General Info

[QUOTE=Crazy Jim Wood]Thanks for the info.

Well, those are my goals, and my trip is just over a week, but reading the BC forum here it seems like many people are not as happy there as they are at Sosua. I guess you think BC would be just as good?


I already purchased tickets, but I probably would have been better off going through POP. I did check out prices going through POP and it would hace cost me $560.

I'm looking at the expenses taking a taxi from SDQ to Zona Colonial is $50 (US$ I assume?) and it seems like Santo Domingo is just over all more expensive than Sosua, so it looks like I will break even dollar wise ($200 I saved on airfare should cover additional expense of being in Santo Domingo) and being able to see another part of the DR is I guess worth a little hassle.

I don't see myself dropping much money at the tables, I just want to check out the scene, since one always hears about the casino there on the forum.

Jimbo[/QUOTE]

I think you can get a taxi from SDQ to the Colonial zone for about $30 if you haggle a bit.

The air fares do vary quite a bit, depending on lead in time and date. You MAY still be able to change your ticket so as to depart from POP. If this only costs you $50 extra, it will be worth the savings and possibly save spending an extra night in Santo Domingo.

Since this is your first trip you should probably enjoy yourself to the max and not worry too much about expenses. Enjoy now, pay later.

Here is a suggestion that will help you economize:

For your first night

EITHER go to Boca Chica for the night by taxi, then go on to SDQ in the a.m. You can get the local bus to SDQ for a fraction of the taxi cost (or a taxi), then taxi to Caribe Tours terminal where the bus leaves every hour for Sosua.


OR get a taxi to SDQ. Stay at maybe the Mercure Hotel (you can book a room here: [url]http://www.accorhotels.com/gb/reservation/rooms.jshtml[/url] ). Get a taxi to Jaragua or other casinos. They are all together on the Malecon. The taxi driver will also take you to brothels etc. on request, or even without request. In the a.m. take taxi to Caribe Tours and take bus to Sosua.

Some people do rent cars, but I really do not recommend this as the driving is erratic in the DR, the roads are poor, the signage is terrible and you may get lost navigating SD, you really don't want to have to deal with Dominican gas stations on your first day in the country, and I am pretty sure you would find the whole experience exhausting.

Try to change your return fare so as to depart from POP. This may not be possible because I don't know where you are coming from.

And while I remember, when you get to Sosua Beach go to #159 and have a drink at the Entre Amigos bar run by Angelina, a charming young woman who is running her own bar for the first time and welcomes all new customers. I'm afraid she is not on the menu, but she is a delightful person who always has time to chat. Here she is in preview.

You must reserve a room at New Garden. Europa is so Bad noone will stay.
So New Garden is full each night. They turn people away every night during my forteen day stay in May.

Hope this Helps!

Cap

[QUOTE=Frannie]I think you can get a taxi from SDQ to the Colonial zone for about $30 if you haggle a bit...
[/QUOTE]
Thanks... that is US$30 (90 pesos?), right?
[QUOTE=Frannie]
Stay at maybe the Mercure Hotel...
[/QUOTE]
Will do. I will check out the casino, La Base, and then on to the casas if no joy.
[QUOTE=Frannie]
Some people do rent cars, but I really do not recommend this... I am pretty sure you would find the whole experience exhausting.
[/QUOTE]
Ok, you have me convinced, I will hold off on the rental car until next time.

Jimbo

[QUOTE=Crazy Jim Wood]Thanks... that is US$30 (90 pesos?), right?

Will do. I will check out the casino, La Base, and then on to the casas if no joy.

Ok, you have me convinced, I will hold off on the rental car until next time.

Jimbo[/QUOTE]

30 US dollars are round about 900 pesos maybe a bit more depending on the daily exchange rate

[QUOTE=Frannie]I think you can get a taxi from SDQ to the Colonial zone for about $30 if you haggle a bit.

The air fares do vary quite a bit, depending on lead in time and date. You MAY still be able to change your ticket so as to depart from POP. If this only costs you $50 extra, it will be worth the savings and possibly save spending an extra night in Santo Domingo.

Since this is your first trip you should probably enjoy yourself to the max and not worry too much about expenses. Enjoy now, pay later.

Here is a suggestion that will help you economize:

For your first night

EITHER go to Boca Chica for the night by taxi, then go on to SDQ in the a.m. You can get the local bus to SDQ for a fraction of the taxi cost (or a taxi), then taxi to Caribe Tours terminal where the bus leaves every hour for Sosua.


OR get a taxi to SDQ. Stay at maybe the Mercure Hotel (you can book a room here: [url]http://www.accorhotels.com/gb/reservation/rooms.jshtml[/url] ). Get a taxi to Jaragua or other casinos. They are all together on the Malecon. The taxi driver will also take you to brothels etc. on request, or even without request. In the a.m. take taxi to Caribe Tours and take bus to Sosua.

Some people do rent cars, but I really do not recommend this as the driving is erratic in the DR, the roads are poor, the signage is terrible and you may get lost navigating SD, you really don't want to have to deal with Dominican gas stations on your first day in the country, and I am pretty sure you would find the whole experience exhausting.

Try to change your return fare so as to depart from POP. This may not be possible because I don't know where you are coming from.

