Driving Directions in the DR

[d life]

This is my first post so please be linient with me and overlook my mistakes. I will be traveling the DR very soon and plan to rent a car. I will do a lot of driving while I am in the DR. I will be flying into Santiago and plan to drive to Puerto Plata. But I have one problem I do not have driving directions.
Where can I find intercity and intracity driving directions for the DR. Any assistance will be greatly appreciated.

[Hillbilly]

Just tell me where you are going and I will give you detailed driving instructions on how to get there.

Anyway, driving here is an "interesting experience" as I am sure you will find out.

1) Get all the insurance you can afford. Find out how much your credit card company will automatically supply you with, and all that stuff before you leave the states.
2) Visually check the car before you sign for it. In fact, you should ask the Rental dealer to go with you for a short drive to check out the car. Check lights, brakes and horn (the louder, the better)
3) Drive defensively, since drivers in the DR are reall A$$holes and have just no idea as to what is the proper way to drive, nor doues the word "courtesy" have the slightest aplication on the roadways.

Getting from one place to another is as simple as following your nose for the most part, so when you get back to me with your destination I will impart, from my seat here on high, the most precise, most meticulous directions you will need to get wherever it is you are going...

HB

[Ricardo900]

Keep about $30US (bribe money) in a seperate pocket, so the police won't see you pulling out a knot. Also, keep a photocopy of your license and Passport, to show if you get pulled over. If the police officer is on foot, drive right past him. lol
good luck on your adventure!

[badpiece33]

Good luck on your decision to attempt to navigate the DR by car all by yourself.
this map below will give you general directions and roads but is not entirely accurate.

http://www1.tip.nl/~t794614/mapdr.htm

Good luck
Badpiece

[sweetdbt]

Originally Posted by d life

This is my first post so please be linient with me and overlook my mistakes. I will be traveling the DR very soon and plan to rent a car. I will do a lot of driving while I am in the DR. I will be flying into Santiago and plan to drive to Puerto Plata. But I have one problem I do not have driving directions.
Where can I find intercity and intracity driving directions for the DR. Any assistance will be greatly appreciated.

Small world eh? My advice is still the same. Buy the B&B map and study it. the only difference is that you will be much better off referring your subsequent questions to the veteren members on this board. I've driven around the DR quite a bit on vacation, but I don't live there, and the routes I've taken may not always be the best.

The experience of driving in the DR is not that dissimilar to major cities in North America, the primary difference being that you can NEVER count on another driver following laws or decorum. I would call my approach to driving there "assertive defensive driving". Head on a swivel for motoconchos and other crazies coming out of nowhere, but if you have an opening, don't hesitate.

[d life]

I will be traveling from Santiago Airport to Puerto plata (Malechon). and then from there to Sosua. I guess I am in for an adventure. thanks guys for everything. I really appreciate it. I will come back with the report of the adventure that I had.

[ricktoronto]

Originally Posted by d life

I will be traveling from Santiago Airport to Puerto plata (Malechon). and then from there to Sosua. I guess I am in for an adventure. thanks guys for everything. I really appreciate it. I will come back with the report of the adventure that I had.

If this is the sum total of where you are driving you will be paying many times the cost of using taxis for the same areas, and risking your life, and hassles up the hoop on the whole rental car game. Why bother?

[CyaBye3015]

Originally Posted by sweetdbt

Small world eh? My advice is still the same. Buy the B&B map and study it.

If you don't know, the B&B map sweetdbt is referring to can be can be ordered at www.berndtson.com don't let the above posters frighten you about driving in the DR. Just make sure your will is in order, just kidding, have a blast!!

Joe

[borruga]

I just got back from the DR Sunday, and greatly enjoyed driving around the country. Even though I'm definitely neither the best nor the bravest driver, I much more preferred it over sitting in a taxi practically panic-stricken, not knowing how justified my fear is. This way at least it was up to me when to overtake or not. I must admit I got pretty good after a few days.

In the east, we had some bridge problems and had to ask around which will be the best passages. Even though travelling in a Jeepeta may have been more comfortable, our Economy Chevy Corsa was doing a great job, carrying us across small rivers, through many many hoyos, and up and down some serious hills and dirt roads.

At night, beware of the pasolas without light. Had a ugly experience a few years ago on my first trip, outside of Navarrete where we hit a driver late at night in heavy rain. Luckily the lady ended practically unharmed, I and was with Dominicans who knew how to handle the situation and I hadn't been the one driving. Still you can imagine this ended up costly and in various additional trips from the capital back to Navarrete...

Use great caution, but you will have a great time

[sweetdbt]

Originally Posted by CyaBye3015

If you don't know, the B&B map sweetdbt is referring to can be can be ordered at www.berndtson.com don't let the above posters frighten you about driving in the DR. Just make sure your will is in order, just kidding, have a blast!!

Joe

Also available on Amazon.com. While maps are never completely current, I've found this one to be pretty accurate and easy to read. It's plastic coated and extremely durable as well.