Please help me with a transportation decision!!! (leaving tomorrow!!!)

elemi · #1 02-11-2005, 02:42 PM

Hi guys!

I´m leaving tomorrow to DR. I will be arriving to SD airport late at night so I decided to go to Boca Chica for that night and another to have a rest from the trip.

Some facts:
* We are 2... my girlfriend and me.
* We speak perfect spanish as we are from Argentina.
* Budget is not big but if it is necessary I am open to rent a car.
* In Las Galeras we will stay at Karin & Ron´s I was wondering if is it too far from the town center and the beach.

Then I will head to Las Galeras in Samaná peninsula. The thing is:

1) Should I rent a car to get there? Some questions that would help me to decide are:
* How much does it cost to get a 4WD (I´ve read that many places arround Las Galeras need this kind of vehicle to be reached).
* Where is the best place to rent it: Airport? Boca Chica? Santo Domingo?
* Please recommend me a cheap place to do that but reliable.
* How long would it take me to get Las Galeras from Boca Chica by car?
* Would it be so usefull to have the car during my stay en Las Galeras or I can reach everyplace with taxis/guaguas?
* Is it an easy route to get there?
* How much does the fuel cost?

2) Should I go there by bus/guagua? Some questions that would help me to decide are:
* How much does it cost to get Las Galeras by bus? Please give me as much options as you can.
* How long would it take me to get Las Galeras from Boca Chica by bus/guagua?
* How often do buses go from SD to Las Galeras?
* How much would it cost to rent a 4WD vehicle in Las Galeras so that I would rent it only the days I want to move from Las Galeras?

Well if you can answer me any of these questions I would really apreciate that as I can´t decide yet and don´t want to loose my time in DR gathering all this information.

Thank you very much!

Saludos!

Emiliano

Ken · #2 02-11-2005, 02:58 PM

To take a bus to Samana, you will need to get back to Santo Domingo. Caribe Tours and Metro both go to Samana, but Caribe Tours has more buses. Caribe Tours buses leave for Samana a 7, 8:30 and 10 am and 1:30, 2:30 and 4 pm. Buses leave on time and trip takes 4+ hours. From Samana, take a guagua or taxi to Las Galeras.

Public transportation available in Samana and cars can be rented there if you find you really need one for the day.

Las Galeras is not a town; it is a resort area on the shore. The town for the area is Samana.

Not sure about cost these days to Samana from SD, but figure RD$200+/person one way. Buses are big and comfortable.

Hillbilly · #3 02-11-2005, 03:00 PM

A night in BC is enough.

You can tak a bus to Santo Domingo, and get to the Metro Station that has a twice daily service to Samana. From Samaná you can take local transport to Las Galleras. A most wonderful place.

If you wnat to explore, try National at the airport for a small 4x4. Be sure to get all the nsurance you can afford and check the vehicle out thorooughtly, BEFORE you sign anything.

An alternate route for someone a bit adventerous, would be to go EAST towards Higuey and then on to Sabana de la Mar and take the ferry across the bay to Samaná...There is a beautiful place to stay there near Sabana de la Mar, but-getting too old-I can't remember the name of it. Be better than a night in Boca Chica.

Around Las Galleras, there is local transport for whatever you want to see or do...

HB

(Envious of your trip, whichever way you go. Las Galleras is truly lovely)

Chirimoya · #4 02-11-2005, 03:09 PM

If you're on a budget you're best off taking public transport from Boca Chica to Las Galeras. You'll need to get a guagua (local bus) to Santo Domingo, and take the Samana bus from Caribe Tours (Av 27 Feb. esq Leopoldo Navarro) or Metro Bus (Av Churchill casi esq. 27). There is a direct LG bus but it leaves at 6:00am (departing from Parque Enriquillo if you're interested). Either case the journey should take a total of at least 6 hours, excluding waiting time between buses, so you're looking at the best part of a day.

From Samana you get a guagua or camioneta for the last 24 kms to LG. This is relatively inexpensive and is a fairly colourful introduction to the country. The longest stretch, SD to Samana on the Caribe/Metro is airconditioned and comfortable and your luggage goes in a secure hold, although it is advisable for one of you to get down and ensure that another passenger does not walk off with it 'by accident' at one of the several stops.

In LG there are a couple of vehicle rental options but Caribe Fun (run by Yanett and Wolfgang) gives you a complete package with useful advice on places to visit, and a detailed map of the peninsula, as well as a range of 4WD vehicles to choose from. I'm not sure of the exact price but I think about US$60 per day with a discount for several days. If you explain you're on a budget they'll be open about the other options, like the water taxi to Playa Rincon. They also rent trailbikes and have recently added one of those atrocious 4-wheeler things to their fleet.

Not sure where Ron and Karin's place is, although I have an idea (past Casa Marina?). Nothing is too far away from anything in LG.

