BB to Sosua?

[TC]

I'm making my second trip to the DR in a couple of weeks. My first trip report is on here somewhere. I will be going to Blackbeard's for a couple of days, and then to Sosua. I understand from reading the board, that the cab from the POP airport to BB's should be about $30 to $35, but what is the best way to get a cab from Blackbeard's to Sosua (New Garden), and what is the expected fare, in either dollars or pesos? I've been reading about the supposed taxi mafia in Costamber and want to know the best way around this. No motoconchos, even for a short distance.

Also, I need to change money when I get to DR. I've heard the best way to do this is to have the taxi stop at Jenny's Supermarket on th eway to BB's. Can anyone confirm?

Thanks very much and I hope to meet some of you guys down there this trip!

[sonrisa]

Yes, you can stop by Jenny's on the way to BB. Jenny's is on the right about a block past the gates. You'll walk in and turn to the right and there is usually someone sitting at a desk there who can change monety for you. Other suggestions: there is a Banco Poplar Bank and ATM shortly after you enter into Puerto Plata from the airport. It is a new bank and you can use their ATM machine. Can't help you on the taxi info as I always rent a car.

[Dragonlorde]

I'm making my second trip to the DR in a couple of weeks. My first trip report is on here somewhere. I will be going to Blackbeard's for a couple of days, and then to Sosua. I understand from reading the board, that the cab from the POP airport to BB's should be about $30 to $35, but what is the best way to get a cab from Blackbeard's to Sosua (New Garden), and what is the expected fare, in either dollars or pesos? I've been reading about the supposed taxi mafia in Costamber and want to know the best way around this. No motoconchos, even for a short distance.

Also, I need to change money when I get to DR. I've heard the best way to do this is to have the taxi stop at Jenny's Supermarket on th eway to BB's. Can anyone confirm?

Thanks very much and I hope to meet some of you guys down there this trip!

I was just did the BB's to Sosua thing earlier this month. Average fare from POP is about $45.00. It should be about the same to get you from BB to New Gardens. If you are concerned about being overcharged you try taxi driver I use. He top notch and will not rip you off. He is has even partied with us. His name is Elias 1 (809) 842 5557. I usually call him 3 or 4 days before I arrive, let him know my flight number and ETA and he or his nephew is always there. You can also arrange to have him pick you up for the trip to Sosua and back to POP when you leaving. Elias and his nephew also got me to a shop where I got an excellent exchange rate (got 36.1 in Oct 09) that is on the way to BB's.

[theman]

You can always negpciate, last time I took a cab from Sosua(in front of casa marina) to POP (gaz station, burger king) and we got it for 300 pesos and found one for 400 pesos to come back, of course he was asking 30$ U.s at first, always negociate in the DR

[ralphie1]

email bb's and see if they are picking anybody else up the day you are coming in. split the fare

bb offers a pickup from pop and i believe it is 45 for one, and will split everytime you add a passenger. with them picking up, you know you will get there, not be driving around looking for the place and hopefully get there quicker as well

in the spring, we made the trip from sosua to bb, and i believe it was 40 bucks

[culebra]

When are you going to be at BB's? I'll be there starting on the 5th.

[strykoutking]

My understanding and experience is once you are inside Costambar you are held hostage by the taxi "syndicate" inside. You cannot call a taxi from outside, he will not be allowed past the gate guard because he is an outside taxi and it is obvious that he is not bringing someone in (the car is empty except for him) so he is obviously coming to pick someone up to take them out.

So as best i know you are stuck paying the syndicate taxi rate to leave BB's/Costambar.

On other hand, if you are say on the streets of Puerto Plata and flag down a cab and he agrees to give you a ride to BB's for say 700 pesos, no problem, he is allowed in because the fare originated outside of Costambar. But you can't tell him, "come back and pick me up on Friday to take me to the airport" because he won't be allowed in to pick you up.

