Driving Directions Santo Domingo to Puerto Plata!

1ofVsAdventures · #1 03-04-2008, 07:04 PM

Perhaps I am posting in the wrong forum; if so, please direct me.

My fiance and I are coming to view properties for sale in PP. US Air (where we have free miles) only flies into Santo Domingo, so we are renting a car and driving to Puerto Plata.

He is experienced with driving in many foreign countries. D.R. CANNOT be worse than London Rush Hour, so I feel safe with him driving. The problem is that no matter how I search I cannot seem to find clear driving directions and time from Santo Domingo Airport to Puerto Plata, specifically Lifestyle Crown Villas. I have tried tripadvisor, but the DR experts (and expats) seem to be here... Can someone PLEASE help!

Any tips concerning tolls, road conditions, and law enforcement will be greatly appreciated. Hope you all are having a pleasant day in the lovely D.R!
=)

DRob · #2 03-04-2008, 07:15 PM

First, welcome to DR1!

There are many on the forum with more experience who may also post a response, but my advice for you is to NOT drive. The roads are precarious (especially at night), the path is not as straightforward as it appears on maps, and you will likely lose time and patience trying to make it from point A to B.

I would encourage you to consider Caribe Tours, which is the largest bus service in DR. The busses are modern and quite comfortable, and will get you from Santo Domingo to POP in a little over 4 hours. Busses leave hourly, and a ticket costs about $6 USD. A cab from the airport to the bus terminal will run an additional $20-30 USD.

Good luck.

J D Sauser · #3 03-04-2008, 07:42 PM

While I rather drive around here than in London's rush hour environment, I think it can not be compared. Totally different experience. So, I'd agree with DRob and suggest not to spoil your expedition and settle for the bus ride.
There are mainly two companies which service these destinations:
Caribe Tours, which does so on a hourly schedule and is located closer to the airport of Santo Domingo, and Transportes Metro which leaves out of the classier business district of downtown Santo Domingo, but on a less regular schedule. Locals seem to prefer Metro for comfort and social class which allegedly prefers that company. I use both.

Traffic is very different in Santo Domingo vs. Santiago, Puerto Plata or overland. This is why many, in my opinion rightfully, argue one should first get some feel for each and all situation BEFORE diving into it head-on.
Bigger vehicle driver behave as if they have built in right of way. There are pot holes in many streets and roads. Locals change lanes quite freely to evade them. EVERYONE wants to be not only first too, but all want to be "firster" than all the ones who seem to pursue that exact same and only ultimate goal in life. Some vehicle classes seem to believe that red lights are not for them and also don't believe to be bound by things like one way roads. We expect them... you coming out of your rush hour probably not.

Anyways, since this was not your question. I will try to answer yours here:

From Las Americas Int'l Airport (SDQ):

Take Las Americas Hwy West (marked Santo Domingo).
You will reach Santo Domingo after crossing the Ozama river on hung bridges and it will lead you either onto Ave Mexico or 27 de Febrero, depending on how you manage to select your lanes.
You will want to reach the Northern upper parallel avenue called JF Kennedy. Try to stay on the middle of the avenue (quick under passes) and keep on going West.
This avenue will eventually become Duarte Hwy and bend off right North.
You will pass Bonao, La Vega and reach Santiago.
When in sight of a very distinctive tower monument (search the Internet for "monumento de los heroes de la restauracion, Santiago to get a better picture, if you don't know it) appears on the horizon facing you, you must prepare to leave Duarte Hwy to your right. There will be a succession or small -> Puerto Plata signs on your right. But be carefull to leave Duarte Hwy only shortly before the over and underpass intersection.
This should lead you onto Sadhala avenue. Try to stay in the middle lane, which is not easy as locals seem to enjoy creating new lanes on the fly. This should allow you to take an overpass, which will save you valuable time (see a Burger King or Mac Donalds below it).
Keep on going "staight" on that road.
This should bring you to a roundabout at the exit of the City (two Toyota dealerships next to it). Go straight into the 4 lane hwy.
Stay on there for another 20km (+/-, about 12mls?), until you get to a large intersection with regional buses stopping.
There is a sign -> Sosua, Puerto Plata, Rio San Juan. Follow that sign to your right. This will lead you into the mountains, over a pass with the only tunnel of the country and then, down to the Coastal region, leading into and thru Puerto Plata towards Montellano, Cangrejo, Sosua, Cabarete and so forth... all the way to Samana.

You can buy quality roadmaps online in your country (if my memory serves me well, I got my first one from Amazon). I urge you to make sure to have at least one of these before you even come to this country.

I hope this is of help.
... J-D

Hillbilly · #4 03-04-2008, 08:37 PM

While JD gave you good instructions, he failed to tell you that there is a RD$30 peso toll to be paid on the other side of Santo Domingo and they do not change currency. You need to have it in Dominican pesos. Also, all the signs are in Spanish.

I would urge you to re-think this. You do not save a lot of time, you save hassle, nerves and a lot of stress. (all one and the same, huh?)

You can send an email to Welcome To Paradise Transportation and see what they would charge to pick you up at the airport, take you to your destination and later on pick you up and take you back to Santo Domingo. (All the while telling you what you are seeing).

There is a similar service by a fellow there in Juan Dolio, I think. Help me out you southcoasters!!

