Report on 4 day Trip to Sosua/Puerto Plata.
A colleague of mine (WM for wingman) and I traveled to SOA/POP on July 13 for 4 days. Most of the arrangements were made through Ed, El Jefe de Mantours (18299698687; [email]themantourinfoatthemantour.net[/email]), because he showed considerably more initiative in being helpful than other resources I uncovered. I have been to the DR before on four occasions; but, not the North Coast.
In order to properly evaluate the remarks I am about to offer, I think it is useful to understand a bit about my WM & me, as our circumstances/preferences will not be everyone's. We are not frequent mongerers. I have been to all the hotspots; but WM has not. We run businesses, so multiple trips per year are not in the cards. We are financially successful and made it clear that we are looking to optimize the value of our experiences in country – not secure the lowest cost option. At the same time, we made it VERY CLEAR that if we suspect we are being "played", we will terminate the relationship immediately. In short, our goal was the highest quality mongering experience at prices commensurate for that level in the area. Not NYC prices; but NYC talent at DR prices.
Here a summary of experiences from two 1st time visitors to the area:
Airport Transfers – My WM and I arrived 3 hours apart. We retained Ed from Mantours to collect us at $30 per transfer. Since there were two separate transfers involved, it was $70.
Accommodations – After identifying our preferences, doing as much research as Google had available, interacting with resources like Ed plus Field of Dreams, Blackbeards and multiple "villas" agents, I selected the FOD to start. My reasons were on the perceptions that FOD had: 1) talent on premise; 2) best rooms in a property with talent on site; 3) better proximity to outside options. The price I was quoted for best available room was $100 pn. I since learned they can be had for $35 at this time of year, because local tourism in the toilet.
As an aside – I strongly suggest you develop the ability to demonstrate controlled outrage (WTF? Are you crazy? That's way too much.), because it will serve you well on many occasions in the DR (and most other mongering locales to which I have been).
On the evening before departure, I got a call from Ed(again, El Jefe de Mantours – my name, not his) saying the FOD had just laid off all their onsite talent in some dispute over permits. Ed and I discussed various other options. Blackbeards had a problem with one night, so Ed booked us rooms at The New Garden hotel just off the strip in El Batey, which is the area of Sosua where the girlie nightclubs are. Ed made it clear that if we didn't like the NGH, no harm – no foul. NGH is chica-friendly. Some properties are not, especially the all-inclusive ones.
I went to work on finding a villa online. There are lots. I found one that I negoticiated for $450 pn (from $800-1200) about 3 miles outside El Batey. Upon arrival, Ed took me to C. It was beyond Hollywood. Absolutely amazing. Huge pool area, outside/inside kitchens, 5 BR, etc. However, for some reason, I decided not to pull the trigger until WM arrived.
To cut things short, we eventually rented a 3 BR villa with pool from Casa Linda Rentals ([url]www.Casalindacity.com[/url]). Place was perfect. Great pool. AC. Just the right solution for the two of us. Shorter drive to action than the hacienda I viewed first and only $170 pn, which divided by 3 separate BR = $57 before taxes. The NGH was $65 pn and, believe me, there was no comparison. The only drawback from the Casa Linda villa was that transportation was needed. Cabs are available and rental cars are cheap (don't know how cheap, but I reckon $35-50 for SUV). I could not have been more satisfied with our CL villa, even the help around was great, finding us things like corkscrews from the neighbors. BTW – Casa Linda always has multiple villas of all size available for ST rental.
Food: In short, eat well before you go. Again, taste matters. We like nice restaurants, a botella de vino and decent (not great, just well prepared) food. We found none. We ate out twice. Both outside Sosua near POP. Once in Costambar and one Corespi. Ambiance in both was good. Food was edible; but, utterly unremarkable. What we did find were Supermercados, where we could buy tenderloins, vegetables, vino & charcoal. So we cooked at the villa three nights (with help custom selected by us from the local entertainment community in El Batey). I guess there are local eating establishments that will ensure you get your needed carbs fix; but, we have no experience therein.
