Puerta Plata

peep · #1 01-02-2002, 05:53 PM

I have been a frequent visitor to the DR for many years. My visits are usually quite brief and have been limited to the area between San Pedro and the capital on the south shore. Most often I stay at one of the smaller hotels in Boca Chica. I also have a girl friend who lives in the capitol. She is very good about keeping me out of trouble and exercising my credit cards. On my next visit we thought it would be fun to take the Metro Bus up to Puerta Plata for a couple days visit but that side of the island is a complete mystery to me. I would appreciate any advise. Nice small hotels that will accept an american with a local girlfriend? Places to visit? Where the bus station is in relation to everything else? Web sites for info? etc. Any help is appreciated.
peep

grantc · #2 01-02-2002, 08:07 PM

If you are going to the North Coast you should stay in Sosua, nice and central to everything you would want to see. It's half an hour from Puerta Plata to the west and half an hour to Cabarete and Rio San Juan to the East. Lots of great small hotels and appartments for rent and great restaurants. Check out condosdomicano.com for one but there are lots of others

Marc · #3 01-02-2002, 08:19 PM

You want to stay out of Puerto Plata and head out to Cabarete/Sosua. Take a Caribe Tours bus directly to Sosua for $100RD from Santo Domingo. From there, you are a $5RD ride on the guagua to Cabarete. Cabarete is slightly more costly for beer etc, but has more accomodation right on the beach. There is much debate as to which is "better"...They are two places with a different feel only 15 minutes apart, and you will enjoy it, I am sure.

There are a ton of places to stay in both towns. Check out the Britannia pub in Sosua, where Barb and Linden will help you out. Eddy has a Sport's Bar and has great advice and even owns places to rent. These people won't steer you wrong.

good luck
marc

grantc · #4 01-02-2002, 08:35 PM

the website I gave in my last post is for the condos that Eddy rents out. Barb and Linden have a couple of rooms but not right downtown Sosua.
Marc
Looks like we know the same people is Sousa. You must be a fellow Canadian

peep · #5 01-03-2002, 08:54 AM

Your sugestions to visit Sosua sound like a good idea. The only Caribe Tours web site my search engine found was in Costa Rica. Does anyone have an address for the DR company?

richard · #6 01-03-2002, 10:05 AM

Should you go to Sosua, only about twenty minutes and fifteen pesos from Puerto Plata by gua-gua you might enjoy Hotel Tropix. It is small, quiet and offers a nice pool, tropical gardens, honor bar, a/c or overhead fan, is close to everything and is very reasonable. You would have no problem checking in with your girlfriend during day time hours. Check the web site for more info.

www.tropixhotel.com

Ken · #7 01-03-2002, 10:23 AM

Peep,

You won't find Caribe Tour on the internet. It is not a tour company, it is a bus line, like Greyhound in the US. It runs buses to Sosua from Santo Domingo every hour, from early in morning to early evening. The buses leave from the Caribe Tour terminal in SD, with short stops in Santiago and Puerto Plata. Price from SD to Sosua is RD$100/person.

There are cheaper ways to get to Cabarette from Sosua terminal of Caribe Tour than taxi, but if this is your first trip and you are not familiar with the guaguas, I'd suggest taking a taxi.

Regards, Ken

Ken · #8 01-03-2002, 10:26 AM

Just reread your posting.

Instead of Metro from SD, take Caribe Tour, a competing bus line. Reason is that Metro stops in PP, but Caribe Tour goes on to Sosua. So if you are trying to get to Cabarette, you are better off on Caribe Tour because it gets you much closer.

peep · #9 01-03-2002, 11:49 AM

I thank you all for your information. It has been most helpful. I'm mostly a bluejeans and T shirt type of person. Am I correct in assuming that Sosua would be more to my likeing than Cabarete? Also, I'm not a serious gambler but wonder if there are small casinos where we can loose a few coins in the slot machines?

Marc · #10 01-03-2002, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by peep
I thank you all for your information. It has been most helpful. I'm mostly a bluejeans and T shirt type of person. Am I correct in assuming that Sosua would be more to my likeing than Cabarete? Also, I'm not a serious gambler but wonder if there are small casinos where we can loose a few coins in the slot machines?

Ever been to Banff/Canmore? Cabarete is the Banff of the DR. Surfers, windsurfers, kiteboarders, etc. Very laid back, maybe a tad bit younger crowd...Like I said though, to call one "better" than the other would be a tough call. You will have to check them out for yourself, and you will be glad that you did. They are both fantastic places to hangout, both casual, and you feel at home in both places. Just don't wear jeans, you will sweat your ass off! hehe

Sosua has a casino, and there are a couple in Playa Dorada which is not far away. $75RD min bet in Sosua ($5US, $7.50CDN) the last time I went, but the Jack Tar in Playa Dorada is $25RD min.

Take care dude
m