Travel Questions... please help

[blaquerose]

Hello all,

My boyfriend and I will be traveling to the DR in Jan 2005 - flying into Santiago, before going to the North Coast, then Samana and finally ending in Santo Domingo.

Hope some of you can help with the following:
- Is it possible to travel easily via public transportation from Santiago to Constanza OR Jarabacoa OR Parque National José del Carmen Ramírez OR Parque Nacional Armando Bermúdez?
- How much would it cost to travel from Santiago to one of the places listed above, what kind of bus timings are available, and is it possible to do a day trip (going from Santiago in the morning, and returning to Santiago that same night)?
- Any idea of bus timings from Santiago to Puerto Plata? What's the earliest bus and what time is the latest daily to Puerto Plata?

Any help appreciated... first time traveler to the DR and looking forward very much to it!

Thanks,
Liz

[Ken]

You can get to Jarabacoa from Santiago, however, you may have to change buses in La Vega, which is aboutfairly close to Santiago.

No problem getting to Puerto Plata from Santiago. Buses leave hourly. I think first is the Caribe Tour bus going from Santiago to Samana that leaves at (I believe) 6:15 am. Last bus leaves in the early evening.

Public transporation is inexpensive in the DR.

When you go to Samana, there is a Caribe Tours bus that leaves Puerto Plata at 7:30 am. It is the only Caribe Tours bus to Samana. Leaves Samana for Santiago,with stop in Sosua and Puerto Plata, at 4 pm.