Santo Domingo

Just got here last night, went to the doll house around 1:30am. A lot of chicas. Had already had my fill so I will see what the afternoon looks like. Anyone know any good spots for a quick afternoon session? I'm here for a week so if not today then later in the week.

Hope to have first pics posted after the trip.

Happy hunting to all.

Dose any one know wear I can get an road/street atlas of Santo Domingo
With out going there

Thanks,

James

[QUOTE=James02]Dose any one know wear I can get an road/street atlas of Santo Domingo
With out going there

Thanks,

James[/QUOTE]

Right here. You will need to zoom in to 300% or 400%

[url]http://www.colonialzone-dr.com/stodgo_map-lenin.pdf[/url]

It appears my Feb 21-24 trip to Puerto Plata/Sosua will be by way of Santo Domingo. Hopefully, you guys can help me out with some intel. Here's what I can tell you so far:

- Me and a buddy (maybe two) Arriving in SDQ at about 5pm
- Planning to stay overnight in Santo Domingo
-- Need chica friendly (no or little extra charge), inexpensive but basic amenities (including a/c) hotel
-- Need great places (bars, clubs, casas) to meet pros (in high quantities) and avg price to expect to pay for short time and TLN
-- Recommendations for a place to eat...food
-- Or, should we leave immediately that night and drive (at night) to Santiago and stay there? Would we get a better experienc w/the chicas
- Picking up rental car (SUV) through Alamo at an off-airport location on Avenida Independencia the next morning
- Driving from Santo Domingo to Puerto Plata
-- Thinking of driving to the bus station and following a scheduled bus so I don't get lost unless someone can convince me its an easy route
-- Should we stop anywhere (i.e. Santiago) along the way for even a couple or three hours
- Bouncing back and forth between Blackbeards Resort and the strip in Sosua, definitely taking in the BBs bikini contest
- Headed back down to Santo Domingo the morning/afternoon before an evening flight out on Sunday

Thanks in advance for your help.

Rodeo

[QUOTE=Rodeo9112]
-- Or, should we leave immediately that night and drive (at night) to Santiago and stay there? Would we get a better experienc w/the chicas
- Picking up rental car (SUV) through Alamo at an off-airport location on Avenida Independencia the next morning
- Driving from Santo Domingo to Puerto Plata
-- Thinking of driving to the bus station and following a scheduled bus so I don't get lost unless someone can convince me its an easy route[/QUOTE]

Please do not drive at night. Have you driven in the DR before? Why not take a cab from the airport to Santo Domingo upon arrival. The next day you can take a Caribe Tours bus to Sosua. Following a bus will take the same amount of time as if you were on the bus. Play it safe and ride the bus. If you feel you really need a car you can rent one in Sosua or at POP. When renting get FULL insurance or carry written proof that your CC will cover CDW in the DR.

Alamo/National (one and the same) rental in located on Avenida Independencia and Maximo Gomez.

i rented a car at the airport in santo domingo and drove late at night to the hotel intercontinental. gotta tell you, the roads are a mess. no street lights, confusing signs, and pavement suddenly giving way to gravel and deep potholes. you also are going to need change for tolls. i rented through a major rental company, but all the desks were closed at the airport when i arrived, so there was some guy offering off-airport rentals and said he could give me a ride there. scary prospect, but i took him up on it. got to the location and there was a guy sitting outside with a rifle--just in case.

i got a shitbox car, which i drove all over the island--i was playing golf in pop, playa grande and la romana. when i returned the car they had some issue with it--can't remember what--but it was bs and i ended up paying extra.

to net it out, i would be prepared to drive slow, deal with only a major rental company, and make sure your flight gets in during daylight. i'm a big proponent of renting a car because you have so much more flexibility, see much more of the country, and you don't get raped by the cab drivers.

[QUOTE=Royalflush] ...Gotta tell you, the roads are a mess. No street lights, confusing signs, and pavement suddenly giving way to gravel and deep potholes......................I would be prepared to drive slow..............deal with only a major rental company..............

I'm a big proponent of renting a car...............[/QUOTE]

I agree! Nice reply Royalflush!


