Blackbeards Resort

I just read that after Jan 26th even US citizens will need a negative Covid test to get back into the US. First of all I don't know where you would get such a test in DR and secondly, if you do test positive you will be barred from going home. This new rule makes things significantly more complicated. I started wondering how easy it will be to get a fake test. Get a friend to take it for you or just put water on the swab. I'm sure 1,000 pesos would grease the wheels. Even if you are negative you don't want to run the risk of a false positive that could get you stuck overseas.

The whole thing is a joke. If the US has a high rate of positives who cares whos coming in.

[QUOTE=Pussycat123;2521392]I just read that after Jan 26th even US citizens will need a negative Covid test to get back into the US. First of all I don't know where you would get such a test in DR and secondly, if you do test positive you will be barred from going home. This new rule makes things significantly more complicated. I started wondering how easy it will be to get a fake test. Get a friend to take it for you or just put water on the swab. I'm sure 1,000 pesos would grease the wheels. Even if you are negative you don't want to run the risk of a false positive that could get you stuck overseas.

The whole thing is a joke. If the US has a high rate of positives who cares whos coming in.[/QUOTE]I am very concerned about this, I am supposed to be there in a couple of weeks. How the heck are we supposed to get back home.

[QUOTE=Pussycat123;2521392]I just read that after Jan 26th even US citizens will need a negative Covid test to get back into the US. First of all I don't know where you would get such a test in DR and secondly, if you do test positive you will be barred from going home. This new rule makes things significantly more complicated. I started wondering how easy it will be to get a fake test. Get a friend to take it for you or just put water on the swab. I'm sure 1,000 pesos would grease the wheels. Even if you are negative you don't want to run the risk of a false positive that could get you stuck overseas.

The whole thing is a joke. If the US has a high rate of positives who cares whos coming in.[/QUOTE]I'm headed to BB in a couple days. I'll report back when I find something out. Luckily I return on the 25th, so just made it. I know a guy that stayed at BB & got a test at a hospital in the DR & it cost $70 US.

[QUOTE=Scctxs45;2521592]I am very concerned about this, I am supposed to be there in a couple of weeks. How the heck are we supposed to get back home.[/QUOTE]I am considered as well brother, I leave on the 29th.

Why is it not recommended to rent a car? I have done this all over the world.

[QUOTE=FriendlyFellow;2522007]Why is it not recommended to rent a car? I have done this all over the world.[/QUOTE]If you have ever experienced the way Dominicans drive, you would not need to ask that question But seriously, I have rented cars from POP on several occasions, and while it always turned out OK in the end, there were multiple nuisances that I prefer to avoid when I am on vacation. Excessive insurance coverage fees, nonsensical claims of vehicle damage, the awful Dominican roads and drivers, high cost of gas, absence of secure parking. There are lots of issues in renting a car in the DR that I prefer to avoid, when possible, for my own peace of mind. YMMV.

[QUOTE=FriendlyFellow;2522007]Why is it not recommended to rent a car? I have done this all over the world.[/QUOTE]I've seen no blanket recommendation not to rent a car, only personal choices.

If you are in Blackbeards, Constambar for example, you relatively isolated and at the are at the mercy of the local taxi bandits if you want to leave the area. For me a rental car would be necessary.

In Sosua, I can walk to everything beaches, shops, restaurants and bars, so no need. I got a publico buddy on call who will take me anywhere I need to go outside the area. He always shows up on time, and a trip to PP is only 500 pesos each way. (regular taxi fare is around 50 dollars).

So, like most things, its a matter of individual circumstances and necessity.

[QUOTE=FriendlyFellow;2522007]Why is it not recommended to rent a car? I have done this all over the world.[/QUOTE]You certainly can do it as long you practice some very defensive driving until you get used to driving there. I have done it and it certainly affords you freedom. I have also been stuck on a lonely mountain road, with a flat tire thanks to the bumpy rides and discovering that locals can be very friendly and extremely useful but I speak the language.

