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Dominican Republic
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Tiger Beer



Joined: 07 Feb 2003

PostPosted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 10:37 am    Post subject: Dominican Republic Reply with quote

Anyone been there or had the interest of going there?

I've always wanted to visit. Some pictures of Santo Domingo:

http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=239880
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deessell



Joined: 08 Jun 2005

PostPosted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 2:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the photos. I'm heading there next year as I have friends teaching there. It's expensive, I know that.
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ddeubel



Joined: 20 Jul 2005

PostPosted: Mon Oct 17, 2005 2:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

yeah, been there 3 times! Last time was around 5 years ago, hopefully it hasn't changed...

GO to Sosua, about 30km from Puerta Plata. Awesome. Little bay, amazing beach and surf. German Jew town --- can speak German there and the menus are in German too. D.R. let a pile of German Jews come there just before the second world war. They had to pay a pile of cash and start a business....the business still thrives today, sausage making. Thus the name Sosua.

But a gem. Place to chill, eat shrimp on the beach brought by Haitian women walking with their headscarves.....go to a baseball game. Rent a scooter and just go anywhere..... you'll enjoy.

DD
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Tiger Beer



Joined: 07 Feb 2003

PostPosted: Sat Jul 01, 2006 1:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

deessell wrote:
Thanks for the photos. I'm heading there next year as I have friends teaching there. It's expensive, I know that.

Ah, next year is now this year Wink

still going to the DR? Cool

ddeubel wrote:
yeah, been there 3 times! Last time was around 5 years ago, hopefully it hasn't changed...

GO to Sosua, about 30km from Puerta Plata. Awesome. Little bay, amazing beach and surf. German Jew town --- can speak German there and the menus are in German too. D.R. let a pile of German Jews come there just before the second world war. They had to pay a pile of cash and start a business....the business still thrives today, sausage making. Thus the name Sosua.

But a gem. Place to chill, eat shrimp on the beach brought by Haitian women walking with their headscarves.....go to a baseball game. Rent a scooter and just go anywhere..... you'll enjoy.

DD

Sounds ideal.. I looked at some DR files on yourtube.com the other day.. quite a few motorscooters everywhere on the roads! Almost looked like a mini-Saigon or mini-Taipei there!

Speaking of Puerto Plata.. is that the closest beach? Is it going on all week and all year.. or is it more a winter thing (for tourists) or a weekend thing (for locals)?
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jmbran11



Joined: 19 Jan 2006
Location: U.S.

PostPosted: Sat Jul 01, 2006 1:58 am    Post subject: Try Caberete Reply with quote

I lived in the DR for two years. If you go past Sosua there is a livelier area called Cabarete, although the description is very similar. Not the cheapest, very international, fun night-life, beautiful beach. Mostly European. You can do all of the water sports.

My favorite pizza place in the world is a little place in Sousa with fire oven.

Accross the way is a much more beautiful and secluded beach area, Las Terrenas. It's more difficult to get to, but not very populated, if you want a quieter time. I'm not sure about the water sports there, we just rested for awhile.

Santo Domingo is a dirty pit, and very much overpriced if you are a foreigner. If you have Dominican friends, you can get a lot of stuff cheaper. There's some good clubs and great dancing (merengue/salsa). I remember a place called "The Cave" that had been built in a cave. It was a good time, though that was a few years ago now. The bars are not as cheap as they should be.

Stay away from any of the "all-inclusive" places.

P.S. If you want to hit the beaches, fly into Santiago instead of Santo Domingo. It's much closer and easy to catch a cab to the bus terminal
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Tiger Beer



Joined: 07 Feb 2003

PostPosted: Wed Jul 05, 2006 3:53 am    Post subject: Re: Try Caberete Reply with quote

jmbran11 wrote:
I lived in the DR for two years

just curious.. what were you doing there for income/work?

fairly interesting already nontheless.
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jmbran11



Joined: 19 Jan 2006
Location: U.S.

PostPosted: Thu Jul 06, 2006 8:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The first time I was studying abroad and I attended a university in Santiago. I got my TESOL certification through a community service program there.

Then I went back to the U.S. and got some grants to return and conduct a research project on the effect of the U.S. invasion in 1963 on the political evolution of the country. I also taught English on the side for extra income.

Basically, I travelled around the country doing interviews, so I had the opportunity to see the country on my university's dime.

I loved it there, I miss it often, but you can't make a living teaching English.
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Tiger Beer



Joined: 07 Feb 2003

PostPosted: Fri Jul 07, 2006 10:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

jmbran11 wrote:
The first time I was studying abroad and I attended a university in Santiago. I got my TESOL certification through a community service program there.

Then I went back to the U.S. and got some grants to return and conduct a research project on the effect of the U.S. invasion in 1963 on the political evolution of the country. I also taught English on the side for extra income.

Basically, I travelled around the country doing interviews, so I had the opportunity to see the country on my university's dime.

