driving advice

[Palma]

Please, share your experience how to drive from Puerto Plata to Punta Cana.
What is important to know?

[ZEUS]

Verrrrrrrrrry long drive, as you will travel the whole Autopista Duarte and more. I don't know of any other way to get to Punta Cana other than thru
(RD1).. Perhaps someone else has more to say..

Adios,

Zeus (primus inter pares)

[samanasuenos]

I am not sure, but the Senior Members here wil chime in and correct me... I have heard that you must first drive to the capital, and then on to Punta Cana.

1. If so, start early - at dawn.
2. Sleep in Boca Chica.
3. Start out in the morning for Punta Cana.

NO NIGHT DRIVING FOR YOU - NO WAY!

Read up on archived and old threads here about driving.....good luck!

[laurapasinifan]

I had a map( left it in the dr last week) that looked like it showed a ferry from Samana to Saban De La Mar....then you could take 104 and 106 down into Punta Cana....

If the ferry is working then you could take the shore road..I think its route 5 all the way down into the Samana Penninsula.

you can make good time on Rte 1 from Santiago to Santo Domingo, and then you may get lost in the capitol , just trying to pass through!!!!!!!!!

but once out..i made great time from the capitol to Higuey.

from Puerto Plata down through Santiago and on through the capitol and then over to Punta Cana...is a long way....at least 350 miles maybe more like 400 miles. That would take all day..on a good day.....

good luck

PS questions like this usually go into the general travel forum.. this is suppoed to be for trips TAKEN and reports on them...

bob

[A.J.]

I have driven it once and in total I would say it took me about 8 hours after dealing with traffic in Santiago and Santo Domingo. The only way I would do it again is on a road trip where I was stopping in a few different towns and getting there at a certain time was not a priority.

If you have never driven here before I would not recommend it. I would especially not recommend night driving - that is seriouosly taking your life in your hands.

You may want to check into Air Santo DOmingo Flights from Puerto Plata to Punta Cana.

[Conchman]

Take-Off has daily flights PC-POP-PC

[Dolores]

Forget the suggestion about the ferry. Only way to get there (unless you fly or charter a private boat) is by road and that road takes you to Santo Domingo first.

The suggestion to break it in two is a good one. You are talking about an approximate 500 km trip.

Would suggest you overnight in Colonial Santo Domingo, to get a feel for the old city that is quite a sight both during the day and the night. See listings for Santo Domingo hotels in http://dr1.com/directories/index.shtml

Basically you will be going west to Santo Domingo and then north to Puerto Plata. I would bring a compass to help you keep these coordinates. Also, I would get a cell phone with a Dominican number -- these can be had for about US$50 including a calling card -- at Orange or Verizon shops.

There have been quite a few posts on this forum with directions. Please do a search. But basically, you need to go Punta Cana-Veron-Higuey-La Romana. Once you get to La Romana there is an expressway to go to Santo Domingo. I would stop in a gas station in La Romana and try to find someone who is driving that way that you can trail, so you do not get lost. Then you can skip the town of San Pedro de Macoris, and the expressway will put you into Boca Chica and Las Americas Expressway. This leads you to cross the city by way of the Juan Bosch bridge.

Here if you are going to the Colonial City do not take the overpass (expreso lane). Take the left lane that heads south into the colonial city.

If you have decided to do the trip in one go, then take the overpasses all the way through until you see a sign that says Dr. Delgado. Do not get off on that one, but the next. The next will take you to a small street that will lead you west to Leopoldo Navarro street. Then you take the Leopoldo Navarro street north to San Martin Avenue (left here at the stoplight) -- about a km. A slight swerve to the south will put you on John F. Kennedy Avenue. This will convert into the Autopista Duarte highway that will take you to Puerto Plata, via Santiago-Navarette.

We always recommend travelers to stop and stop. Buy a good map (sold at many gas stations) and ask and ask as you go from point to point on the map. Since you will have the map, show people where you are headed, and they will tell you what hte next stop is so you keep on mark. Dominicans are friendly and will help you.

Driving is an excellent way to get to know the country, but we recommend that you start early, and as recommended above, do not drive at night.

[laurapasinifan]

Dolores...thats what i did. Went into SD and stayed near the Conde, then started off for Higuey the next morning... made the stop on the way back In juan Dolio...

I dont know If I would recomend pulling out a map.

I think that puts a huge target on your head, especially from all the on lookers....

I could have used those SD directions in oct!!!

bob

[Dolores]

The risk of having the bad luck of asking a bandit is very low compared to the benefits. And what I am suggesting is for them to ask someone in a car or SUV. That means they get escorted into Santo Domingo. Because of the lack of adequate signage, the expressway is difficult to find and get off at the right points.

So, I find the best way is to trail someone.

Once, heading out to Punta Cana, a Dominican single woman flagged us down on the highway near La Romana. She asked us for directions to get to Melia Bavaro. We were headed to Punta Cana, but told her to follow us and we got her through Higuey and then showed her where to turn to head to Bavaro.

People wont mind. They will be happy to help. It wont be difficult to find a vehicle that is headed back to the capital city that the person in the rented car can trail. All one has to do is explain one's case.

I do it all the time when I travel abroad, especially valuable when one does not speak the language.

[sweetdbt]

I just made the trip from La Romana to POP. I left at 10:30 AM and arrived at 4PM, stopping only once for gas and coffee. Taking the route Delores described, except since I was going to the East end of PP, I took the Carretera Touristica on the last leg from Santiago. Add about 2 hours from Punta Cana I would think.

Whether this is a 1 or 2 day trip would depend entirely on your schedule and how much you like (or despise) driving.