PDA

View Full Version : Trip planning - early stages



capndavenh
03-29-2011, 03:25 PM
Hi, all,

I'm new around here, and have just recently started researching the possibilities of an upcoming trip to Sosua. Mostly, what my research is telling me is that I'm an idiot for not discovering this 10 years ago. But such is life. We can't change the past, but we can use what we learn from it to make the future better. So, it definitely seems like a trip to Sosua will be in my future. With that as a starting point, I would appreciate some advice from all the veteran travellers on my initial planning:

Timing: I've got a few constraints on when I can go. I can't go until after August, as I've already got a trip to New Orleans planned then, and I'll need to prepare cash for that (not a mongering trip). I was thinking late October, early November. How are the crowds that time of year? Weather-wise, it seems like it's pretty consistent year-round, is that true in reality? As much as I'd like to go down ASAP, would I be better off waiting until next April, after the high season in Nov-Feb?

Budget: I'm thinking $150 (~5000 pesos) per day for chicas, food, and beverages (I do like to drink me plenty of cervecas!). Is this realistic?

Language: I've never studied Spanish, but I can read it at a reasonably functional level, based on classes in French and Italian. Also have several Portuguese friends at home, and I can pick up maybe 30-50% of that when I listen to it. Planning to invest in one of those cheap electronic translator devices. Should I expect to be able to communicate effectively?

Air: Seems to be the biggest unknown of the trip. I'm having trouble finding decent routes between any of the airports around me and POP. (I'm in the northeastern US, Boston is the closest major airport, but Manchester, NH and Portland, ME could also be options). Jet Blue's timing from Boston to JFK (where the one POP flight per day originates) means that I don't have enough time in between flights to make it on the same day, I'd need to fly in to JFK the day before. Have others found this to be an issue, or am I just not searching properly? On the other hand, getting between Boston and Santo Domingo seems ridiculously easy. Would it be a royal pain to find some sort of transportation from Santo Domingo to Sosua, or is this probably not recommended for someone who's never been to the DR before?

Hotel: I'd like to stay as central as possible in Sosua. New Garden and Terra Linda are always options, of course, but I'm leaning more toward a cheaper spot, like Rocky's or Don Antonio's. Does anyone know if the rooms in Orchid Hotel have AC? It doesn't say one way or the other on their website, does this mean it's safe to assume they don't have it?

Trip length: I'm kind of on the fence between 5 and 7 days. I want to give myself plenty of opportunity to experience everything, but don't want to end up bored from staying too long. Which means I'll probably split the difference and ultimately settle on 6 days. :-) Any recommendations on a good length of stay for a first trip?

Health: I'm a diabetic on an insulin pump. Should I expect any difficulties at customs getting medical supplies in? (It's not much, everything including spares will fit in a gallon-sized ziploc bag, not like I'm wheeling a cart full of stuff along with me or anything)

Chicas: I'm thinking a couple a day, maybe a TLN or 2 while I'm there. From reading the trip reports, it sounds like the experienced travelers out there generally have no trouble in this regard. Should I expect the same as long as I do my research before heading down, or is it the kind of thing that you've got to experience a few times before you get really good at it? I'm a fairly shy guy, mid-40's, bit of a paunch - never gonna win a beauty contest, but small children don't run screaming when I walk down the street, either.

Fashion: I'm a shorts, sandals, and hawaiian shirt guy when I'm on vacation. How big a step up to I need to go to get into Classico's in the evening? How about the casinos? (gambling's another favorite vice)

Thanks, everyone for your input!

TC
03-29-2011, 07:01 PM
Hi, all,

I'm new around here, and have just recently started researching the possibilities of an upcoming trip to Sosua. Mostly, what my research is telling me is that I'm an idiot for not discovering this 10 years ago. But such is life. We can't change the past, but we can use what we learn from it to make the future better. So, it definitely seems like a trip to Sosua will be in my future. With that as a starting point, I would appreciate some advice from all the veteran travellers on my initial planning:

Timing: I've got a few constraints on when I can go. I can't go until after August, as I've already got a trip to New Orleans planned then, and I'll need to prepare cash for that (not a mongering trip). I was thinking late October, early November. How are the crowds that time of year? Weather-wise, it seems like it's pretty consistent year-round, is that true in reality? As much as I'd like to go down ASAP, would I be better off waiting until next April, after the high season in Nov-Feb?

Budget: I'm thinking $150 (~5000 pesos) per day for chicas, food, and beverages (I do like to drink me plenty of cervecas!). Is this realistic?

