inside the medical clinic and waited while she was examined. The doctor came out (cute tall sexy morena about 27) and she must have thought I was the chica's husband or boyfriend, she asked me for the chicas complete name (I only knew her first name) , when she was filling out the prescription form. After that, me and waitress chica went to my room and relaxed on the bed. This was about the third time I had seen the waitress chica and she was NOT giving up anything quickly. I only had three more nights in SDQ and my last two nights were going to be with another amiga. I basically gave up on the waitress chica at that point and when she called a taxi to come and pick her up, I told her to delete my number in her cell.

She left my room in a huff. She later texted me saying that all I wanted was sex. I responded that I wanted an affectionate (Cariñoso, Cariño) chica, not a frio why seco (cold) chica.

If a chica wants to use her blackberry while she is with me, I won't make a fuss if the chica is providing me good service. The waitress chica while she was laying in my bed was responding to messages on her blackberry and she was giving me no sex, so that made me want to cut bait with her even more.

Friday night I met up with Koki and another monger friend of Koki. We drove over to el conde near hard rock around 10pm and saw no streetwalkers. We visited playboy place and there were about 4 chicas. We then stopped at pacos and saw two chicas at a table giving us looks. I got the phone number of one of the chicas and invited her outside to talk business, she said she was afraid of the police. She looked much better when seen from far away. Koki, me and the other monger spoke with her. She said $100, the other monger walked away. I told her I would call her, to further discuss the price. I don't care what they ask for, the price I believed she was worth was in the $30 range.

We then drove over to baby dolls, monger friend of koki chose a light skin, no kids. 19 year old cute chica from Santiago. He paid 3500 for two hours and we drove him and the chica to the hotel. Baby Dolls has chicas available 24/7. Two nice rooms with showers on site. On site price is 1 hour for 3500 pesos. Monger friend of Koki said the chica provided good service and had a very nice body.

Koki and I drove over to Plaza Uris and visited the 4-5 bars there, Sinatra, Zambra and others. Young, well off dominican kids mostly with their friends. We didn't stay too long there. We then drove over to Princess Casino on Ave 27 de Febrero, as we were driving there we got the call that the monger friend of Koki was finished with baby dolls santiago chica and we then drove over to the hotel to get him.

To be continued[/QUOTE]I have been reading yours and other posts but nobody has ever mentioned keeping the girl for the whole nite. Are they not willing or ask too much money?

First time in Republica Dominicana (actually first time in Latin America) after one week of hard work, I could finally escape the older colleague (I am 10 years younger than all of them) and have a night on my own.

I was taking things pretty cool although I knew what I have in the back of my mind. Best clue is that I had a look at the forum before leaving "just in case".

I had a nice walk in the center zona colonial. Few people (was Monday evening) but a nice "latin" atmosphere, music everywhere, and nobody to bother you. I have to say that compared to a lot of countries I have been to in Africa, it is really great to be able to walk in the capital without anybody approaching you to bother you. Everyody is nice and friendly if you talk to them (at least that was my experience) but no constant sollicitations as in many other places around the world.

And, as I was enjoying my walk, my steps lead me slowly close to the shore where I knew I could find some nice latin birds. (by the way, please allow me to thank one milion time the great mind who decided one day to prepare this amazing google map of Santo Domingo with indications of the places to go. If only this could be done for other cities in the world.).

I went to Baby dolls as my spanish is not very good and as I was feeling rather lazy. I had two fears : one that there are not so many reviews on the forum, two : it was Monday night and I was afraid to find few actions. Indeed, when I arrived, there were only two drunk americans and that's all.

After I entered, I was welcomed by a nice old man and by a dozen of smiles around the bar from pretty good looking girls. I would give an average of 7 to the girls that were waiting when I arrived. After ordering my ron-cola (yes, Dominican Rhum is one of the best in the world, even in a mongering bar) 10 girls came closer to my table smiling and staring at me. I have to say that I am not that used to this kind of situations (in Asia, when you look at an aquarium, there is a glass between you and the girls!) so I felt a little bit shy and finally picked a "petite" very nice looking with big eyes called Pamela. Exactly my style.

