Puerto Plata City Tour Pics- Cigar, Brugal & Fort

[Ramair4]

I took the Mel Tours city tour of Puerto Plata today and thought I'd post the pictures in case anyone else is wondering what it includes. The cost was $32 and the van picked me up at the New Garden at 9 am.
Overall I was happy enough with the tour, although it was shorter than I expected. That may be due to either the weather (raining) or the fact that I was the only customer and we moved quickly. The guide did offer me an option to take a cable car ride up the mountain for an additional $10 but I declined.


Brugal Factory

At the Brugal plant we joined up with a couple other tour groups. My guide handed me off to a factory host who showed us a display of an antique cart, a press and some casks before taking us upstairs to watch a brief video. Although the room was comparable to a home theater, it had no chairs and we stood while the video played. The factory guide left after starting the video. After it ended we stook there in the dark until it started over, at which time we continue our tour, unguided, out onto a balcony that overlooked the factory floor. We made our way along the assembly line and followed the path to the tasting room for a sample of the rum before winding up in the souvenir shop wheremost people purchased bottles for $7-8 each. All the guides were waiting at the exit, I found mine and we left.

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[Ramair4]

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Cigar Factory

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Our next stop was a small cigar factory where we watched this guy turn leaves into cigars. He worked very quickly glueing and cutting the leaf and he turned it into a cigar in less than a minute. He can turn out over 200 cigars a day by himself. We were then offered the opportunity to smoke one. They were also available for purchase. We then went through a doorway and found ourselves in a souvenir shop/jewelery store combination.

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[Ramair4]

From there we went outside, walking by the historic Hotel Castilla.

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Amber Museum

We walked down the street until we arrived at the Amber museum, past the shotgun carrying guard and the amber dinosaur and inside where we were given an informative presentation about amber and watched them creating jewelery from amber and silver (and another cigar maker).

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[Ramair4]

We then continued on through the central square to the Church of San Felipe.

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[Ramair4]

Fortress San Felipe

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[Ramair4]

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[Ramair4]

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[Ramair4]

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[Ramair4]

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And so ends the tour.

[Pacoloco]

Great job Ramair and 32.00 seems like a good deal since I hired a driver to take me one afternoon for about 50 bucks but we didn't stop at the rum & cigar factory or museum. He did have to wait while I took the cable car up and back down the mountain though.

[whatever]

Nice report. You got to see all that in only one day for only US$32?

[naptime]

nice. i remember goign to all those places on our first trip.

i wish you would have paid the 10 and went up the cable car to the top of mount isabel. its really a breathtaking view from up there. and hearing the story of how the grounds came to be up there.

[daddy999]

Thanks for the report and pics. Though we all love the pics of the chicas, it's also nice to see what else DR has to offer:)

[chicmatic]

nice, not sure if you've seen my slideshow but it's in one of my trip reports...I managed to check out the Fort but I also want to take the Brugal tour and get on the cable car. Nice pictures!

[questner]

Three years ago while at Brugal I asked how much a regular worker makes there a month and an answer was 9,000 peso. Just for a perspective.

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[imrealareyou]

how long was the tour?

[Ramair4]

nice. i remember goign to all those places on our first trip.

i wish you would have paid the 10 and went up the cable car to the top of mount isabel. its really a breathtaking view from up there. and hearing the story of how the grounds came to be up there.

Now he tells me. :wink:
If I'd known the tour only took 3 hours I probably would have gone for it.

[Ramair4]

how long was the tour?

About 3 hours.

[naptime]

yeah up top of the mountain was once the presidential summer palace or something like that. back when they had some evil dictator iirc.

the whole top of the mountain is gardens and pools and stuff. there is a walkway all around the top. and you can look out and see for miles and miles.

[Mr. Smooth]

Nice pics of some of the sights in PP. Love the smell of fresh tobacco leaves. On my next trip, I want to have a beer at Sam's bar and finally take that cable car to the top of the mountain. The problem is, is that for all my previous trips to Sosua, for what seemed like the majority of the time, the peak was shrouded in cloud cover.

[imrealareyou]

if i just wanted to do the cable car and not take a tour where would i need to get to? thinking about just having a taxi take me from sosua.

