Cab Fares

I'm hoping someone can help us out!!! My husband and I are leaving tomorrow (Friday) to the DR and had to purchase our air and hotel separate, so it's our responsibility to get to the hotel from the airport. We're flying into Puerto Plata and staying at Hotel Bahia Principe in Rio San Jaun, which I guess is around a 1 hour drive. My question is the cost....I called the hotel and they called a local cab company that said it would be around $55 US. My husband about died! I think it's a bit high too, but have nothing or no one to compare it to. Does anyone have any experiences they can share with me? I've checked the reviews on Debbie's Dominican page, but no one seems to have had this problem. I did find a link that said that the cost from the airport in Santo Domingo to the city would be about $200RD, but I don't know how far that is. Can you help?

Thanks in advance to anyone who can respond!

the procrastinator,

Lisa from Minneapolis

By no means should it be $55!!!! It might be a bit more than RD$200 which is about $14 or $15. But after you arrive at your location tell them you won't pay $55 and in time they will come douwn.

The airport you are landing at is twice away from your hotel than the Santo Domingo airport (Las Americas) is to Santo Domingo hotels, and there is much less people going that way, thus you will not get the RD$200 fare.

i believe all the cabs that work at the airport are unionized as their are set rates ie. sosua 100 pesos and so on down the road.if you have the time check with cabs away from the airport, or ask one of the other tours that are their if you can catch a ride.otherwise it will cost you $55.00. relax and most of all have fun......tony

I double checked at the Puerto Plata airport for you and found out that indeed, the taxi rate is RD$800 to Playa Grande. All the taxis will charge the same because they are unionized and that is the standard rate. If you go outside the airport, you may be able to negotiate a cab for RD$500, but don't recommend it. It's a long walk and while chances are very slim, you may just have bad luck and be picked up by someone with not so good intentions as you will have your "just arrived, disoriented look" on. Have the idea you could contact Mary Frances who runs the La Catalina small hotel in Playa Grande. They offer free transfers for their guests and may be so kind to let you ride with her van and would probably could give you a better rate to take you to your hotel if it coincides with one of their incoming passengers and they have room. Her email is la.catalina@codetel.net.do Another option is to find out which tour operator is making transfers to your hotel, and try to purchase a transfer only with them. A fourth option is to rent a car and drive for the same price. Only you would have to check what the drop off charges would be if you wanted to leave the car in Playa Grande. The area is interesting and there are lots of places you will want to go to that are on the way from the airport to Playa Grande. Note that Sosua, Cabarete, Rio San Juan (Laguna Grigri, Playa Caletón, Playa Diamante, Playa Grande are all in the area and worth visiting. East of the airport is Puerto Plata, where you can visit Columbus Water Park, Playa Dorada, the Brugal rum factory, the Arawak Art Museum, the Amber Museum. Fifth option is pay the RD$800 (about US$51 at the present exchange rate) and negotiate with the cab driver to give you a tour of Sosua, Cabarete, Rio San Juan on the way to your hotel. Then it will be worth it as you will have an orientation of what to see.