And while I remember, when you get to Sosua Beach go to #159 and have a drink at the Entre Amigos bar run by Angelina, a charming young woman who is running her own bar for the first time and welcomes all new customers. I'm afraid she is not on the menu, but she is a delightful person who always has time to chat. Here she is in preview.[/QUOTE]

In Sosua at the beach you might also check out a bar called siempre sol which is number 143. It`s owner is hermann a guy from the netherlands who has been in Sosua for almost 10 years. He knows almost all the working girls at the beach so he might be a great source of information if you want to pick up a girl from the beach. His bar also offers very good food and drinks.

A live primetime broadcast tv show from the DR. Link found on DR1.

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdZJB-EqVTs[/url]

Where is the part where they get naked?

[QUOTE=Marc Anthony]A live primetime broadcast tv show from the DR. Link found on DR1.

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdZJB-EqVTs[/url][/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Marc Anthony]A live primetime broadcast tv show from the DR. Link found on DR1.

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdZJB-EqVTs[/url][/QUOTE]

The ofrezone reminds me of alot of the Spanish Novellas I've watched thru the years. I sit through the entire program and the whole time I'm wondering - "what is the point of this show, except for the fact that it is a televised [i]vehicle[/i] to showcase latinas taking off their clothes and prancing around half-naked??" ;)

Not that I have any problem with this!! Its just funny is all! :D

But there is a real, serious, in-depth crime problem. Not a "poor people stealing wallets and cell phones" problem. An institutionally supported, systematic, police and military compliant, widely spread criminal enterprise. It is operated in Cap Cana, Samana, Cabarate, Playa Grande --anywhere there are concentrations of tourists or foreign residents.

This enterprise runs protection rackets and has high-quality, real time intelligence on who arrives and leaves the island, where they live and what they have.

While it is silly to suggest that "Lionel knows about this" -- who can tell what he knows or doesn't know, or even what powers he may really have to control it -- it is absolutely true that it is being carried on by people with real power and position who are protected and -- this is the bottom line -- do not care a bit about the future of the Dominican Republic, because they plan to have their money in Miami and New York banks, will move their families, over time and therefore couldn't care less what impact these activities may have on the development of a properous and civil society in this country.

I cannot prove this with documentation, nor would I if I could, for obvious reasons. Suffice it to say that there is no piece of paper filled out by an incoming tourist or resident at customs and immigration that doesn't find its way immediately into the hands of those who use it for criminal targeting.

It would be nice if letters like this would "inspire politicians to do something." That is not the way the world works, unfortunately.

Sorry to ask this lame question but does anyone know the cost of an orange sim card ? I know everything else there is to know Im just trying to decide if it would be cheaper to use my cingular service or buy the sim. I dont use the phone much at all and Im having second thoughts about giving my number to chicas. I gave one girl my hotel number in lima and it drove me nuts(worse with a cell) but I might need to call a cab etc.


Thanks

350 pesos incluiding 100 pesos of communication, which is about 6 minutes call.

[QUOTE=Artisttyp]Sorry to ask this lame question but does anyone know the cost of an orange sim card ? I know everything else there is to know Im just trying to decide if it would be cheaper to use my cingular service or buy the sim. I dont use the phone much at all and Im having second thoughts about giving my number to chicas. I gave one girl my hotel number in lima and it drove me nuts(worse with a cell) but I might need to call a cab etc.


Thanks[/QUOTE]

Just a heads up to you Florida boys and maybe others. I rented a car from budget and as I was filling out the papers, the new press seems to be to take the liability insurance with the 'you know, if you hit somebody you will have to hire an attorney' line. My point is on the drivers licenses. Florida will send you a sticker to put on the back of your D/L and you can basically do this for years. The front of the D/L shows expired and the back is really only a sticker which covers the back of the D/L. The cops in the states know it and have no problem with it.

So I am talking to a 18 year old kid in the budget rent a car window in the SDQ airport, he tells me my license is expired and need to show him another one. I don't have another one, this one is good. This goes on for 10 minutes and he is telling me no, he can't/won't rent to me with this license. I ask him to ask one of the other people if they know about the Florida license stickers and he eventually does and the girl confirmed it. He rented the car to me.

One of the only reasons, I was renting from Budget is that they are open 24 hours. If it had been 2:00 in the morning, I would be without a car, as he would not have been able to check with anyone. I am going down to the license bureau and get a new license this week.

Just a note on renting a car in SDQ, it is chaos, without rules, go fast, stop faster. I have not had an accident yet and I have rented a car 3 times, the rules are you need a police report and an accident report for your rental agency/credit card liability. Be prepared to negotiate the price of this report when the police arrive, nothing is free in the DR.

Here is 2 pictures of a car turned upside down in the middle of a residential section in SDQ. Suerte en tu vida.

Im just curious if there might be a hassle being found with a load of condoms and lube entering the DR ? A few condoms might be easier to explain than 20.
Ive wondered about this in other countries as well but have never been questioned.

[QUOTE=Artisttyp]Im just curious if there might be a hassle being found with a load of condoms and lube entering the DR ? A few condoms might be easier to explain than 20.
Ive wondered about this in other countries as well but have never been questioned.[/QUOTE]

I bring plenty of both, my lube is the astro lube single use and it takes space in my quart bag. No one has ever questioned my 20 condoms I carry on every trip. But, mind you, I have never been pulled over for a full explanation of everything you have interview. I wouldn't have any problem telling anyone and with todays cautions, they can kiss my lilly whites.

suerte

jes

Provided I land on time I will get to puerto plata at 1pm probably unpacked by 3pm. I guess the cambio houses will be closed ? Does anyone not recommend changing $100 at the airport and do I need to be aware of fake bills ?

Thanks