Need info on SDQ straight to Las Galeras

[pdunlap]

My wife and another couple are flying into SDQ las americas and arriving at 12:15pm on may 19th and have a week in las galeras.

We are pretty adventurous and think we would like to drive to Las Galeras on the new highway.

-Since the new highway is open does any one think this is being naive or dumb to travel by car from the airport to las galeras?

-Will we have enough time to make it to las galeras by nightfall?

-Can an intermediate (Budget rental car) size sedan make the trip?

-Is the route well marked from las galeras to sanchez?

-Is there any map of the new highway?

Sorry for all the questions but have already booked and paid for place in las galeras and cant find anything on how to get there by the new highway and all the other threads are not coming from this direct route or are older posts before the highway was finished. Thank you in advance for any help or advice.

[AlterEgo]

My husband and I drove the new hwy just last week - it's wonderful and very easy. We rented a Nissan Sentra and had no trouble. We drove through Sanchez [went to Samana and Las Terranas]. It took under 2 hours. Make sure you have pesos with you, you'll need about 350 pesos to pay the tolls one way. We came from Santo Domingo and the entrance was before the toll - so I'm assuming from the airport you'd have to head toward SD, pay the toll, and watch for signs for the hwy. If I'm wrong I'm sure someone will let us know!

[Juniper]

[I]We drove through Sanchez [went to Samana and Las Terranas]. It took under 2 hours.[/I]

There is no way it takes under two hours to get either to Las Terrenas or
Sanchez and least of all, Las Galeras.

It takes exactly 2 and 1/2 hours travelling time on the new highway from
beginning to end. Another 20 minutes to Sanchez; from Sanchez another
20 minutes to Las Terrenas; and from Sanchez, another hour and a half to
Las Galeras.

Pdunlap, if you arrive at 12:15, will take you approximately half an hour
(maybe less depending on how everything goes) to get out of customs.
Renting a car, another 1/2 hour. Let's say you leave the airport at around
1:30-2:00 p.m. you should be getting to Las Galeras at around 6:00 p.m.
The sun should still be out.

You don't need a map of the new highway since it just goes straight thru.
No exits except when you get to the end and then you will make a right to
go on to Sanchez-Samana-Las Galeras.

Good luck on your adventurous trip and please let us know how you make out.
By the way, if you break down on the new highway, the department of
transportation is supposed to assist you and/or tow you to the nearest mechanic free of charge.

Juniper

[pdunlap]

Thank you all so much for replying so quick. Thats makes me feel more making the drive for the first time there.\

-Also, in las galeras, does anyone know if there is access to cash there or do we need to get it in samana before coming into town.

We would like to go fishing with a local in one of the skiff boats you see in the photos, does any one know if this is possible or how much it would cost.

[toursamanawithterry]

I have some contacts that offer fishing up there. There is a cash machine in the Gran Paraiso AI hotel but I wouldn't recommend getting money from there because those machines sometimes give very bad exchange. I would recommend changing money in Samana or using one of the cash machines to take out money.

Let me explain:

The best way to change dollars into pesos. A how to.

I recommend using your ATM card from your local bank (check what their fees are first) to take money out of a bank machine when you come out of customs into the area where everyone will be waiting (this is the case in most airports, SDQ, STI, POP, PJU). You get the best exchange rate and my bank only charges me $1.50 for using machines here. The banks here charge you nothing. The exchange rate today is 35.6 pesos per dollar. That is at the western union in Samana. At the airport by customs they exchange dollars at about 32 pesos per dollar. The bank machine will generally give you about .1 peso better than everyone else. So right now it would be 35.7 pesos at a bank machine. 4-2-2009

If you have any questions about travel to Samana or any other place in the DR feel free to email me at

toursamanawithterry@hotmail.com

[Berliner]

We usually make it in 3 hours from Las Galeras to the end of the highway which is close to Las Americas (it than takes another half hour to get into Santo Domingo Center).
You should have no problems making it before nightfall to Las Galeras with a sedan typ car although there are some bad wholes in the streets from the end of the highway to Samana and Las Galeras. Due to this and the mostly dirty roads in Las Galeras I would recomend a jeepstyle car.
You don't need a map of the new highway, as already said, just drive straight and turn left at the end. Again straight all the way to Sanchez and Samana and after the hill leaving Samana turn right and follow the road until Las Galeras where it ends at the beach. Main intersection is 100 before droping into the water :-)
When you are in Las Galeras watch the sunset at El Cabito