playa rincon in 6 hours?

[Andy B]

Here's a reliable taxi driver to call and arrange all this before you come. We use him for our hotel business. He has a van with a/c and is a straight-shooter. His name is Manolo at (829) 902-2405. Tell him Andy and Nicole at el Marinique told you to call. I would imagine the price will be around $100usd or less.

Sky- As many posters with questions on this board don't know the DR that well, most would not know that "taxi" means both PUBLIC and PRIVATE transportation here. We need to be specific when we reply to questions. Also, the boat captains on the beach in Las Galeras WILL pick you up at a specific time if you tell them to. Our guests do it all the time. If you want to do the boat ride, ask for Captain Dio Mare or his sons Arnold or Joel. Again tell them we sent you.

Finally, go to the Attractions page on A Visitors Guide to the Dominican Republic's Samana Peninsula and in the drop down menu on that page you will see Playa Rincon. Pictures and info can be found there, including the little food tents on the beach by the Cana Frio.

[Rocky]

Originally Posted by Andy B

Sky- As many posters with questions on this board don't know the DR that well, most would not know that "taxi" means both PUBLIC and PRIVATE transportation here. We need to be specific when we reply to questions.

Perhaps you call publicos taxis, but we certainly don't around here.
A taxi's a taxi, and a guagua's a fleet van operated by hired drivers, and the carro publico is a privately owned car working public transport, and when you just say publico, it can be either a guagua a carro publico.
Never would we refer to any of the mass transport vehicles as taxis.

[SKY]

Originally Posted by Andy B

Here's a reliable taxi driver to call and arrange all this before you come. We use him for our hotel business. He has a van with a/c and is a straight-shooter. His name is Manolo at (829) 902-2405. Tell him Andy and Nicole at el Marinique told you to call. I would imagine the price will be around $100usd or less.

Sky- As many posters with questions on this board don't know the DR that well, most would not know that "taxi" means both PUBLIC and PRIVATE transportation here. We need to be specific when we reply to questions. Also, the boat captains on the beach in Las Galeras WILL pick you up at a specific time if you tell them to. Our guests do it all the time. If you want to do the boat ride, ask for Captain Dio Mare or his sons Arnold or Joel. Again tell them we sent you.

Finally, go to the Attractions page on A Visitors Guide to the Dominican Republic's Samana Peninsula and in the drop down menu on that page you will see Playa Rincon. Pictures and info can be found there, including the little food tents on the beach by the Cana Frio.

$100 US. You have to be joking. For that money the guy will fan him on the beach in addition to being a taxi driver. He can do a lot better than that!!!

[Andy B]

Yes those of us that LIVE here know that the word taxi is considered to be a private taxi and a guagua is a publico or in English, a public taxi. That's not the point. Most of the questions regarding things here come from people that DON'T live here and SPECIFIC information is needed. Spell it out. Don't assume anything.

Regarding private taxi prices, one-way from Samana to Las Galeras is now $800rd, $1,600 round trip. As Rincon is even further, I would add at least $400rd more to the round trip price. Now, don't forget the taxi is going to sit and wait. That will cost at LEAST $200rd per hour and probably more. For a 4 hour wait, the total price will be about $2,500 at today's prices. In November it WILL surely cost more as the price of oil on the world maket is increasing. I would rather quote a worst case scenario and then have a guest be pleasantly suprised if he finds the price actually lower. And Sky, you will note I said "or less."

[Andy B]

I forgot to add this: We should remember that these are tourists disembarking a cruise ship for just a day's outing and as such, are going to pay TOP DOLLAR for tours, whether arranged by the cruise line, or privately. This is true for many cruise port destinations throughout the world. Locally, the Sindico Transporte in Samana (as do other sindicos in most parts of the DR) controls taxi fares and do not take kindly to a driver who cuts the rates.

[Rocky]

Originally Posted by Andy B

Yes those of us that LIVE here know that the word taxi is considered to be a private taxi and a guagua is a publico

Well I'm thoroughly confused now.

