General Info

[QUOTE=Charles Pooter]Don't want to confuse you further, John, but consider also Field of Dreams as an option. More laidback than living in Sosúa, tranquil rather than "overwhelming and stressful", but on the other hand within easy reach of Sosúa and Puerto Plata by public transport for a few pesos, not "isolated" like Barba Negra and at the mercy of the Costambar taxi cartel. Under the new management it is getting good reviews.

At any one of these three locations you will have a great time and lack of Spanish will not be a handicap. Worth learning a few basic words and phrases (especially counting and prices) though to smooth your way.[/QUOTE]Pooter,

I want some of what you are smoking,your words about BB's being "isolated" vs. FOD could not be further from the truth. FOD is on the main highway but is in the middle of absolute nowhere and you have to take a taxi to go anywhere and I mean ANYWHERE!! On the other hand at BB's you can walk to the beach,walk to bars,restaurants,markets,pharmacies, whatever you need is within walking distance. And all the taxista's in the DR are thieving bastards,the difference is you don't need them at BB's whereas if you want to buy a lousy bottle of soda you have to hire a taxi if you stay at FOD.

This is such an active forum, i hoped i could ask my question and get a pretty good answer: I'm a resident of Haiti and want to drive across and up to Sosua area. West of Santo Domingo, @ 1.5 hours, highway 41 goes up north from Bani/Los Carreras, going through San Jose de Occoa--maps suggests it hooks up with Hghway 1, and think that's the main route up from Santo Domingo. I WOULD BE VERY APPRECIATIVE IF SOMEONE COULD ADVISE ME WHETHER THIS ROAD IS PASSABLE AND OKAY TO TAKE, or that otherwise i have to keep driving east towards SD and, in what looks like to be a very complicated way, hook up with 1A from there and keep driving north...Incidentally, if anyone wants to take this trip with me from Port au Prince, leaving @ May 15th, please let me know.

[QUOTE=Jaosousa]"Arguing on the internet is like running at the special olympics. Even if you win, you're still retarded."[/QUOTE]

I like that. Can I use it?

[QUOTE=Global Nomadrr]This is such an active forum, i hoped i could ask my question and get a pretty good answer: I'm a resident of Haiti and want to drive across and up to Sosua area. West of Santo Domingo, @ 1.5 hours, highway 41 goes up north from Bani/Los Carreras, going through San Jose de Occoa--maps suggests it hooks up with Hghway 1, and think that's the main route up from Santo Domingo. I WOULD BE VERY APPRECIATIVE IF SOMEONE COULD ADVISE ME WHETHER THIS ROAD IS PASSABLE AND OKAY TO TAKE, or that otherwise i have to keep driving east towards SD and, in what looks like to be a very complicated way, hook up with 1A from there and keep driving north...Incidentally, if anyone wants to take this trip with me from Port au Prince, leaving @ May 15th, please let me know.[/QUOTE]

Where are you crossing from in Haiti? It would be easier if you could cross at Dajabon or any other northern crossings. But if you can't, then I would suggest travelling to the Capital and picking up Route 1 and take it north to Santiago, past Bonao and La Vega. You'll pass the airport and eventually see the Monument in front of you. Don't get on the upper level of the Autopista. Stay right to the bottom level and then you'll make a right on Estrella Sadhala. Take that street all the way up until you'll see a large roundabout and swing left towards navarette(Route 1). You'll pass Las Vegas night club on your right and eventually arrive to another huge roundabout intersection. Make a right(Route 5) don't go straight towards Navarette and you'll be heading towards Puerto Plata in about 45 minutes and eventually Sosua.

This is not the fastest route, but the easier and more direct, unless you want to save time and be adventurous, you can either take Route 21(Moca Route) after La Vega to Sabaneta de Yasica, hook a left and head towards Cabarete or in Santiago from Sadhala, make a right on Bartolome Colon to the Autopista Touristica, which will drop you at Montellano, hook a right and in 20 minutes bam, you're in Sosua.

Safe Travels

It is not passable, you will have to spend some 10 h to get trhough just go to SD (35 min after bani) and before entenring town, get the santiago highway

Latelly in Bani I saw SWG, just at the entry after the brigde, that is new.

[QUOTE=Global Nomadrr]This is such an active forum, i hoped i could ask my question and get a pretty good answer: I'm a resident of Haiti and want to drive across and up to Sosua area. West of Santo Domingo, @ 1.5 hours, highway 41 goes up north from Bani/Los Carreras, going through San Jose de Occoa--maps suggests it hooks up with Hghway 1, and think that's the main route up from Santo Domingo. I WOULD BE VERY APPRECIATIVE IF SOMEONE COULD ADVISE ME WHETHER THIS ROAD IS PASSABLE AND OKAY TO TAKE, or that otherwise i have to keep driving east towards SD and, in what looks like to be a very complicated way, hook up with 1A from there and keep driving north...Incidentally, if anyone wants to take this trip with me from Port au Prince, leaving @ May 15th, please let me know.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=John from NJ]I am planning a late June trip to the DR and having a hard time deciding whether to stay at Black Beards or the New Garden.[/QUOTE]Thank you very much gentleman for all the advice you provided. I decide to stay in Sosua at the New Garden from June 14 through the 21. BB is hooked up with a dive shop that provides transportation but they pick you up at 8:00am to meet a boat in Sosua. I decided to deal with the logistics of staying in Sosua to avoid the daily commute. Also if the diving sucks Sosua provides more recreational options. I just hope this 50ish, solo, non Spanish speaking hobbyist can negotiate the services I enjoy for a realistic price from quality ladies. I will post a full report on how I made out when I return.