You will often have motorcycle / scooter riders (these are ubiquitous and often young and careless) passing on your right. This is the most serious problem. Often times that can be fatal if you are not watching that side (I am speaking from the viewpoint of a US / European driver. UK might be different). In addition, when and if there is an accident, it is essentially a possibility for getting mobbed because, being a foreigner, you are supposed to have deep pockets. Finally, personally, for me, the road conditions are such that you may want to rent a SUV or higher clearance vehicle.

[QUOTE=FriendlyFellow;2522007]Why is it not recommended to rent a car? I have done this all over the world.[/QUOTE]I always rent a car and have driven all over the country. Best way to see DR, meet women from out of the way places. If you have driven in some countries with no real traffic rules you should be fine. Many do not respect traffic lights and will cut you off. And as others have said if there is an accident it is 100% your fault.

I do take total insurance which is offered at the counter. It doubles the rental price but worth it for the peace of mind. I never had any accident except for a flat tire. Local people helped change the tire and refused money offer. Had some dings at the parking lot but since I had total insurance no problem. Apart from that my credit card has built in insurance. However strongly suggest getting full insurance at the counter.

Had great adventures with rental which otherwise would not have been there stuck in Sousa drinking and fucking and sleeping.

[QUOTE=FriendlyFellow;2522007]Why is it not recommended to rent a car? I have done this all over the world.[/QUOTE]Everyone else has pretty much covered it You better have your head on a swivel and be able to do as much offensive driving as you will have to do defensive driving. Ain't no such thing as courtesy in DR, especially when it comes to driving.

Also worth noting is that a lot of credit cards come with insurance and the car rental places make their money from selling you insurance, not by renting cars. They will try to pressure you into the insurance but don't give in if your card has it.

When they are going over the car with you make a video so you will not be charged for something that was already there. As Temp said, SUV is the way to go although I went back to the compact this trip because the price difference was half, I was not traveling out of town, and I was already familiar with the potholes and drainage ditches of the roads I would be traveling. This is a picture of a wreck I had some years back in the northern part of the country.

That being said, I have been to the Dominican Republic over 100 times and have only not rented a car my first 4 times maybe.

[QUOTE=Sammon;2522551] I never had any accident except for a flat tire. Local people helped change the tire and refused money offer. [/QUOTE]Curious, I had very similar experiences. One time, with a flat tire, on a lonely mountainous road, a young lad came back, took off the tire using the jack, and on his friend's motor bike went to a tire repair shop, wherever that was. He came back, perhaps after 30/45 minutes, tire fixed which he put back in as well, all the while I was sitting by the roadside, on a chair which too he had brought out for me. I did pay him but no one can pay some one for that kind of favor.

On another occasion, I was, close to Santiago Rodrigues, I hit a rock sitting in the middle of the road. It was dark and I did not see it. The car stopped and I got out to discover that the underbelly was resting on that rock, wheels up and spinning and would obviously not budge. There were a whole bunch of kids around, who all came running and without even my asking, started to heave the car sideways and got the rock out in a few minutes. Again, I paid them some money but truly, how do you thank them?

Once, an idiot rammed into me on the Santiago / Pto Pta main road. I did not even bother to speak to him about his insurance as the poor fellow most likely did not have one. A guy I know in Sosua, took me to a body shop who fixed the bumper for perhaps 3 or 4 K pesos. When I returned the car, no one knew about the accident and so there was no extra charge which would have been probably 10 times higher.

[QUOTE=RDealHolyfield;2521679]I am considered as well brother, I leave on the 29th.[/QUOTE]I heard that there is a local Laboratory in Puerto Plata where you can get the test results within an hour for 35 bucks. Not bad! However, I still have the question! (What happens if you test false positive) Do they quarantine you at the hospital? Do they let you go back to the hotel for quarantine? Can you retake the test? Curious if anyone out there has any information as of yet?

