from Santo Domingo to Samana/LT

[shuffine]

Hello all..couldn't find original thread...but a couple of people that gave me directions (thru Santo Domingo) asked me to report back on the road trip from SDQ to LT last week.

In short...it was a 3 1/2 hour piece of cake!!

Took the Cotui route and had no problems whatsoever.

The LT road over the mountins was OK except for one lane that had collapsed due to a "contractor" screw-up...it is being fixed and caused no delays.

To all those who responded the first time....again, my thanks!!

steve

[Juniper]

I can't believe it took you 3 1/2 hours. I have taken the same route many times and because of the road conditions, it takes just as long as if you took the San Francisco route.

From carretera Duarte and Winston Churchill to the bottom of the mountain in Las Terrenas, driving at a safe speed, it takes 4 1/2 hours without stopping.

[shuffine]

Hi Juniper....I clocked it very carefully....it was 3 1/2 hours. I turned onto Maximo Gomez at 7:30 AM and was at the bottom of the mountain road (LT side) by 11AM...no problem.

Will admit I was lucky in Cotui (didn't get lost) and that Subaru may need some suspension work

On the return it took me 4 hours to get to Las Americas ... i got hung up in Santo Domingo.

I regularly make the LT to POP airport run in 2 1/2 hours (3 at night).

[Me_again]

Las Terrenas to POP airport in 2 1/2 hours is very good time. Is it possible if you own the vehicle and are concerned for it?

[shuffine]

Hi me again...even if i owned the vehicle it would not matter I treat all cars the same...just a fast driver and the time of day matters alot. I do not find driving in the DR intimidating at all...ususally.

sh

[DavidM]

Juniper, I have gotten confused reading several threads on this topic. Please outline with as much detail as possible exactly the route that you recommend from Santo Doningo Int'l Airport to Las Terrenas. Quite frankly your comments are the only ones that have given me any relief at all. I will be driving on a Saturday afternoon (departing the airport in a rental car at about 2pm).

[DavidM]

Just a follow up. I travelled from Santo Domingo to Las Terrenas last week and I typed up an overview of what to expect and I posted it in the section of this website called TRAVEL QUESTIONS.

Basically I have no idea how Shuffine made that drive in that amount of time. Granted, I had bad weather and the roads were terrible, but I think a traveller should assume that the drive will take 5 hours and anything less will make them smile.

I did the route via San Francisco and on the return via Cotui and I honestly don't know which was better. They both have parts of the road that are very bad, and they seemed to take the same amount of time. I think that it is probably easier to get to Las Terrenas without getting lost if you go via San Francisco. I got lost more on the Cotui route and had to stop for directions MUCH more than via the San Fransisco route (and I even went through San Francisco at dusk).

[shuffine]

Hi David....I did the trip last time from SDQ to LT in 4 hours in hard rain...from Downtown Sto Dom. on a Sunday afternoon I've done it in 3 1/2....yes, i drive fast and good...but knowing the way helps!