[Teareerah]

My nine children and two grandchildren think I'm very good looking. Does that help? My six sisters also say I'm not bad for 49. They might be biased, or just trying to br kind.

[Teareerah]

I've been scouring AA website for any type of flights to POP. All still have long layovers, so it would take a full 24 hours to get there. Contrary to what the guys recommending it as the best choice, POP is just not an option unless I decide to stay overnight here in the US. I'd also be paying about US$200 more than Spirit to SDQ. I'd rather spend a night dancing in SD than watching TV in a NYC hotel for a ton of money.

[babopeddy]

AA has flights form Minneapolis to POP for a couple of hundred more than the combined cost of my flights from Minnesota to NYC and then on to POP.

Unless Jetblue flies from Minneapolis to NYC it cant be more than a 40$ US difference in price. Book it separately and it should look like I described.

Scott

[Katoabralia]

Do yourself a favor and listen to these guys. Flying into Santiago will only inject aggravation and confusion into the first day of your vacation. Flying into POP and getting to Sosua from there is a breeze. Stop complicating your vacation in the hopes of saving a couple of bucks. Chances are that doing so will cost you more money in the long run anyway.

Larry

[nuveem7070]

Hey!! Fly to Puerto Plata. Easier and safer. Remember that when you are on vacation every single minute counts. I live in Santiago. Even so I agree with the guys. The history would be different if the arrival was in the morning (with daylight) but you are arriving on a nada buena hour.

Fly to Puerto Plata. Period.

Gatoazul

I agree with you on that. I live in the Sosua area (when I am down there) and in July I experimented by flying to MDST (Cibao Intl) and had my friend pick me up with my Jepeta...after the ride through the heat, humidity,Santiago traffic, bumpy roads and then cumbre (winding mountain road) I was wiped out and needed a nap when I got home in Sosua. AA flights in October (next time I go down) are $245 round trip. If you are planning on staying in Puerto Plata area then fly there on AA, if not then still go with AA they are the least expensive still. JetBlue posts their airfrares (MINUS the taxes) so beware, they are as cheap as you think they are and as mentioned their arrival hours are horrible too not to mention they have gross departure delays for one reason or another.

[Teareerah]

I have a couple of cheap round trip airfare options from New York, JetBlue and Spirit. JetBlue goes to Santiago arriving about 1:30 in the morning, and the departure flight leaves about 2 in the morning for a red eye flight to New York. Spirit goes to Santo Domingo, arriving about 10:30 at night, and the departure flight leaves at 8 in the morning for New York. Puerto Plata airports aren't available. I want to go to Sosua.

I have read guidance on this forum on how to catch the bus from Santo Domingo to Sosua, and it seems cheaper than taking a taxi from Santiago to Sosua. How can I get to Sosua early in the morning, middle of the night, from Santiago without blowing the budget?
Also, if the cheaper/better option is to take the bus from Santo Domingo, are there reasonably priced places to stay in SD, (two or three star)? How much can I expect to pay for basic one night lodging in SD?

[nuveem7070]

Mikey, listen to me. Stop wasting your time and fly AA into Puerto Plata. I just checked today and it is about 30 bux more than flying into Santiago on Jetblue and YOU DON"T HAVE TO COME IN AT 1am in the MORNING!~!~!~!

Puerto Plata is 8 minutes from Sosua. It is a quality of life issue my friend! Screw Jetblue if you are going to Sosua. It just does NOT pay to save the few bucks.

Scott

What's up Scott, it's the other Scottie at Rocky's. You are right about the JetBlue thing. Unless you are staying in Santiago and don't mind flying in the middle of the night then stay with them. The 30 bucks you save will be easily spent on a taxi, bus or rental not mentioning the time and danger of traveling through the "cumbre". BUT AA is the best bet, within a half hour after getting out of the airport you are on the beach. YOU CANNOT BEAT that anywhere.

DominicanScotty

[neirty]

Are you cute?

I only charge $30 for the trip.

dawnwildrive

[Pedsshuth]

Look dude, you are talking max $40(or less!) for an hour and 30 minute ride from the airport to you place in Sosua. Schitt, that is what you spend going into NYC from JFK or finding a house in the south of Miami from the Miami airport!!

You get off the plane and you look for a sign with your name on it. Hop in and off you go.

Send me a PM if you want me to set it up. I have done this before--no cost at all and no problem for me either.

HB

[Indoendris]

Puerto Plata is 8 minutes from Sosua. It is a quality of life issue my friend! Screw Jetblue if you are going to Sosua. It just does NOT pay to save the few bucks.

Scott

Mike, that's what I was trying to tell you. Scott always had a better way with words. LOL

[neirty]

Mike, I made the trip twice to SD when my destination was actually PP.

First time, flights from Canada were a similar problem... no way to make the trip to PP in one day. So I stayed in Zona Colonial for one night (wonderful!) at the Conde de Penalba (50$ US) and discovered some of the country by bus. The mountains were a delightful surprise, because they're visible for most of the drive.

Second time, I flew from Miami early in the day and arrived in SD at 11:30 am approx. Chose to fly into SD for two reasons: I enjoyed the bus trip so much the first time, and flights into SD were about $100 less. The bus trip cost about $5, the taxi to the bus station about $15... so I saved money and enjoyed the drive.

I wouldn't do it now, have been traipsing all over the countryside by car, but I do recommend the trip for a first-time visitor. The buses are very comfortable, and your biggest complaint will be that the air-conditioning is FREEZING. Necessary to bring a sweater, socks on feet, etc.

