Where is the Malecon sector?

[Celt202]

La Guibia Plaza is not a safe place at night. A friend of mine was chopped up with a machete there at 7 PM six weeks ago but survived.

[RHM]

Originally Posted by Celt202

La Guibia Plaza is not a safe place at night. A friend of mine was chopped up with a machete there at 7 PM six weeks ago but survived.

1) It's Scandall...not Scandell

2) Scandall is typically right

3) Where the hell is La Guibia? And what happened to your friend?

Scandall

[Celt202]

Originally Posted by Scandall

1) It's Scandall...not Scandell

2) Scandall is typically right

3) Where the hell is La Guibia? And what happened to your friend?

Scandall

I stand corrected Scandall (Escandall?)

La Guibia is the open air plaza just east of Maximo Gomez across from the cinema. Mirador describes it: "The Malecon is safe, of course taking minimum common sense precautions... Between Eugenio Maria de Hostos park and Maximo Gomez Ave, there's the popular local beach, Guibia, which has the best surfing waves south of Cabarete. At night it's a bustling outdoor café with multiple eating stands, and crowds of joyful people.... Definitely recommended...."

The operative phrase is "taking minimum common sense precautions"

My friend, acquaintance really, a young Dominican of humble origins, was attacked from behind by one of the "palomos" who hangs around at La Guibia. He chopped her head with a machete, causing about 20 stitches and then went for her throat. She protected her throat with her arm and he broke a bone in her forearm and bones in two fingers. Friends took her to Dario Contreras Hospital where they operated and reconnected severed tendons and set the broken bones. She almost died from loss of blood but is now on the mend. Armed with a "certificado medico" describing the wounds she lodged a complaint with the police at the Destacamento Gazcue. The police took the charge seriously and the perp was actually apprehended in Boca Chica. Apparently he is well known to the police. After a hearing in the Palacio de Justicia he was sent to La Victoria prison for six months awaiting trial. If he gets out he will be motivated to kill her. I really don't know the motivation but I would guess there was some sort of "pendiente" between them. Which gets to the whole situation on the Malecón and LaGuibia; you can find crowds of joyful people there but there is an undercurrent of idle delincuents looking for opportunities to take advantage. The charm and the fun loving surface has a very dark underbelly.

[RHM]

Originally Posted by Celt202

I stand corrected Scandall (Escandall?)

La Guibia is the open air plaza just east of Maximo Gomez across from the cinema. Mirador describes it: "The Malecon is safe, of course taking minimum common sense precautions... Between Eugenio Maria de Hostos park and Maximo Gomez Ave, there's the popular local beach, Guibia, which has the best surfing waves south of Cabarete. At night it's a bustling outdoor café with multiple eating stands, and crowds of joyful people.... Definitely recommended...."

The operative phrase is "taking minimum common sense precautions"

My friend, acquaintance really, a young Dominican of humble origins, was attacked from behind by one of the "palomos" who hangs around at La Guibia. He chopped her head with a machete, causing about 20 stitches and then went for her throat. She protected her throat with her arm and he broke a bone in her forearm and bones in two fingers. Friends took her to Dario Contreras Hospital where they operated and reconnected severed tendons and set the broken bones. She almost died from loss of blood but is now on the mend. Armed with a "certificado medico" describing the wounds she lodged a complaint with the police at the Destacamento Gazcue. The police took the charge seriously and the perp was actually apprehended in Boca Chica. Apparently he is well known to the police. After a hearing in the Palacio de Justicia he was sent to La Victoria prison for six months awaiting trial. If he gets out he will be motivated to kill her. I really don't know the motivation but I would guess there was some sort of "pendiente" between them. Which gets to the whole situation on the Malecón and LaGuibia; you can find crowds of joyful people there but there is an undercurrent of idle delincuents looking for opportunities to take advantage. The charm and the fun loving surface has a very dark underbelly.

As I said before, the Malecon is not a safe hangout after dark.

Scandall

[corazonpartioamor]

I got married on the Melacon, be sure to go to Melacon 7 or Lunatico at night, they are romantic and beautiful. There are many other palces there that are nice but these two ar my faves. How I miss it there, my heart is in the Dominican Republic aye mi Carino Tierra!

[macocael]

The malecon definitely has unsavory characters and there are places one shouldnt go alone. I believe that people here still say "vete pa' la bolita del mundo" which refers to the globe in the Centro de los Héroes, where at night it is pretty deserted and thus home to riff raff. You will of course see lots of cueros trawling for tourists -- and because there are lots of streetside stands, restaurants, bars, and so on, the tourists do stroll up and down at night, so you will find them too. I agree with Scandall, though, I like it less now than I did four or five years ago. Still, I think there are plenty of places you can go and be OK. I go to the Pizzarela restaurant there near what used to be Ramfis Park, and I love to eat at Luis Parrillada at the other end a little past Palo Hincado (malecon 7 never seems to have clients so I steer clear o fthe place). Adrian Tropical is close to the Gomez, a nice place. And I like Sundays on the malecon and dont mind being among the lower classes.

Still, you definitely should be careful around some areas late at night. It is poorly lit, there are lots of areas to hide, and there are jerks like this palomo with a machete.

[andy_089]

This is the malecon



and thats the malecon center

[ambre]

Hey all,
thanks for the info on the malecon in SD... I've done a lot of research on the DR in general, but now that I am focusing my move to SD - can you all let me know what neighborhoods/sectors to avoid, which are safer to live in (that aren't super expensive)? Thus far I've heard Naco, Gazcue, and La Esperilla are all nice/decent. Thoughts?