Have a great time.

elemi · #5 02-11-2005, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken

To take a bus to Samana, you will need to get back to Santo Domingo. Caribe Tours and Metro both go to Samana, but Caribe Tours has more buses. Caribe Tours buses leave for Samana a 7, 8:30 and 10 am and 1:30, 2:30 and 4 pm. Buses leave on time and trip takes 4+ hours. From Samana, take a guagua or taxi to Las Galeras.

Public transportation available in Samana and cars can be rented there if you find you really need one for the day.

Las Galeras is not a town; it is a resort area on the shore. The town for the area is Samana.

Not sure about cost these days to Samana from SD, but figure RD$200+/person one way. Buses are big and comfortable.

Thank you Ken!

I was told that there is a daily bus direct form Santo Domingo to Las Galeras that departs at 13.30. Do you or anyone here knows which company it is and where does it departs and also is it as confortable as the other 2 bus companies and price is relatively similar?

Thanks again!

Emiliano

elemi · #6 02-11-2005, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hillbilly

A night in BC is enough.

You can tak a bus to Santo Domingo, and get to the Metro Station that has a twice daily service to Samana. From Samaná you can take local transport to Las Galleras. A most wonderful place.

If you wnat to explore, try National at the airport for a small 4x4. Be sure to get all the nsurance you can afford and check the vehicle out thorooughtly, BEFORE you sign anything.

An alternate route for someone a bit adventerous, would be to go EAST towards Higuey and then on to Sabana de la Mar and take the ferry across the bay to Samaná...There is a beautiful place to stay there near Sabana de la Mar, but-getting too old-I can't remember the name of it. Be better than a night in Boca Chica.

Around Las Galleras, there is local transport for whatever you want to see or do...

HB

(Envious of your trip, whichever way you go. Las Galleras is truly lovely)

Thank you Hillbilly!
Will send you pictures when I come back if you want

Emi

elemi · #7 02-11-2005, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chirimoya

If you're on a budget you're best off taking public transport from Boca Chica to Las Galeras. You'll need to get a guagua (local bus) to Santo Domingo, and take the Samana bus from Caribe Tours (Av 27 Feb. esq Leopoldo Navarro) or Metro Bus (Av Churchill casi esq. 27). There is a direct LG bus but it leaves at 6:00am (departing from Parque Enriquillo if you're interested). Either case the journey should take a total of at least 6 hours, excluding waiting time between buses, so you're looking at the best part of a day.

From Samana you get a guagua or camioneta for the last 24 kms to LG. This is relatively inexpensive and is a fairly colourful introduction to the country. The longest stretch, SD to Samana on the Caribe/Metro is airconditioned and comfortable and your luggage goes in a secure hold, although it is advisable for one of you to get down and ensure that another passenger does not walk off with it 'by accident' at one of the several stops.

In LG there are a couple of vehicle rental options but Caribe Fun (run by Yanett and Wolfgang) gives you a complete package with useful advice on places to visit, and a detailed map of the peninsula, as well as a range of 4WD vehicles to choose from. I'm not sure of the exact price but I think about US$60 per day with a discount for several days. If you explain you're on a budget they'll be open about the other options, like the water taxi to Playa Rincon. They also rent trailbikes and have recently added one of those atrocious 4-wheeler things to their fleet.

Not sure where Ron and Karin's place is, although I have an idea (past Casa Marina?). Nothing is too far away from anything in LG.

Have a great time.

Thank you very much Chirimoya!

I was told by Karin that there is a daily bus direct to to Las Galeras but she said it departs at 13.30 (she didn´t told me from where)... might this be the same you told me departs at 6.00? Is this one as confortable as Metro and Caribe?

Concerning Karin & Ron´s place is about 2.5 km from Las Galeras entrance... that sound me pretty far for me if I want to go and buy something to cook. I don´t know if it is also that far from the beach... and yes... I think it is passing Casa Marina. Could you please give me a more precise idea on how far from groceries, bar, beach I will be?

Thanks again for all your advices!

Emi

Chirimoya · #8 02-11-2005, 05:12 PM

I was given the 6:00am bus information this week by two separate Galereños who use it on a regular basis. The guy who runs the service is called Arismendi, apparently. So it's pretty up to date information. I don't know about the 13:30 one - might be a different operation altogether. I get the impression that the 6:00am bus is not an airconditioned luxury coach like Caribe or Metro. Most Parque Enriquillo buses are 'guagua' or 'voladora' type mini buses - a colourful experience to say the least.

The place I think you mean is near enough to the beach. It would be a 15/20 minute walk to the shops in LG, though. This is not a problem in the daytime, especially as the weather is not too hot at the moment, but there have been attacks on people walking that way in the dark, so that's worth bearing in mind. If you do go into town on foot at night only take spending money and no valuables like jewellery.

Ken · #9 02-11-2005, 09:16 PM

Yes, there is a bus but I don't know where it loads and unloads. Not nearly as convenient a place as Caribe Tours, I'm sure. When leaving Santo Domingo you pass a location where quite a number of private buses load and unload, and it is a good distance from center of city.

Not nearly as comfortable a bus as Caribe Tours or Metro.