I loved it there, I miss it often, but you can't make a living teaching English.


ever read the forums at dr1.com? seems like quite a few expats have been starting businesses there.. seems like i read somewhere as well they government encourages that as well from foreigners who wish to stay there.
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deessell



Joined: 08 Jun 2005

PostPosted: Sat Jul 08, 2006 12:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tiger Beer wrote:
deessell wrote:
Thanks for the photos. I'm heading there next year as I have friends teaching there. It's expensive, I know that.

Ah, next year is now this year Wink

still going to the DR? Cool

ddeubel wrote:
yeah, been there 3 times! Last time was around 5 years ago, hopefully it hasn't changed...

GO to Sosua, about 30km from Puerta Plata. Awesome. Little bay, amazing beach and surf. German Jew town --- can speak German there and the menus are in German too. D.R. let a pile of German Jews come there just before the second world war. They had to pay a pile of cash and start a business....the business still thrives today, sausage making. Thus the name Sosua.

But a gem. Place to chill, eat shrimp on the beach brought by Haitian women walking with their headscarves.....go to a baseball game. Rent a scooter and just go anywhere..... you'll enjoy.

DD

Sounds ideal.. I looked at some DR files on yourtube.com the other day.. quite a few motorscooters everywhere on the roads! Almost looked like a mini-Saigon or mini-Taipei there!

Speaking of Puerto Plata.. is that the closest beach? Is it going on all week and all year.. or is it more a winter thing (for tourists) or a weekend thing (for locals)?



Well TigerBeer, I haven't made it there yet. I'm working in Costa Rica at the moment but just received an email from a friend who has offered me a job for a semester back in Korea. So looks like I'll be back. It is VERY hard to make a living here.
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Tiger Beer



Joined: 07 Feb 2003

PostPosted: Wed Sep 06, 2006 10:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Let's say I set aside a week to spend in the Dominican Republic.. where should I spent that week?

I'm into beaches, nightlife, activity, local activity, wherever people do their day-to-day thing, drinking!, etc.
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jmbran11



Joined: 19 Jan 2006
Location: U.S.

PostPosted: Wed Sep 06, 2006 8:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cabarete, if you want to hang out on the beach during the day and drink at night, . The beach is almost all foreigners (i.e. non-Dominicans), mostly European. A decent hotel room used to run from $25 - $70 (5 years ago). My favorite beach is Las Terrenas, but it's quiet and less partying (though beautiful). It's relatively easy to get a bus to Santo Domingo for a couple of nights since you seem to be interested in checking it out. Of course, you could always hop on over to Cuba or PR for a few nights.

I lived in Santiago, but it's not the best vacation spot if you don't have Dominican friends to hook you up.
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Tiger Beer



Joined: 07 Feb 2003

PostPosted: Fri Sep 15, 2006 11:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

jmbran11 wrote:
Cabarete, if you want to hang out on the beach during the day and drink at night, . The beach is almost all foreigners (i.e. non-Dominicans), mostly European. A decent hotel room used to run from $25 - $70 (5 years ago). My favorite beach is Las Terrenas, but it's quiet and less partying (though beautiful). It's relatively easy to get a bus to Santo Domingo for a couple of nights since you seem to be interested in checking it out. Of course, you could always hop on over to Cuba or PR for a few nights.

I lived in Santiago, but it's not the best vacation spot if you don't have Dominican friends to hook you up.

Just picked up the Lonely Planet Dominican Republic.

Cabarete seems to be THE nightlife/beach hotspot these days.. although, almost all foreigners (non-Dominicans) doesn't sound that good - although I suppose thats to be partly expected? or no? its different everywhere? Mostly Cabarete is well-known for its kiteboarding/windsurfing, right?

Overall, with the exception of a SDQ curiousity.. seems like the north coast has the best places to enjoy the beaches combined with nightlife? Also, how is Puerto Plata? Its not written up very well in the LP guide.. but it does seem to be the largest city on the northern coastline..


Last edited by Tiger Beer on Wed Nov 08, 2006 9:13 am; edited 1 time in total
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jajdude



Joined: 18 Jan 2003

PostPosted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 6:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

One of my older brothers has been there 2 or 3 times, meaning he liked it enough the first time to go back instead of somewhere new... I don't have details but he was happy with wherever he went and whatever he did there... my guess being mainly sitting on a beach and getting drunk...
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Tiger Beer



Joined: 07 Feb 2003

PostPosted: Tue Nov 14, 2006 10:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I booked my ticket for December!

I'll fly into Santo Domingo.. going to try to get to either Las Terrenas or Sosua or both as side-trips.
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deessell



Joined: 08 Jun 2005

PostPosted: Sat Nov 18, 2006 4:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tiger Beer wrote:
I booked my ticket for December!

I'll fly into Santo Domingo.. going to try to get to either Las Terrenas or Sosua or both as side-trips.


Well, just got back from Dominican and can give you a field report. Definitely go to Las Terranas. It's very beautiful and laid back. Stay at Robinson House -- very nice bungalows across from the beach $25 a night with a small kitchen. Very European, lot's of French and Italians.

Santo Domingo is a beautiful old city (the colonial area) and I felt very safe, infact safer than here in San Jose, Costa Rica.

Can be a little pricey on the Island but with all that won -- you'll be okay Wink
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