Do you remember what crap they gave you when you returned the car? Even the employees at the major companies will try some flim flam stuff. They will point out a little scratch, a tiny ding on the window, all the time with their hand out. I always get full coverage so if they say anything I just tell them I have full coverage and you worry about it.


.

[QUOTE=Bq Ribs]Please do not drive at night. Have you driven in the DR before? Why not take a cab from the airport to Santo Domingo upon arrival. The next day you can take a Caribe Tours bus to Sosua. Following a bus will take the same amount of time as if you were on the bus. Play it safe and ride the bus. If you feel you really need a car you can rent one in Sosua or at POP. When renting get FULL insurance or carry written proof that your CC will cover CDW in the DR.

Alamo/National (one and the same) rental in located on Avenida Independencia and Maximo Gomez.[/QUOTE]Logic for renting a car vs bus is to not be at the mercy of the bus breaking down or any other such dumb shit. I took a bus from Santo Domingo to Punta Cana once and it was an okay experience, but, I figured since I was going to be renting a car to get around on the North coast. I figured if I follow a bus, I'd be on trusty, relatively well traveled roads and not risk getting lost. Too bad I can't get a nav system with the car in DR! I've seen a few piecemeal maps but can't get a good one that shows how to get from Santo Domingo to Puerto Plata, another reason for following the bus. More comments?

[QUOTE=Rodeo9112]..........I've seen a few piecemeal maps but can't get a good one that shows how to get from Santo Domingo to Puerto Plata, another reason for following the bus. More comments?[/QUOTE]

Maybe you can google to locate this map online. It is a CD with a .pdf map of the DR showing all major roads. The best map I have seen. Mapas Gaar also has a detailed map of Santo Domingo. The map details taking highway 1 North to highway 5 North (SD to PP).


MAPA REPUBLICA DOMINICANA
EN CD - ROM
CREDITOS
Autor Arq. Cristian Mejía
Coordinación e Informaciones Arq. Teresa Ozuna
Supervisión Mapa Ing. Victor Medina
Diseño Gráfico César Sabino
Primera edición revisada y
actualizada al mes de Septiembre
de 1999.
Prohibida la reproducción total o
parcial de este mapa sin permiso
del autor.
Todos los derechos reservados a
Mapas Digitales S. A. y Mapas
Gaar S. A.
Santo Domingo, Rep. Dom.®


[QUOTE=Rodeo9112].....I figured if I follow a bus, I'd be on trusty, relatively well traveled roads and not risk getting lost.......[/QUOTE]
Should you decide to cancel staying in Santo Domingo the last Caribe Tours Bus leaves Santo Domingo at 7pm for Santiago/Sosua. You should have enough time to pick up a rental at the airport and make it to the bus depot ontime to follow the bus.

I don't think you will enjoy Santo Domingo. Chica prices are high compared to Sosua and you really need to know where to go in Santo Domingo. Santo Domingo is nothing like Sosua. If you make it to Pedro Clisante you are set. In Santo Domingo you need to bounce all over the town to find the spots. There is no one main drag in Santo Domingo.

Do you know the Caribe Tours station area well? How will you find the bus to follow? [There are lots of identical buses going in all directions].Is there a place that you can sit in a car, see the front of a Caribe bus, and then follow it? There isn't much space around to park or stand. I'm not suggesting that you can't do it, just that it's not real easy or obvious.

Do you drive a cab in Mahattan just to unwind on occasion?

Driving in Santo Domingo is pretty stressful/dangerous. If you can find the Caribe tours station and figure out how to follow the right bus, you can more easily just navigate to the north coast on your own without bothering. The chances of one of these buses breaking down is much less than your rental car breaking down, and if it did the bus line would handle it very professionally. On your own you'd get a bonus adventure.

[QUOTE=Rodeo9112]Logic for renting a car vs bus is to not be at the mercy of the bus breaking down or any other such dumb shit. I took a bus from Santo Domingo to Punta Cana once and it was an okay experience, but, I figured since I was going to be renting a car to get around on the North coast. I figured if I follow a bus, I'd be on trusty, relatively well traveled roads and not risk getting lost. Too bad I can't get a nav system with the car in DR! I've seen a few piecemeal maps but can't get a good one that shows how to get from Santo Domingo to Puerto Plata, another reason for following the bus. More comments?[/QUOTE]I'm trusting Rodeo with my first trip to the DR and I'm not trying to be in the car for hours not knowing where the hell we're going! Seriously, though this should be a good time, but please chime is and let us know if you think following the bus is a good idea.