[QUOTE=John from NJ]Thank you very much gentleman for all the advice you provided. I decide to stay in Sosua at the New Garden from June 14 through the 21. BB is hooked up with a dive shop that provides transportation but they pick you up at 8:00am to meet a boat in Sosua. I decided to deal with the logistics of staying in Sosua to avoid the daily commute. Also if the diving sucks Sosua provides more recreational options. I just hope this 50ish, solo, non Spanish speaking hobbyist can negotiate the services I enjoy for a realistic price from quality ladies. I will post a full report on how I made out when I return.[/QUOTE]A 50ish, solo, non Spanish speaking hobbyist can have the best time of all, just smile and say "hola" and they will take it from there.

I can't wait to hear how it goes.

i started in the northeast part of zona colonial (north of plaza espana and atarazana), i took i believe ave mexico and made a right on ave 30 de marzo, which i took to ave kennedy. it was 1:01 pm, when i entered kennedy near what i believe is ave 30 de marzo, i was driving a subcompact 5 speed car. i got to the toll plaza around 1:31 pm, 30 peso toll. the highway starts shortly after the toll plaza. if i remember correctly i passed bonao around 2:00 pm. i got into santiago at 2:47 pm (about an hour and 46 minutes from kennedy and 30 de marzo to santiago). i had to slow down because the gas needle was approaching empty and i stopped for gas about 15 minutes before santiago. for 500 pesos i got a little less than 3/4 tank of gas. on the trip to santiago there was also about a five mile detour where they closed the northbound lanes and rerouted the northbound traffic into one of the southbound lanes, which slowed the speed of vehicles with only one lane in each direction. my average speed was between 110-120kph, a few times 140kph and other cars were still zooming passed me. it was sunny, during a sunny day, that drive is easy. there are some highway police, they drive white motorcycles and sometimes white vehicles.

My personal best was Gazcue to Sosua in 2:45. Nice sunny day and did about 150-160 on autopista and then over the Loma for about the 20th time. I've never seen the police pull anybody over. And I've also done this trip both ways at night. Not to be recommended as the locals don't know how to dim their brights. And lots of slow vehicles without taillights. Rainy days are also not for the faint of heart.

Is Sousa in Puerto Plata? Is that the beach there? Thanks

[QUOTE=Manizales911]Pooter,

I want some of what you are smoking,your words about BB's being "isolated" vs. FOD could not be further from the truth. FOD is on the main highway but is in the middle of absolute nowhere and you have to take a taxi to go anywhere and I mean ANYWHERE!! On the other hand at BB's you can walk to the beach,walk to bars,restaurants,markets,pharmacies, whatever you need is within walking distance. And all the taxista's in the DR are thieving bastards,the difference is you don't need them at BB's whereas if you want to buy a lousy bottle of soda you have to hire a taxi if you stay at FOD.[/QUOTE]I don't smoke.

From FoD I get to a sizable shopping centre (Puerto Plata) by very frequent (every 2/3 minutes) public transport for a 15 peso (guagua) or 20 peso (publico) each way fare. To get there from Barba Negra means a long walk or motoconcho ride to the highway before you can get public transport.

You could also walk across the main road to the tourist mall in Playa Dorada, not that I have ever needed to.

For ease of getting to Sosúa (and this is pertinent to John's post to which I was replying) FoD wins hands down.

Both Barba Negra and Field of Dreams have their advantages and disadvantages. Both are good choices for newbies but they are slightly different in the experience they provide.

Anyway John has cut through this argument by deciding to stay at the New Garden, another good choice but for a different type of holiday.

[QUOTE=I Jags]Is Sousa in Puerto Plata? Is that the beach there? Thanks[/QUOTE]
Sosúa is in the Puerto Plata administrative area but is a separate town about 25 kilometres and 25 minutes by road to the East.

Puerto Plata has a recently refurbished Malecon (seafront boulevard) and long beach which looks great and is intensively used by locals at the weekends but there are questions about the purity of the water as there are a number of sewage outlets in the area. Sosúa beach, while maybe not meeting First World beach cleanliness standards, is a lot cleaner and I have never anyone complain about it.

There are also numerous pleasant little non-tourist beaches along the coast between the two towns to access any of which you would need a car.

[QUOTE=I Jags]Is Sousa in Puerto Plata? Is that the beach there? Thanks[/QUOTE]Two separate cities. RTFF.

So I have been searching for cell service and from what I read the DR has Verizon cell service. So all I need to do is bring a Verizon CDMA phone with me and buy a new sim card and minutes?

Thanks

[QUOTE=Manizales911]And all the taxista's in the DR are thieving bastards[/QUOTE]
This is not true. I have used Victor from Techi-Taxis for three years and he has never tried to overcharge me a single peso, besides being very reliable and helpful. No doubt there are other taxistas who are equally honest although I agree they may be in the minority.

If you approach anyone with negative prejudices and an "ugly American" attitude you are unlikely to get the best or cheapest service.

But the point I was making is that the taxi cartel serving Blackbeards is notoriously expensive because other taxis are not allowed into Costambar to pick up clients. Obviously this is irrelevant if you have your own auto.