Entertainment Options:
Blackbeards – is a well known, talent on premises property with rooms, bar, restaurant and rotating shifts of companions, available bi-hourly or all evening, I'm told. We stopped in on Friday evening at Ed's suggestion just to C. Plenty of girls on premise at 6 PM. Newbies coming in for the night shift as we sat at the bar. A few gringo residents around. Very attractive common areas – bars, restaurant, etc. Did not see rooms. Prices for company depend on your requirements. There is a bi-hourly rate if you are a resident. There is an overnight rate (Toda La Noches). And there is the option of walking in off the street and taking a girl out. For this, there would be an all-inclusive rate including a bar fine. Unfortunately, I failed to determine these rates. But an email to Ed will suffice in that regard. Overall, BB is the best (only?) place to consider, if you want potential companions on premises. There is no option to walk from BB to other nightlife. However, taxis, rental cars, etc. Are not difficult to secure.
Field of Dreams – no girls on site, hence no reason to consider. Anyhow, the bar & dining facilities are more substantial at BBs.
El Batey – is the area of Sosua and the main street is Pedro Clisante and it's hard to miss. There are probably 10 bars. All open in front. And this is where the nightlife in Sosua is concentrated. The girls (by 9 pm, there must be 100-150) float from one bar to another, trying to corral a mark. They are very friendly. They are looking for $100 for overnight. They will gladly settle for 3000 Dominican pesos, which is about $90. I suspect you can browbeat to lower. We did not try. Like all joints of this kind worldwide, the better looking girls tend to be younger and are less negotiable. Until later, when caballero pickings thin out and one is in danger of not hooking up. But y'all know about that. We ended up taking girls home for barbecues and a different cast for overnights on 3 of the 4 nights we were there. I would rate the girls we took home – in terms of looks & build from 5 to 7. 5. I did not see any 9's or 10's. Not a one.
However, that having been said, I felt the overall quality was no worse than Rio, if you did your homework and didn't allow Sr. Bacardi to manage your decisions.
Puerto Plata Bars – don't bother. Loud, crummy, maybe even dangerous. In & right back out of 3, so that was our sample.
Passions – Quite well publicized disco in Sosua. Have a website. We just popped in for a very brief tour and walked out because Sr Bacardi told me there was no super talent there. This club deserves a better look than we gave it. I am told they have some very nice girls there from time to time ("depends on the night"). These girls (like to ones at Cristal in POP) must get hired by the Club, so, presumably the standard in higher than on the street in El Batey. We just don't know, because we did not partake seriously.
Cristal – is a disco in Pueto Plata just up from the Malecon, which is the beach road. It, too, is well known. Here we did partake on the last night, albeit in the early evening (8-10 pm). The selection was excellent, even though early by disco standards. We took several out for a casino junket, dancing at Classico's Disco (more on that later) in El Batey and TLN. The rate is fixed. $140 all in – bar fine and the lady. You pay at the cashier in Cristal before you leave. There is SIMPLY NO QUESTION that the talent on average in Cristal blows away the completion. Drinks cost 50% more ($6). Girls cost more. But that's because Mercedes cost more than Mercurys.
Our Preferred Option – is a disco called Classico's, which is upstairs from one of the street bars in El Batey. They charge admission for guys, not girls. It only opens at 11pm, so you have to chill a bit and manage Sr Bacardi in the afternoon. But, it is the best scene we found. There are too many girls to count. We tipped our way into a preferred table in the corner each night. $20 gets it done. The talent was always on parade. Groups of 3 or 4 stand in front of your table, shake a bit and see what happens. No need to pull the trigger too soon here. The first night I was there I had a lady meeting me after her shift as a bartender ended, so I was solo for the first hour in Classico's. I saw a stunner and simply managed to collect her number for a rendezvous the next day, which culminated in her meeting me for a drink at 4 followed a nice "early" evening at the villa. And, BTW, she showed up with friends, whom we also brought home to help cook. No fee just some "carne". If (when?) my WM & I return to this area, we will simply go to Classico's the first night, build a network and "tap" our network there from – arranging beach lunches, villa suppers and all kinds of other "good, clean" fun.