Language: I've never studied Spanish, but I can read it at a reasonably functional level, based on classes in French and Italian. Also have several Portuguese friends at home, and I can pick up maybe 30-50% of that when I listen to it. Planning to invest in one of those cheap electronic translator devices. Should I expect to be able to communicate effectively?

Air: Seems to be the biggest unknown of the trip. I'm having trouble finding decent routes between any of the airports around me and POP. (I'm in the northeastern US, Boston is the closest major airport, but Manchester, NH and Portland, ME could also be options). Jet Blue's timing from Boston to JFK (where the one POP flight per day originates) means that I don't have enough time in between flights to make it on the same day, I'd need to fly in to JFK the day before. Have others found this to be an issue, or am I just not searching properly? On the other hand, getting between Boston and Santo Domingo seems ridiculously easy. Would it be a royal pain to find some sort of transportation from Santo Domingo to Sosua, or is this probably not recommended for someone who's never been to the DR before?

Hotel: I'd like to stay as central as possible in Sosua. New Garden and Terra Linda are always options, of course, but I'm leaning more toward a cheaper spot, like Rocky's or Don Antonio's. Does anyone know if the rooms in Orchid Hotel have AC? It doesn't say one way or the other on their website, does this mean it's safe to assume they don't have it?

Trip length: I'm kind of on the fence between 5 and 7 days. I want to give myself plenty of opportunity to experience everything, but don't want to end up bored from staying too long. Which means I'll probably split the difference and ultimately settle on 6 days. :-) Any recommendations on a good length of stay for a first trip?

Health: I'm a diabetic on an insulin pump. Should I expect any difficulties at customs getting medical supplies in? (It's not much, everything including spares will fit in a gallon-sized ziploc bag, not like I'm wheeling a cart full of stuff along with me or anything)

Chicas: I'm thinking a couple a day, maybe a TLN or 2 while I'm there. From reading the trip reports, it sounds like the experienced travelers out there generally have no trouble in this regard. Should I expect the same as long as I do my research before heading down, or is it the kind of thing that you've got to experience a few times before you get really good at it? I'm a fairly shy guy, mid-40's, bit of a paunch - never gonna win a beauty contest, but small children don't run screaming when I walk down the street, either.

Fashion: I'm a shorts, sandals, and hawaiian shirt guy when I'm on vacation. How big a step up to I need to go to get into Classico's in the evening? How about the casinos? (gambling's another favorite vice)

Thanks, everyone for your input!

I normally tell a guy asking all these questions on his second post to RTFF, but it's obvous you have. I on't know if I can answer all your questions, but I can about some.

Timing - The fall is Hurricane Season, so keep that in mind. Then again, Sosua is one of the few places in the Carribbean that I would be happy to be during hurrican season. I wouldn't worry so much about "high season". That seems to be tied to whenever a lot of ISOC members will be in town.

Budget - your budget is MORE than realistic for chicas, food and beverages. If that also includes hotel, it will be tighter, bu still very doable.

Language - learning Spanish can only help, but there is one indisputable rule of travel: If someone wants you to give them money, THEY will find a way to commuicate with YOU. Most girls speak at least a bit of English. If they didn't, they wouldn't earn a living there. Don't sweat this. If you are negotiating, numbers can always be written down on a cocktail napkin.

Air - can't help you here. You may want to consider moving out of Boston.

Hotel - I don't know about Orchid.

Trip Length - that's fine. Whenever you leave, you'll hate to leave.

Health - I'm not sure, but if any of our stuff is by prescription, I'd bring the prescription with you.

Fashion - t-shirts/tanktops and shorts are the norm during the day. Most guy put on long pants at night, and especially for Classico's, but I've seen guys in there dressed in shorts as well. A collard short wouldn't hurt, but the Hawaiian thing might blind people.

And finally:




Chicas: I'm a fairly shy guy, mid-40's, bit of a paunch - never gonna win a beauty contest, but small children don't run screaming when I walk down the street, either.

That has never once stopped me or JimmyDr. :smile:

eldorob
03-29-2011, 07:24 PM
Timing - The fall is Hurricane Season, so keep that in mind.


Hurricanes never hit the north coast.

weyland
03-29-2011, 07:41 PM
Hurricanes never hit the north coast.
Maybe not, but that statement is itself a hurricane that once hit ISOC. Discussing the weather can be more controversial here than discussing race, religion or illegal substances.

