Driving in DR

MKC · #1 05-17-2005, 02:01 PM

I have read many posts that say take the Caribe Tours bus from Santa Domingo to Sosua. Does this mean my husband and I are crazy for renting a car and thinking about driving? Will we get lost? Are the drivers really that bad? We've always rented cars so that we have the independence to stop along the way - St. Martin, Canary Islands, Puerto Rico, Spain etc... but are we totally unprepared for driving in the DR?

Also, if we aren't crazy - anyone want to give us good directions from the airport to the highway, so we make sure that we don't get lost?!

Escott · #2 05-17-2005, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MKC

I have read many posts that say take the Caribe Tours bus from Santa Domingo to Sosua. Does this mean my husband and I are crazy for renting a car and thinking about driving? Will we get lost? Are the drivers really that bad? We've always rented cars so that we have the independence to stop along the way - St. Martin, Canary Islands, Puerto Rico, Spain etc... but are we totally unprepared for driving in the DR?

Also, if we aren't crazy - anyone want to give us good directions from the airport to the highway, so we make sure that we don't get lost?!

Leave the airport and follow signs to Santo Domingo, when you get into Santo Domingo look for signs to Santiago.

I advise you to rent from Alamo or National, take all the insurance and use a credit card that also insures you. Buy two bottles of Ron Bermudez and drink along the way. By the time you finish you should be to Santiago and feeling good about your life and trip. By the way it is not illegal to drink and drive here. It is illegal to NOT DRINK and DRIVE. You have to drink to drive here.

Pass the Second Moca turnoff. Make a right off the Autopista at an unfinished overpass. Take this road for about 3-5 miles till you go through a roundabout with a bronze statue in the middle. after 6-8 blocks make your way left for about a half mile then turn right again. You will be looking for the mountain road that leads to Nagua, Cabarete, Sabeneta and Sosua. If you don't speaky Spanish, don't worry, 1 out of 50 people will speak English. Get on that road and and go over a mountain and back down a mountain. It will come to a straight away and end. Make a left and in about 15 minutes you will go through Cabarete. You will know you are there when you are parked in the road for 15 minutes waiting for the Dominicans to move their cars from the middle of the road while they are chatting. It will happen, just be patient. When you finally get through Cabarete you will get to Sosua in about 20 minutes. If you tell me where in Sosua I can get you right there.

Happy drinking!

MKC · #3 05-17-2005, 05:14 PM

Alright Escott - your making me nervous

My husband and I are staying in Casa Linda... based on your posts, I'm sure you know it!

BTW - you never mentioned if you think we should really take the bus instead???? We are up for adventures but are we up for this one???

ricktoronto · #4 05-17-2005, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MKC

Alright Escott - your making me nervous

My husband and I are staying in Casa Linda... based on your posts, I'm sure you know it!

BTW - you never mentioned if you think we should really take the bus instead???? We are up for adventures but are we up for this one???

Take the buses. Clean and safe and convenient and you will save a bundle and your nerves. Even with a few taxis you are ahead.

andyt · #5 05-17-2005, 06:47 PM

I have driven in St Martin and Aruba, the Dominican Republic is different. Driving in the Dominican Republic is worse then driving in manhatten. I took Carribe Tours from Santo Domingo to Puerta Plata several weeks ago. It was about 400 pesos's one way for two people. The bus was clean and comfortable just a little cold because of the a/c. If you want a car when you are in sousa I would recommend picking it up when you get to the North Shore.

la_barbie · #6 05-17-2005, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MKC

I have read many posts that say take the Caribe Tours bus from Santa Domingo to Sosua. Does this mean my husband and I are crazy for renting a car and thinking about driving? Will we get lost? Are the drivers really that bad? We've always rented cars so that we have the independence to stop along the way - St. Martin, Canary Islands, Puerto Rico, Spain etc... but are we totally unprepared for driving in the DR?

Also, if we aren't crazy - anyone want to give us good directions from the airport to the highway, so we make sure that we don't get lost?!

I drive in the DR all the time ... but I've also been there a lot of times... If your a Sunday driver... stay off the roads there, especially in Santo Domingo ... Escott's directions pretty much sum it up !

If I were you I'd take the bus .... If you don't know your way around the island yet your for sure gonna get lost !

Don Juan · #7 05-17-2005, 07:14 PM

MKC, Please take Escotts advice seriously even if you're not driving. One of the best ways to keep the DR endemic, malaria-infested mosquitos at bay is to make sure you all drink plenty of rum Bermudez (about a pint per person, per day) or at least liberally rub it all over your body. it may sting a little, but better than getting really sick. Presidente beer sometimes works too (makes a good shampoo) but its not as effective as Bermudez. Happy motoring!
BTW, OFF! insect repellent doesn't work, ask any Canadian.

mountainfrog · #8 05-17-2005, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MKC

.... St. Martin, Canary Islands, Puerto Rico, Spain etc...

Well, these are all civilized countries.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MKC

...but are we totally unprepared for driving in the DR? ...

Hm, you need not be.
Go to the zoo. Take a bicycle to the monkeys' enclosure.
Ride it for an hour there.
OK, licensed and ready to go.

Chris · #9 05-17-2005, 08:32 PM

I've driven in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Kenya and some other African Countries, most European countries including Spain, England and Italy, the US, most Caribbean islands, Costa Rica, Panama and a few more.

The first time I drove a car in the DR, I was a blubbering idiot and totally wrecked when I got to the end of the journey. You need eight eyes, nerves of steel and get used to traffic running in patterns that you've never seen before. In most DR cars, the front seat passenger is the one that gives the road signals. Add a number of potholes in the roads, where the oncoming traffic simply swerves into your lane in order to avoid the potholes in their own lanes, drunk and disorderly drivers and mayhem and chaos - that is, if you are not used to it. Add dogs, cows, horses and donkeys, little sweet Dominican Kids running on the side of the road and moto conchos with families of four (Two big, One medium and a little baby usually) on one little motorbike.

Take the bus, check out the roads for a day or so till you get the lay of the land, and then get the rental car from a reputable rental agency with all the insurance you can possibly get. Then, check out the rental car, check that the mirrors are not falling off, the doors are not bashed and banged, the front and back fenders (I don't know what to call these things) are actually affixed to the car. Pull on everything that may come loose. The rental car companies sometimes 'loosely' affix things like mirrors in order for you to loose them and pay the deductable.

Don't get in an accident. Driving style is very defensive and totally offensive depending on the circumstances.

MerengueDutchie · #10 05-18-2005, 05:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andyt

I have driven in St Martin and Aruba, the Dominican Republic is different. Driving in the Dominican Republic is worse then driving in manhatten. I took Carribe Tours from Santo Domingo to Puerta Plata several weeks ago. It was about 400 pesos's one way for two people. The bus was clean and comfortable just a little cold because of the a/c. If you want a car when you are in sousa I would recommend picking it up when you get to the North Shore.

Good advice.. get to your destination safely.. get the lay of the land.. then deicde to rent a car or not.. you can take the bus all the way to Sosua and take a taxi in Sosua to the Casa Linda complex..

Next day get down to Rocky's for breakfast and get connected with the DR1 community.. they will steer you in the right direction if you're good people..