Again, that is my experience. On other hand, if you have a friend with a car and they come to pick you up at BB's they can do that, but I'm not sure if they will be stopped from that if they are native. In other words if a gringo buddy with a car who lives there or say is staying in Sosua and has a rental car, he will be able to go in no problem and pick you up. Of course he won't want to tell the guard at the gate specifically if asked, oh, I'm just coming in to pick up my friend and save him from the taxi syndicate.

And one other thing about natives with a car and if they will get stopped--I'm not sure. A couple years ago I was at BB's and long story short another monger guy who semi lives in DR set me up as a favor with a girl he knew. She came in and picked me up in her car. We went out to a cabana as she didn't want to be seen in BB's.

Oh yeah, and I remember too, she came back for $20 (I forget, maybe it was $30) and took me to the airport. So she had no trouble getting in and whisking me out to the airport under the syndicate's nose.

That's what I can offer for info.

[Dragonlorde]

My understanding and experience is once you are inside Costambar you are held hostage by the taxi "syndicate" inside. You cannot call a taxi from outside, he will not be allowed past the gate guard because he is an outside taxi and it is obvious that he is not bringing someone in (the car is empty except for him) so he is obviously coming to pick someone up to take them out.

So as best i know you are stuck paying the syndicate taxi rate to leave BB's/Costambar.

On other hand, if you are say on the streets of Puerto Plata and flag down a cab and he agrees to give you a ride to BB's for say 700 pesos, no problem, he is allowed in because the fare originated outside of Costambar. But you can't tell him, "come back and pick me up on Friday to take me to the airport" because he won't be allowed in to pick you up.

Again, that is my experience. On other hand, if you have a friend with a car and they come to pick you up at BB's they can do that, but I'm not sure if they will be stopped from that if they are native. In other words if a gringo buddy with a car who lives there or say is staying in Sosua and has a rental car, he will be able to go in no problem and pick you up. Of course he won't want to tell the guard at the gate specifically if asked, oh, I'm just coming in to pick up my friend and save him from the taxi syndicate.

And one other thing about natives with a car and if they will get stopped--I'm not sure. A couple years ago I was at BB's and long story short another monger guy who semi lives in DR set me up as a favor with a girl he knew. She came in and picked me up in her car. We went out to a cabana as she didn't want to be seen in BB's.

Oh yeah, and I remember too, she came back for $20 (I forget, maybe it was $30) and took me to the airport. So she had no trouble getting in and whisking me out to the airport under the syndicate's nose.

That's what I can offer for info.

I have been to BB's three times this year and this was not my experience. I have a Sosua cab drive that I use all the time. He was able to bring me in, pick me up and take me other places while I was staying at BB. I made all travel arrangements through my taxi driver.

During our Nov 09 trip, we had 11 guys who come to BB's for a party between 1 - 3 Nov 09, only one used the BB pickup taxi. When we left, we had our Sosua taxi come and get us in two vans to take us to Casa Linda.

So...it sounds like things have change since your visit.

BB's can arrange for driver to pick you up, take you where you want to while you are there, and take to the airport or other location when you are ready to leave BB. The prices are set and there is no negotiation.

So...it looks like there are couple of options for taxis to and from BB's these days.

[TC]

When are you going to be at BB's? I'll be there starting on the 5th.

I will also - hopefully get there in time to settle in just a bit before the bikini contest. I could not get the countdown thing to work properly, but mine is definitely in progress!!!

[weyland]

So ... it sounds like things have change since your visit.

I hope that is true. Any other recent visitors who can throw light on this?

I have been to BB's three times this year and this was not my experience. I have a Sosua cab drive that I use all the time. He was able to bring me in, pick me up and take me other places while I was staying at BB. I made all travel arrangements through my taxi driver.

On the other hand your driver may have charged you a surcharge which he then handed over at the Costambar Taxi office. Depends what you paid. Puerto Plata to Barba Negra is RD$400 or less. If you were paying any more then the Costambar Taxi mafia might have been getting a cut.

[the_Jayman]

careful the mafia ! ! !