Or, if you would like to save a heap of money, take a cab from the airport to Caribe Tours in Santo Domingo, maybe $35. Get a bus to Puerto Plata and then a taxi ($10 or 15 bucks) to your final destination. Folks in POP can tell you the price for a cab from the Caribe Tour station to your destination.

Think about it. A fender bender could lead to a ruined vacation...Not kidding.

HB

1ofVsAdventures · #5 03-04-2008, 08:42 PM

Thanks to both of you very much!

I am not discounting your advice, by any means...it is just ...well......

This troubles me, only because I am attempting to talk him into moving there to retire and run an oceanfront bed and breakfast. He is too stressed presently. I have been to Puerto Plata many times; never Santo Domingo. I found the people of Puerto Plata delightful, friendly, and helpful. I know nothing of S.D....

My man is SOOOO macho (*giggles*)! He may take offense at the suggestion that we take a bus.... he drives all over the world traveling FREQUENTLY with his present job. We are not teenagers. He is 54 and I am 44. I don't want him to be "turned off" from moving to Puerto Plata because of problems in S.D.

We arrive at 2 pm. Would we be okay in the daylight hours with time to reach Cofresi Beach before dark, or should I DEFINITELY try to come up with a reason to take the bus? Some of the S.D. posts are kind of scary, as well. I know he will learn it all eventually; I would just PREFER he learn the positives first, negatives later.

I am like Lucy Ricardo! I will come up with a way to convince him to come around to my way of thinking if it will make our arrival smoother and more pleasant, but it won't be easy! *smiles..... It seems like the bus is being rather strongly suggested. Are there specific reasons? To a woman, the directions SEEM simple enough. (Famous last words, i know!)

Hmmm….maybe I should just come up with a way to just book American Airlines straight to Puerto Plata, heck with the free tickets? I don’t think he would go for that easily either….

What to do? Think Missy, think.

1ofVsAdventures · #6 03-04-2008, 10:45 PM

Problem solved. I tried several different tactics. He knows me so well... Says whats' really going on? I showed him the post; he shook his head at me, smiled. We are taking the bus. Thanks guys!

amparocorp · #7 03-04-2008, 11:09 PM

you arrrive at 2, if the flight is on time, getting bags and clearing customs can take an hour, provided all your bags arrive. if there are no lines at the rental counter and everything is smooth you leave the airport at 3:30, in time to drive into SD as rush hour is getting started. heading north from SD the mountains on your left will have you in the shade and it will be starting to get dark. by the time you reach Santiago it will be night, there are few streetlights, there are cars without lights and pedestrians everywhere, roads with no markings, small motorcycles from hell, you will get lost and have to get directions at least once, do you understand spanish? and, from santiago northward how do you know if you are on the correct road? did you miss a turn? all in the dark in a very different country, looking for a final destination that you have never seen before. are we there yet? and you say he is under too much stress now! why not just shoot him with a gun now, avoid the expense of heart attack, numerous drugs and trips to hospitals. i am also 54 and an ex NY city limo/taxi driver, have done this trip many times, at all hours, and i would rather get a stick in the eye than do it again at night. take the bus, they go fast and don't stop, you can have beer on the bus, relax, sit up front by the driver so you can see out the windscreen, you will think he is a god at the end of your trip.

Hillbilly · #8 03-05-2008, 07:22 AM

I heartily applaud you decision. I really do. Goes to show you you got a thinking fellow there.
A hassle free trip, with fore-knowledge of fares is so cool...
You know (more or less) the fee for the taxi from the airport to the Caribe (or Metro) bus depot.
You can easily find out the fares to POP...both Metro and Caribe Tours have websites.

And I am positive some good soul up on the North Coast will tell you how much a taxi costs from POP to Cofresí....

The following idea just occurred to me: Why not talk to Welcome To Paradise Transportation and see what the fare would be from Santiago to Cofresí...

Why?

Because of the hour, and because you can learn a lot from JJ the driver. He could pick you up at either of the bus stations in Santiago (the first Caribe Tour stop in Santiago and the Metro station are just a few meters apart.) and you'd be in Cofresí in less than an hour.
And because you would be retracing your steps coming back from POP to Cofresí--admittedly, not that big a deal.

No matter how you do it, you have made the better choice.

Congratulations...

HB

hammerdown · #9 03-05-2008, 09:01 AM

your idea of flying into puerta plata is a lot better idea than driving from sd to pp......i have driven in santo domingo before, during, and after rush hour.....and you have never experienced traffic like that.....is it worth saving a few bucks to create a lot of traffic headaches.... oh by the way you probably won't get out of santo domingo befor nightfall anyway, so now you are driving at night....not recommended.....but either way good luck as this is the best place to live

1ofVsAdventures · #10 03-05-2008, 09:23 AM

What a great group of people. Thanks to you guys we are going to spring for the extra bucks and save the miles for a longer trip. AA flies direct to PP, so we are going to drive from home in Tampa to Miami and catch a flight from there. Very reasonable really; a five hour drive to Miami on roads we are familiar with, fly out and non stop to PP in under 2 hours. The Crown Villa people will pick us up from there and transport us.

Thanks so much for the suggestions. Now I am moving over to the North Coast Forum to try and arrange for my sweetie to meet with some expats while we are there. Once he realizes how helpful everyone is, I will be much closer to convincing him to leave that horrendous corporate rat race life and settle in a calming atmosphere with rolling surf where I can take good care of Him. MUCH better for his heart!

Gracious smiles and thanks to all as I curtsey and leave the room!