[QUOTE=Pod 96]I'm trusting Rodeo with my first trip to the DR and I'm not trying to be in the car for hours not knowing where the hell we're going! Seriously, though this should be a good time, but please chime is and let us know if you think following the bus is a good idea.[/QUOTE]I got your back dawg! Glad to see you're posting...I got some good maps from a smooth ass old school playa that I met on my last trip to BBs. It'll be all good. Trying to get us set on a hotel. I'll give you a call soon or see you Monday.

Rodeo

[QUOTE=Pod 96]I'm trusting Rodeo with my first trip to the DR and I'm not trying to be in the car for hours not knowing where the hell we're going! Seriously, though this should be a good time, but please chime is and let us know if you think following the bus is a good idea.[/QUOTE]

I read on another forum that you guys now have rooms at BB. If so, I guess you won't spend the night in SD but go directly to PP.

My first question is do you know how to get to Caribe Tours bus depot from the airport? Once there just go inside the terminal and find out which bus is going to Sosua. Write the bus number down so you don't end up following the wrong bus. Make sure to park on the street where the bus exits the terminal. Follow the bus to your destination. From the time you land at the airport and pick up your rental I would guess you will be in your rental vehicle for at least four hours (30 minutes to Caribe Tours, maybe 30 minute wait for the bus to leave, 3 hour bus ride to PP).

[QUOTE=Bq Ribs]I read on another forum that you guys now have rooms at BB. If so, I guess you won't spend the night in SD but go directly to PP.

My first question is do you know how to get to Caribe Tours bus depot from the airport? Once there just go inside the terminal and find out which bus is going to Sosua. Write the bus number down so you don't end up following the wrong bus. Make sure to park on the street where the bus exits the terminal. Follow the bus to your destination. From the time you land at the airport and pick up your rental I would guess you will be in your rental vehicle for at least four hours (30 minutes to Caribe Tours, maybe 30 minute wait for the bus to leave, 3 hour bus ride to PP).[/QUOTE]We're still gonna spend the night in SD, then follow the bus in the morning...that way, we're not driving at night (late flight) and we get to sample the SD nightlife.

After RTFF'ing for about 4-5 hrs, I've come up with the following; please let me know if there are any updates/changes in quality:

Clubs/Casas (in order of reliability for cost/quality/GFE)
- Girls House (arguably the best in SDO? 20+ girls @2500pesos)
- Sky House (chica/exit fee: 2500pesos)
- Aurora (1800-3000pesos...any more definitive current avg cost?)
- Lapsus (20+ girls, cost?)
- Casa Azul (rooms on site, 24 hrs, 3000pesos)
- Casa Teresa (rooms on site, 20+ girls, some TVs, 3000pesos)
- Casa Modelos/Muneca (rooms on site, 24 hrs, cost?)
- Mansion (rooms on site, 24 hrs, other side of city, 15 girls, cost?)
- Tabu (cost?)
- La Parada (cost?)
- Juniors (cost?)
- Trio (cost?)
- La Base (cost?)

Hotels
- Mystic (between Girls House and Sky House, a/c?)
- Riazor (between Girls House and Sky House, a/c?)
- Mercure (is this in a good location? near what clubs/casas?)
- Palacio
- Antigua Europa
- Intercontinental (good location, not chica friendly...$25 fee)
- Jaragua (Marriott) Hotel Casino (high density chicas, not girl friendly...fee or not at all?)
- Hilton (nicest hotel, not girl friendly...$30 fee)

Street Action
- Avenida Independencia (near Jaragua)
- El Conde (what or where the hell is this?)
- Malecon (strictly street action or are there clubs/bars/casas along here?)

Restaurants
- Looking for restaurants near the action on Independencia/Jaragua Casino in the $10-$25 range (i.e. Hard Rock)

Any information you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Rodeo