Some Other Observations:
1) Younger girls (all must be 18, so 18-22) are in better shape and prettier; but we find them boring and only interested in getting to the part where they get paid. We like interest, respect, and participation in our activities, including the platonic ones. There is no question that investing a bit of time in the person with whom you plan to spend more time (say 6 hours) is time well spent, if you hope to avoid a low contact, low content robotic experience;
2) All girls carry protection and use. At least the ones, we encountered did;
3) 98. 3% of all girls you meet will be single parents with an esposa who has taken to the wind and left them to support several kids by taking to the streets. Most would love to hook up with a gringo, who can: 1) marry them and take them out of here; 2) marry them and stay here; 3) put them up in a better lifestyle here with visiting privileges; 4) send them a few $ per month. If you wish to avoid penetrating questions in this context, best to lay your cards out early. Believe me, because you are married with a family in the US or elsewhere will not reduce your chances one Dominican peso;
4) The companion rates are fairly standard. I think someone said there are rooms in El Batey, where you can finance an hour rendezvous, if that's your desire. We didn't have any interest in quickies, eschewing them for longer "dates" (some of which we regretted and called to any early halt with no discount);
5) Most girls will gladly provide their phone number if it can lead to a contact later. They have no problem understanding you are hooked up at the moment; but, you may contact them later;
6) US Cell phones & text messaging work in DR for Sprint & ATT. ATT enabled emails. My Sprint BB was supposed to; but, I never got it hooked up and my people in US knew to text if necessary. I was able to call all DR telephone #s, cell & land, as needed. Text also worked fine locally. No need to buy a local phone. None.
7) We prefer no hassle and efficiency. I speak enough basic Espanol to feel very comfortable communicating on my own. WM does not. However, we prefer being in the care of someone like Ed of Mantours, who s fluent and knows the area. Hence, we retained Ed for the duration. We paid him a daily fee and he rented an SUV, because his vehicle was in the shop & too small. We paid for his meals while he was on duty. Ed handled everything including arranging a group rate with no surprises when necessary.
8) The only real negative, other than undistinguishable restaurants, was that I did lose a chunk of $ to a pickpocket in the street in El Batey. Took 15 seconds. She popped up from a street side table, started gyrating as I tried to get past, bumped me only slightly and I was out $1500. Classic gringo stupidity for carrying that amount. You don't need more than three or four hundred, even to cover Cristals, so don't carry more unless you are going to the Casino. Once you go to the street, leave the balance locked in the car. Too bad I ignored the 500 hundred thousand warning about pickpockets I've heard over the years. I guess, "if ya going to be stupid, ya have to be tough. "
Summary: Good trip. Convenient as hell. One hour 40 mins NS from Miami. Very reasonable on every level. When you read about these Fantasy Night vacations for $3500 for 4 nights with pre-arranged, guaranteed companions, I think to myself that's crazy. I inquired if people knew about the chicas involved with these fantasy vacations, because there are several in DR closer to Santa Domingo. Turns out they did and they are the same or similar to the better talent in SOA/POP, which you get to see & touch every night before you sign up. Especially, if you spend a few $ in Cristal & Classico's. Believe me, rent your own villa, hire Ed to handle all your details and you will end up with a comparable to better experience for 50% less.
Soa/POP is no Brazil. It is nowhere near as pretty or clean. The villas are nice; but, there are no Marriott's or the like. No Termas either. There is no Copacabana or Ipanema. There are, however, enough girls of all kinds to fill out your dance card and it is a lot closer. And it's a lot easier to tell your significant other that you are going to the Dr to play golf & fish than explain Rio. I've never been to Medellin or Cartagena, but, I sure as hell would like to. I have been to Costa Rica many times, Manila thrice. Phuket several times and most Western European cities countless times. I've sampled in all. Sosua/POP is a nice, close, cheap option for a couple of days.
[b][u]EDITOR'S NOTE[/u]:[/b] [blue]I would suggest that the author or another Forum Member consider posting a link to this report in the Reports of Distinction thread. Please [url=http://www.internationalsexguide.info/forum/announcement-reportsofdistinction.php]Click Here[/url] for more information.[/blue]