Don Alejo
03-29-2011, 07:48 PM
Timing: Biggest concern for Fall is that it's hurricane season so there's always that remote possibility of trip interruption; I've gone in October though and weather/crowds were fine.. nothing to speak of, particularly positive or negative. I normally just go whenever work vacation availability, budget conditions for me and my wings, and low airline prices converge.

Budget: I typically carry $200 x number of nights, and that includes lodging. With my my previous lodging choices typically at about $65/night, on paper, that left me $135 daily as spending money, and I've never found myself short or having to visit an ATM. However, I definitely average under $20 in alcohol a day, and typically the total number of chicas either matches or only slightly exceeds my number of nights.

Language: I've gotten by on memories of high school Spanish, and find that most chicas can at least meet you half-way, between your terrible Spanish and their terrible English. Shop owners and others in the service industry, outside of remedial positions, generally speak enough English so that there aren't any considerable misunderstandings. I try to review online guides of common phrases, or get in some Rosetta Stone before each trip, but I always end up getting distracted and haven't really made any true advancement. It does start to "come back to you" while on the ground there, though. I bought a 5-star rated handheld translator for like $70 off amazon my first trip -- worthless while you're on the ground. But PM me if you'd like to throw away $20 on my virtually-unused one =) Also, while at your hotel and other select locations, WiFi and translate.google can be a massive help.

Air: Since JetBlue routes started all the early morning JFK weirdness, I don't even look in that direction. I'm in VA and do Delta to MIA to POP. I'd just recommend that you let Kayak (includes AA fares), in a Flexible Date search option, show you your common choices.

Hotel: You'll be able to determine location from hotel web sites or this forum, and the same is true of price and opinions on quality. Of your list, I can only personally speak to TL, which was great except for the current & rising costs and the rule barring guests checking in two chicas at once. Of the others, I've not heard anything remarkably bad, i.e. anything about a hotel that would've been totally unexpected at its respective price point.

Trip length: I normally do 5 nights, though I normally also feel like an ass afterwards since the bulk of the cost is in the flight, and it makes more sense to stay longer than to be in the airport on your way home on your phone already researching your next trip dates. Even if "bored", one has to put things in perspective versus what one would be doing in the U.S. at that same given time / on that same given day. I also typically do basic chica-related activities.. haven't yet gotten out to see what more traditional attractions the island has to offer, so, if I was determined to prevent it, I can't imagine boredom seeping in for at least weeks.

Health: I have NO idea, but I do know that they've "confiscated" my wing's umbrella on every trip out of POP so far, without fail. Attempts are also regularly made on ( <= 3.3 oz ) colognes. You may at least want to memorize some Spanish very specific to your medical supplies, their function, absolute necessity, etc., in case such a conversation comes about during your exit.

Chicas: IMO, there's always more to learn, and however much you know going into your first trip, you're still likely to be surprised a time or two. I suggest that you always work from that point of view, and every experience, in hindsight, can likely become a positive one.
My "surprise" the first trip was a trip to Cristals that resulted in a salida > $100 USD, with a chica who ultimately kept asking me why I didn't finish yet, and left probably seconds after the deed was done. Lesson? At Cristals, for me at least, look, but don't touch.
Second trip, long story short, lesson? Give quiet/unassuming girls a chance, because they may be absolutely fucking out of their minds in the bedroom.
Third trip, long story short, lesson? Although you're in DR, and not CR, you still might wanna mention BBBJ in advance, even if in passing or in jest, because there is in fact a small possibility that she might get you with the CBJ okie doke when you're already in the room and simply too comfy to wanna kick her out and walk back at 3a to go hunt another.

Fashion: In the center of the gulch, no one will care what you're wearing, but some suggest that unless you already look all types of foreign and there's no hiding it, that you tone down the touristy garb as not to look as painfully touristy and vulnerable. I normally do shorts or jeans with sneakers and a t-shirt, button-up, or polo, probably because I don't own any Hawaiian shirts =). I only do sandals when specifically walking to (and from) the beach with specific intent of spending a nice chunk of time there, or while at my place of lodging or making a quick trip to a market or something before I'm really "out and about" for the day.

My overall suggestion - for further info on each specific topic, just do a search of the board, and 9/10 you'll find just about all the info you're looking for in existing threads. Good luck!

weyland
03-29-2011, 08:31 PM
Don Alejon, you are a very nice man to go to all that trouble to answer someone who might or might not be coming in Fall. I would have just said that gives him six months to read up here and find all the answers himself.

Anyway by next autumn Sosúa might have been swept into the sea by the scheduled Santiago earthquake. (A Christian acquaintance emailed me this week to say it was on its way and I had better repent quickly).