I do know of a budget hotel close to Zona Colonial, in the Gazcue, which is a really nice neighborhood and only a 15 minute walk to the Zona Colonial. I can never remember the hotel name, but it's on Cervantes Avenue... taxi drivers will find it easily, as another friend discovered. Necessary to ask for the 'small' hotel on Cervantes. It's only 800 pesos/night. The rooms are very simple, and one has to check to be sure the bathroom is functioning properly, but they do have air-conditioning, TV, and a homey communal kitchen/dining area in the garden. Everyone is welcome to use the kitchen facilities.

My friend was most interested in budget; I warned her about possible electricity problems, plumbing problems, but she was more than happy with the hotel and would use it again if looking for a budget place to sleep.

Rather than tire yourself out with one heck of a long day, do consider the option into SD.

If you need a lift from the bus station to your hotel here in Sosua, I will be happy to pick you up if in town that day. No charge.

And I'll add my verdict to the 17 family members. hee hee.

dawnwil

[neirty]

Absolutely... I'm out of the country Sept 24th-Oct 26th, but will be delighted to get you to your hotel any other time.

Will check here for pms, and will pm you my cell # also.

Dawn

[babopeddy]

My choice between JetBlue and Spirit depends a lot on aggravation issues (like flying only over night). I'll be flying from JFK, just as you must have. What are the aggravation issues you have experienced?

Mikey, listen to me. Stop wasting your time and fly AA into Puerto Plata. I just checked today and it is about 30 bux more than flying into Santiago on Jetblue and YOU DON"T HAVE TO COME IN AT 1am in the MORNING!~!~!~!

Puerto Plata is 8 minutes from Sosua. It is a quality of life issue my friend! Screw Jetblue if you are going to Sosua. It just does NOT pay to save the few bucks.

Scott

[Indoendris]

I have a couple of cheap round trip airfare options from New York, JetBlue and Spirit. JetBlue goes to Santiago arriving about 1:30 in the morning, and the departure flight leaves about 2 in the morning for a red eye flight to New York. Spirit goes to Santo Domingo, arriving about 10:30 at night, and the departure flight leaves at 8 in the morning for New York. Puerto Plata airports aren't available. I want to go to Sosua.

I have read guidance on this forum on how to catch the bus from Santo Domingo to Sosua, and it seems cheaper than taking a taxi from Santiago to Sosua. How can I get to Sosua early in the morning, middle of the night, from Santiago without blowing the budget?
Also, if the cheaper/better option is to take the bus from Sant Domingo, are there reasonably priced places to stay in SD, (two or three star)? How much can I expect to pay for basic one night lodging in SD?

Unless you have a cheap place to stay in Santiago or want to sit at the bus terminal for 4 to 5 hrs., your only alternative is to take a taxi. A negotiated price is RD1500.00 but expect them to ask for 2000.00+, Taking everything into consideration, it's probably your best option. Hotel will cost you RD1000.00+. The taxis to hotel (Looking for one), from hotel to bus terminal in the AM etc. I dunno. Personally I've written off Jet Blue as a carrier. Too much aggravation. (Of course I'm referring to travel to Burlington Vt.)

[bobibnoxx]

I took a cab last friday from Santiago to Sosua. It cost no more than $1500 pesos, which is between $35-$40 US depending on the exchange. Time is important get in the cab and go

[Teareerah]

Look dude, you are talking max $40(or less!) for an hour and 30 minute ride from the airport to you place in Sosua. Schitt, that is what you spend going into NYC from JFK or finding a house in the south of Miami from the Miami airport!!

You get off the plane and you look for a sign with your name on it. Hop in and off you go.

Send me a PM if you want me to set it up. I have done this before--no cost at all and no problem for me either.

HB

If I go jet Blue I will be PMing you for the set up. I hate getting off in a strange country, in the middle of the night, not knowing where I'm going. I usually scuba in Thiailand, I know my way around there, and have no problem arriving at midnight. I'm shifting to Carribean locations because I just can't stand the jet lag anymore. Getting old(er) sucks, but still beats the alternative.

[Teareerah]

AA has flights form Minneapolis to POP for a couple of hundred more than the combined cost of my flights from Minnesota to NYC and then on to POP. However, no matter how I make the arrangements on any major airline to anywhere in DR, I have a 8 to 15 hour layover in NYC or Miami. These layovers are because the flights for US are limited to early in the morning. I would have to fly the night before to one of the portal airports then sit there over night until the early morning flight. I even looked at a US $1800 ticket to see if paying more would make life easier. No go; the US$1800 ticket had a 15 hour layover in Miami.
I am thinking of Spirit through FLL. It gets me to SD about 10:30, and leaves SD at 8 in the morning on departure. The cost is a little higher, but much less aggravation. Also, a bus ride through the countryside may give me a better view of all of DR not just the beach tourist area. A day in the capitol could be interesting as a side trip anyway.

[nuveem7070]

Mike, that's what I was trying to tell you. Scott always had a better way with words. LOL

Is this my buddy Eddy Cahill???? Stopped by a few times last week never saw you or simply missed you! Drop me an e mail!

Scottie

[Jambjanatan]

Hey!! Fly to Puerto Plata. Easier and safer. Remember that when you are on vacation every single minute counts. I live in Santiago. Even so I agree with the guys. The history would be different if the arrival was in the morning (with daylight) but you are arriving on a nada buena hour.

Fly to Puerto Plata. Period.

Gatoazul

[Teareerah]

I am probably going to use the Spirit NYC to SD flight and take the bus to Sosua the next day. Every miniute on vaction may be precious, but I don't go on vacation to run my a** into the ground trying to get to my destination. That is why I have decided not to go to Thailand for diving anymore.

I'll contact you as the time gets closer to get that ride. Thanks for sharing your experience and the hotel info.