[QUOTE=FriendlyFellow;2522007]Why is it not recommended to rent a car? I have done this all over the world.[/QUOTE]I wrote some info about this on a previous report. I rented a car on my last trip. I went from Sosua to Las Terrenas, then to Punta Cana. And back to Sosua, then a driver to Blackbeards before flying back. I didn't have any problems to Las Terranas, but going through all the small towns, there are tons of trike drivers in each little city. I didn't hit any, but it seems like only a matter of time if driving lot's, and you may be up a shit creek, according to some reports and talking to other gringos while in the country. From Las Terranas to Punta Cana, it is mostly fairly modern roads. Even though it looks like a relatively short distance as the crow flys, I guess there are not direct roads due to the terrain. I had to drive just east of Santo Domingo and as I turned east, had to pay the gringo tax for some bullshit. I think I gave them $1000 pesos, told them that was all the cash I had. No problems to Punta Cana. On the way back to Sosua, fairly nice roads, but had to go through a few small towns. There was some sort of checkpoint for all cars, no extortion that time.

Not sure If I will rent again if I go to Las Terrenas from Sosua, but who knows.

[QUOTE=HuskerDude;2521613]I'm headed to BB in a couple days. I'll report back when I find something out. Luckily I return on the 25th, so just made it. I know a guy that stayed at BB & got a test at a hospital in the DR & it cost $70 US.[/QUOTE]Just returned from my trip to BB. The future owner was staying there too & I hung with him. He is a Canadian guy, really normal extremely friendly, that earned $ by working several adventures and the stock market, especially hit on Tesla. He signed before John passed, but Covid, the trust, etc put a delay on proceedings. He hopes to close in a few weeks, as he has a new lawyer now in the DR. Everything will remain the same at BB and he hopes to make some improvements too. Things are normal at BB, except during Covid the events aren't real. The chicas dress and they take pics, then go back to normal. LOL The current chicas are pretty good right now. About 40 total with normal shifts, even during curfew. The weekends I was there, curfew was at noon, so only 1 shift chicas working 10:30 AM for 12 hours. About 30 on each weekend. During the weekdays, about 8-10 daytime and at least 20 night shift. The staff is still the same minus a few, no new ones. The rapid antigen test they have set up is in Puerta Plata for 2000p, results and tests in less than 1 hour. It is at CUBANOR - Laboratorio Clinica Microbiological y Ambiental. Address: Margarita Mears #9 Esq. Padre Castellanos Tele: 809-261-3381 Ask for Dr. Odalis, referred from Martha Rosa.

[QUOTE=HuskerDude;2525952]Just returned from my trip to BB. The future owner was staying there too & I hung with him. He is a Canadian guy, really normal extremely friendly, that earned $ by working several adventures and the stock market, especially hit on Tesla. He signed before John passed, but Covid, the trust, etc put a delay on proceedings. He hopes to close in a few weeks, as he has a new lawyer now in the DR. Everything will remain the same at BB and he hopes to make some improvements too. Things are normal at BB, except during Covid the events aren't real. The chicas dress and they take pics, then go back to normal. LOL The current chicas are pretty good right now. About 40 total with normal shifts, even during curfew. The weekends I was there, curfew was at noon, so only 1 shift chicas working 10:30 AM for 12 hours. About 30 on each weekend. During the weekdays, about 8-10 daytime and at least 20 night shift. The staff is still the same minus a few, no new ones. The rapid antigen test they have set up is in Puerta Plata for 2000p, results and tests in less than 1 hour. It is at CUBANOR - Laboratorio Clinica Microbiological y Ambiental. Address: Margarita Mears #9 Esq. Padre Castellanos Tele: 809-261-3381 Ask for Dr. Odalis, referred from Martha Rosa.[/QUOTE]Thanks for the heads up, I am headed there on Monday.

How much is the cab to the site for testing.