I think the OP was pulling our legs about the Hawaiian shirt, guys. No-one could be that crass (apart from that harmless old eccentric Tropic Bob).

capndavenh
03-29-2011, 08:57 PM
Thank you, everyone! You've certainly helped me narrow my focus on my research.

Turns out the issue with my flights was using Orbitz and Expedia, which AA no longer books through. They're the right airline for the job, for me. I was able to see some decent flight options going through them.

Knowing that my budget isn't way out of whack helps a lot, too. The numbers I mentioned above were daily cash only, hotel and airfare would be handled separately. I feel much more confident in my possibilities now.

And, no, I wasn't kidding about the hawaiian shirts, I've got a rather extreme collection. Doesn't sound like they'd be the most appropriate garb, though, and that's fine, that's why I asked. :)

I'm tentatively targeting Oct. 20-25 at the moment, but I've got to wait a month or two for some other unrelated items to resolve before I can start actually booking things. lol - it may be 7 months away, but I'm getting psyched already!

Again, thank you all for the guidance!

swiggy
03-29-2011, 09:07 PM
Hi, all,

I'm new around here, and have just recently started researching the possibilities of an upcoming trip to Sosua. Mostly, what my research is telling me is that I'm an idiot for not discovering this 10 years ago. But such is life. We can't change the past, but we can use what we learn from it to make the future better. So, it definitely seems like a trip to Sosua will be in my future. With that as a starting point, I would appreciate some advice from all the veteran travellers on my initial planning:

Timing: I've got a few constraints on when I can go. I can't go until after August, as I've already got a trip to New Orleans planned then, and I'll need to prepare cash for that (not a mongering trip). I was thinking late October, early November. How are the crowds that time of year? Weather-wise, it seems like it's pretty consistent year-round, is that true in reality? As much as I'd like to go down ASAP, would I be better off waiting until next April, after the high season in Nov-Feb?

Budget: I'm thinking $150 (~5000 pesos) per day for chicas, food, and beverages (I do like to drink me plenty of cervecas!). Is this realistic?

Language: I've never studied Spanish, but I can read it at a reasonably functional level, based on classes in French and Italian. Also have several Portuguese friends at home, and I can pick up maybe 30-50% of that when I listen to it. Planning to invest in one of those cheap electronic translator devices. Should I expect to be able to communicate effectively?

Air: Seems to be the biggest unknown of the trip. I'm having trouble finding decent routes between any of the airports around me and POP. (I'm in the northeastern US, Boston is the closest major airport, but Manchester, NH and Portland, ME could also be options). Jet Blue's timing from Boston to JFK (where the one POP flight per day originates) means that I don't have enough time in between flights to make it on the same day, I'd need to fly in to JFK the day before. Have others found this to be an issue, or am I just not searching properly? On the other hand, getting between Boston and Santo Domingo seems ridiculously easy. Would it be a royal pain to find some sort of transportation from Santo Domingo to Sosua, or is this probably not recommended for someone who's never been to the DR before?

Hotel: I'd like to stay as central as possible in Sosua. New Garden and Terra Linda are always options, of course, but I'm leaning more toward a cheaper spot, like Rocky's or Don Antonio's. Does anyone know if the rooms in Orchid Hotel have AC? It doesn't say one way or the other on their website, does this mean it's safe to assume they don't have it?

Trip length: I'm kind of on the fence between 5 and 7 days. I want to give myself plenty of opportunity to experience everything, but don't want to end up bored from staying too long. Which means I'll probably split the difference and ultimately settle on 6 days. :-) Any recommendations on a good length of stay for a first trip?

Health: I'm a diabetic on an insulin pump. Should I expect any difficulties at customs getting medical supplies in? (It's not much, everything including spares will fit in a gallon-sized ziploc bag, not like I'm wheeling a cart full of stuff along with me or anything)

Chicas: I'm thinking a couple a day, maybe a TLN or 2 while I'm there. From reading the trip reports, it sounds like the experienced travelers out there generally have no trouble in this regard. Should I expect the same as long as I do my research before heading down, or is it the kind of thing that you've got to experience a few times before you get really good at it? I'm a fairly shy guy, mid-40's, bit of a paunch - never gonna win a beauty contest, but small children don't run screaming when I walk down the street, either.

Fashion: I'm a shorts, sandals, and hawaiian shirt guy when I'm on vacation. How big a step up to I need to go to get into Classico's in the evening? How about the casinos? (gambling's another favorite vice)

Thanks, everyone for your input!