[weyland]

if i just wanted to do the cable car and not take a tour where would i need to get to? thinking about just having a taxi take me from sosua.
Some information about location halfway down this post:
http://news.insearchofchicas.org/forum/showpost.php?p=719045&postcount=1
Also search under "Teleferico".

Ticket office opens 8.30am
Prices: 300 pesos for gringos, 200 pesos for Dominicans with cedulas, 100 pesos for children under 12. I think those are right but there is no price-list shown so they may vary.

Ride takes about 15 minutes. Two cable-cars, so departures about every 20 minutes. I guess about 25 persons per car.

Private taxi there from Sosúa about 800 pesos. Same for return.

Dedicated carrito publico there from Sosúa say 450 pesos. Same for return.

Shared carrito publico, or Rio San Juan to Puerto Plata guagua, to La Javilla 45 pesos. Then motoconcho (say 50 pesos) or 20/25 minute walk if you are nervous on motoconchos. Same for return.

I know how I would go, unless with a small group in which case a dedicated carrito publico looks an economic option.

My advice, only go if the mountain top is clear at 8.15 am and there are not extensive clouds around. Aim to be at the ticket office at 8.15 am to beat the queues.

[imrealareyou]

Some information about location halfway down this post:
http://news.insearchofchicas.org/forum/showpost.php?p=719045&postcount=1
Also search under "Teleferico".

Ticket office opens 8.30am
Prices: 300 pesos for gringos, 200 pesos for Dominicans with cedulas, 100 pesos for children under 12. I think those are right but there is no price-list shown so they may vary.

Ride takes about 15 minutes. Two cable-cars, so departures about every 20 minutes. I guess about 25 persons per car.

Private taxi there from Sosúa about 800 pesos. Same for return.

Dedicated carrito publico there from Sosúa say 450 pesos. Same for return.

Shared carrito publico, or Rio San Juan to Puerto Plata guagua, to La Javilla 45 pesos. Then motoconcho (say 50 pesos) or 20/25 minute walk if you are nervous on motoconchos. Same for return.

I know how I would go, unless with a small group in which case a dedicated carrito publico looks an economic option.

My advice, only go if the mountain top is clear at 8.15 am and there are not extensive clouds around. Aim to be at the ticket office at 8.15 am to beat the queues.

ok thanks. nothing wrong with going in the afternoon is there? not sure i will be up that early any of the days i am there.

[Pacoloco]

I went early afternoon, it was partly cloudy and a little hazy but a beautiful day.

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Most friends & family freaked out at this pic, like "Holy shit, no way would I ride that thing!"
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[carolinajack]

Some very professional shots at the fort RAM...have to do this nex trip.

[chicmatic]

using a dslr?

[Ramair4]

using a dslr?

Nope, just a little 8 mp Fuji.

[gdogg]

Great pics, Ramair. I've been meaning to go on that tour for years. Something always gets in the way (damn those chicas!!). Thanks!

[weyland]

Most friends & family freaked out at this pic, like "Holy shit, no way would I ride that thing!"

No need to be nervous, it is operated by Dominicans! :rolleyes:

[DRboundagain]

..........Most friends & family freaked out at this pic, like "Holy shit, no way would I ride that thing!"The Teleferico is a very safe ride. I felt safer on the Teleferico than on the back of a motoconcho. Early morning is best as you can see all the way to Long Beach. Once at the top there really isn't much to do except walk around and take some fotos.

[weyland]

The Teleferico is a very safe ride. I felt safer on the Teleferico than on the back of a motoconcho.
Yes, until the conductor tries to overtake the other cable-car on his blind side.


Once at the top there really isn't much to do except walk around and take some fotos.
Yes, they could do more up there without over-commercialising it. I think a little display of the history of the cable-car, the mountain and maybe the whole city wouldn't cost much. Or something a little more ambitious to make a real (non-monger) tourist attraction would be an exhibition of Dominican plants and trees (living examples where possible, pictures where not) and appropriate to the "garden" setting.

Warning to those taking a chica (or child). Stay out of the gift shop. Everything costs double what it does down below in the city centre.

One plus point up there. I have never been anywhere in the DR with less litter. Someone is keeping on top of it up there. Well done!