Originally Posted by Andy B

Sky- As many posters with questions on this board don't know the DR that well, most would not know that "taxi" means both PUBLIC and PRIVATE transportation here.

You may have some regional expression out your way, and I find the above two statements quite contradictory, but for the sake of the readers, could we agree that a taxi here is the same as a taxi elsewhere, and that a carro publico is a public car, and that a guagua is a public van?
I'm sure it would lead to less confusion for other members.

[Andy B]

Originally Posted by Rocky

Well I'm thoroughly confused now.

You may have some regional expression out your way, and I find the above two statements quite contradictory, but for the sake of the readers, could we agree that a taxi here is the same as a taxi elsewhere, and that a carro publico is a public car, and that a guagua is a public van?
I'm sure it would lead to less confusion for other members.

Actually if your read both my statements CLOSELY you will note that in the first you quoted, I referred to those who people who LIVE here. The second statement quoted relates to posters on this board who DON'T LIVE here and do not know the difference between a guagua, private taxi or a moonship. Basically, most our visitors fall into this group and when they have questions we must be very specific in our answers remembering that they don't live here and generally know very little about the DR, it's ways, customs, transportation, etc. And BTW, out here guaguas are sometimes a public van but more often than not, a pick-up truck traveling to the smaller communities such as Rincon.

A simple way to state this that is plain to all reading these posts whether in Sosua, Samana or Outer Mongolia is just say "private taxi." And yes, among local expats here in the illiterate province of Samana, a lot of times we just say "taxi" meaning both. Nobody uses the term carro publico. That's too urban for us.

[Rocky]

Originally Posted by Andy B

Actually if your read both my statements CLOSELY you will note that in the first you quoted, I referred to those who people who LIVE here. The second statement quoted relates to posters on this board who DON'T LIVE here and do not know the difference between a guagua, private taxi or a moonship. Basically, most our visitors fall into this group and when they have questions we must be very specific in our answers remembering that they don't live here and generally know very little about the DR, it's ways, customs, transportation, etc. And BTW, out here guaguas are sometimes a public van but more often than not, a pick-up truck traveling to the smaller communities such as Rincon.

A simple way to state this that is plain to all reading these posts whether in Sosua, Samana or Outer Mongolia is just say "private taxi." And yes, among local expats here in the illiterate province of Samana, a lot of times we just say "taxi" meaning both. Nobody uses the term carro publico. That's too urban for us.

I read you loud and clear now.
I would suggest that we do not change the status quo and start calling publicos, or carro publcios, public taxis.
It's never been that way, except maybe in your area, and as we all want to understand each other, that term would just lead to confusion.
Certainly as long as I've been here, I have never refered to them that way, nor heard anyone else but you do so, and it would be quite complicated to get everyone to change.

[Andy B]

Ask anybody posting on this board not familar with the DR and the Spanish language what a guagua is and I'll bet 90% wouldn't have the faintest idea. However, ask them what is a private taxi or a public taxi and 99% would answer correctly. That's my point, a clear and concise description of the type of vehicle involved when dealing with someone not familar with foreign terms. Yes, here in Samana we usually call public transportation guaguas and don't run counter to what everyone else calls this specific form of public transportation. However, as you're getting on a guagua full of people and someone asks where you are going, a quick reply of "I'm catching the taxi to Samana" is fully understood without the person who's asking wondering if its publico or privado. BTW, ALL the guaguas that make the run between Las Galeras and Samana also double as private taxis. Now, does that confuse the issue? LOL!!

[VinceD]

Thanks everyone for the good advice. Sorry to start the debate over terminology for transportation in DR. As far as playa rincon, I'm a little nervous to try it now that I realize I'll be cutting it so close. Unfortunately, I'm not sure if I'll be able to do it this trip after all. The $100 for a cab ride seems pretty high. Too bad. I was starting to picture myself sitting under a palm tree, eating fish from the fat lady's tent at the end of the beach.