Punta Rucia - need info asap!

[BermudaRum]

Hola all! Need help in what would be the best travel directions from Sosua to P.R. area. I see that one can travel on hw 1 toward monte cristi and then take a road from Villa Elisa and then travel north. (? travel condtion and est. time)
Other option is to Luperon along the north west coast past la isabela. Any help and details on conditions of roads would be helpful.
Also any info on the towns along the way and in Punta Rucia via Luperon.
4 of us traveling by car and spanish no problem. Just needing a long day trip to see a bit DR!

Many Thanks

[Hillbilly]

Take the Duarte Hwy to Villa Elisa. When you see the Isla Station turn right. First few kilometers are fine...then it is a dirt road. Not bad but dirt and gravel.

after about 12-15 minutes, you come to the top of a hill and can see the ocean. It is a beautiful sight!

At the bottom of that hill you come to El Papayo, where you go to the right. That road was being scraped and bettered a while ago. You take the first left turn, after you go through a little villa...no name that i know.

The left turn will take you to t he beach.

the way through Luperon is not good. You have to cross the river (no bridge) and then through some fields to La Isabela, then left over really poor roads for at least 45 minutes (maybe 30) and then go left again in Estero Hondo...you come out at la Ensenada....but I would not recommend that route...

From POP it should take about 1:45...or so....from the highway into the beach is 30 minutes going slow to take care of the vehicle.

They have cold beer at the beach and if you go over to La Ensenada, go see Elsa and eat like kings!! Or in the town go see Damaris, good eats, too....

HB

[BermudaRum]

Thanks Hillbilly, I feel like we are already there! We will certainly have a cold one or two on the beach or at your favorite eatery place! Thanks again, a cold one awaits you there!!!!!

[Borec]

I travelled to Punta Rucia through Luperon about three weeks ago. The Road is being rebuild (graded and new gravel surface, I think it is getting ready for being sealed) and is pretty good. The only problem is the bid from Castillo (that is where the Isabela ruis are) to the river crossing. You will need 4x4 to cross the river (there are actually two). It took me 50 minutes from Castillo to PR. From Luperon to Castillo it is paved and good road. If you have GPS, let me know I can post a track.

[Farmer]

Agree with H.B. You can travel a long time and reach the river only to find it impassable. We prefer the trip up from Villa Elisa. The locals are very friendly and the food at Damaris' was great. We had to help the fellow fix his generator first in order to be able to see, but were rewarded with several cold Presidentes, heaping plates of rice and salad, and seven, yeah seven fresh lobsters. $25. Thought we'd found paradise.

[Borec]

Well I had no option, as I was in El Castillo to see the ruins at 6 pm, and needed to get to PR before sunset, which I just did, so I crossed the river and stepped on it (I do have real SUV). By the way, is there any good place to stay in PR - I have two kids, and would like to visit PR and stay for a weekend (last time I was there just 30 minutes, before the sun went down and I had to return to SD).
Thanks

[Borec]

Originally Posted by BermudaRum

Just needing a long day trip to see a bit DR!

Many Thanks

Oh one more thing, you can see my pictures from that long one day trip here:
Photographs from North West (Amber) Coast of Dominican Republic

[BermudaRum]

Many thanks for the quick response, leave in 4 hours and mucho help provided by the good members of DR 1....................