I offered her a dring and we talked for half an hour, although my spanish is really not first class. She was very kind and funny, keeping the conversation going, telling me about her village and about the differencies in the country, etc. I was impressed how relaxed and "social" she was.

After half an hour, I was feeling in the right mood and talled her that I wanted to go upstairs. I gave the 3500 pesos as requested (I did not discuss as it was the price indicated on the forum) and followed the sexy one to a very clean room (and bathroom + clean sheets and towels).

After that, my modesty prevents me for telling you about all the details, but I can already say that it was one of my best experience with a pro : lots of eye contacts, nice moaning, intiative, etc. We did all what I wanted and she seemed as ethusiastic about it as I was. If I was naive, I would think that she indeed liked it. And she was not at all picky about the time as I realized when I left that we had been in the room for a little bit more than one hour when I left (I like not to rush out of the room once I am done).

In conclusion, I am warmly recommending the services of the nice Pamelita. She really is the "petite" type, so don't ask for her if you like round asses and giant reasts, but although this is not my type, I noted that there were some of these in the room when I entered.

If you are looking for something easy and worth of its price, you can go to Baby doll, even on a Monday evening.

(please note that I am not a frequent poster, so pardon my newbie style. Feel free to ask questions if I have forgotten anything).

[QUOTE=Zefife; 1126271]And, as I was enjoying my walk, my steps lead me slowly close to the shore where I knew I could find some nice latin birds. (by the way, please allow me to thank one milion time the great mind who decided one day to prepare this amazing google map of Santo Domingo with indications of the places to go. If only this could be done for other cities in the world.).

[/QUOTE]You are welcome. Thank also the people who has helped with their comments, reviews and recommendations of the places included on the map.

By the way, nice report.

[QUOTE=Jaosousa; 1126221]In beach towns like Sosua there are small places that usually have a blackboard outside the place listing the exchange rates for different countries. Some may have a sign "Cambio", in Spanish the word for change is cambio.

Years ago I used to change money in the street in Sosua without a problem. Using a cambio is safe. Many cambios the worker sitsl behind some metal bars, walk into the place and ask the exchange rate for the currency you will be changing. In Sosua you could walk around and visit different cambios or talk to the guys in the street and exchange money with whomever gave you a better rate. Currently the exchange rate is around 37 dominican pesos to one US dollar.

In Santo Domingo most guys exchange money at Franks on El Conde in zona colonial. Western Union offices also change money, western union offices usually have a sign outside saying something like "Vimenca". There is one street corner in Zona Colonial where money exchange guys hang out. I have seen those guys standing around talking with Politur, so they are probably not scammers. For a newbie to DR I would suggest only using a "Cambio" an office with a physical location or a western union office. The Cambios are safe, count your money a few times before leaving especially if you are exchanging a lot of money.

In Santo Domingo while standing in front of my hotel on Independencia, I was approached by guys offering to exchange money, they offer a really great rate, but they are super slick with switching out the big bills at the last minute and before you know it, they are gone and you got much less money than you were supposed to get. As a general rule do not exchange money with guys in the street in Santo Domingo.

Airport exchange place is a ripoff, very bad exchange rates. You can pay for the taxi from the airport in US dollars. When you check into your hotel you can ask them for the nearest exchange place. As you get closer to your travel date you can check online to see what the exchange rate is, so you have a good idea if some place is giving you a shitty rate when you are in SDQ.

Some restaurants and bars print the bill in US dollars, Euros and in Dominican Pesos. Many hotels take US dollars or euros as payment. Manolos next door to hostal riazor you can pay in euros, dollars or pesos. Same at the hard rock cafe, also coppa discoteca. You can even pay for play for pay in Dollars. Usually the prices are better using Dominican pesos. Don't be worried if you don't always have Dominican pesos, you can pay for many things in Dollars.[/QUOTE]Thank you Jaosousa,

Can I also ask you. Should I bring my american express card. Are there many places that take american express cards?

What is you opinion on youth hostels. I found some. Are they chica friendly? Would they let me bring girls to the hostel? The hostel seems to be at a better price.

Hi Jaosousa,

Can you recommend me some cheaper hotels in Independencia ave that are chica friendly about 40 dollars range?

Thank you, and do you have their phone numbes?