TC and Don covered you pretty good, I budget 200 a day not including my room. some days I spend around 100 most days much more. I drink a lot so I budget more.

If your drinking have your room chica proofed before you go out, you can easily come back hammered and wake up with all your shit gone. if everything is away and locked up you can return drunk and not worry. If i have a safe key i hide it outside somewhere and only bring money for what im gonna drink. i get my key and pay the chica in the morning. sounds stupid but i never get robbed this way.

I find if you dress in long pants and a collared shirt you dont look like such a newbi. you can dress like you want but your gonna get bumrushed by the street rats in sandals and hawiian shirts. sometimes i wear shorts and a tee but most nights i dont. within 2 or 3 days they are gonna have you pegged. Choose your girls dont get chosen otherwise its gonna happen your whole trip. Don't worry about how you look, you have the money so your young and handsome now. Don't let them push you around, you are the boss.

WickedWillie
03-29-2011, 10:02 PM
Don Alejon, you are a very nice man to go to all that trouble to answer someone who might or might not be coming in Fall. I would have just said that gives him six months to read up here and find all the answers himself.

Anyway by next autumn Sosúa might have been swept into the sea by the scheduled Santiago earthquake. (A Christian acquaintance emailed me this week to say it was on its way and I had better repent quickly).

I think the OP was pulling our legs about the Hawaiian shirt, guys. No-one could be that crass (apart from that harmless old eccentric Tropic Bob).

I beg to differ:wink:

http://news.insearchofchicas.org/forum/imagehosting/94194cbe3d32a5446.jpg

I hear his new love has now banned him from donning such dreadful attire.http://news.insearchofchicas.org/forum/imagehosting/94194cbe41e2d0992.jpg

TC
03-30-2011, 02:07 PM
Hurricanes never hit the north coast.

Maybe not, but it rains a lot there during Hurricane season. Not everyone wants that from a Carribbean vacation.

Besides, major hurricanes never hit the State of Georgia, even though it's directly between Florida and South Carolina, which routinely get pounded like a prison bitch. It's only a matter of time.

eldorob
03-30-2011, 05:12 PM
Maybe not, but that statement is itself a hurricane that once hit ISOC. Discussing the weather can be more controversial here than discussing race, religion or illegal substances.

I knew that. Just trying to start some trouble for Jimmy's entertainment.
Hence the statement - "Huricanes Never Hit The North Coast"
The Huricane thread is when, sadly, we lost Marco if I remember correctly.



Maybe not, but it rains a lot there during Hurricane season. Not everyone wants that from a Carribbean vacation.
.

But rain isn't a huricane. May is the wettest month with an average of about 9 inches. Personally, the rain doesn't bother me. I just crawl into bed with a chica. :rolleyes:
And sure, a huricane could hit anywhere. But the chance of one hitting the north coast is slim. Not something you plan a vaca around.

http://news.insearchofchicas.org/forum/imagehosting/68164a1a9f84ad62a.jpg

SeaWeed
03-30-2011, 07:09 PM
Maybe not, but it rains a lot there during Hurricane season. I hear what you are saying about the Caribbean and Hurricanes and rain........
but In September of 2009 I was in Sosua for about 10 days and we had the best weather with only a shower one or two nights.......
all the days were sunny and hot with no rain during the day!

guess I kinda lucked out weather wise.......but intially I thought it was safer going to the North Coast versus the South Coast which is more apt to get a direct hit from the research I had done......some showers would never bother mi but days of rain would.....

TC
03-30-2011, 11:14 PM
I knew that. Just trying to start some trouble for Jimmy's entertainment.
Hence the statement - "Huricanes Never Hit The North Coast"
The Huricane thread is when, sadly, we lost Marco if I remember correctly.




But rain isn't a huricane. May is the wettest month with an average of about 9 inches. Personally, the rain doesn't bother me. I just crawl into bed with a chica. :rolleyes:
And sure, a huricane could hit anywhere. But the chance of one hitting the north coast is slim. Not something you plan a vaca around.

Click to see pic (http://news.insearchofchicas.org/forum/imagehosting/68164a1a9f84ad62a.jpg)

I didn't believe Weyland's post, but he's apparently right. I can't believe I'm actually quibbling with you about this, but............

You are correct that rain isn't a hurricane. I never claimed it was. I said that it's hurricane season, and that he might want to take that into account. I didn't think I had to explain it. It's because it tends to rain a lot there during hurricane season, and also because hurricanes are MORE likely to hit at that time than OTHER times. Even the north coast is MORE likely to get hit then, than during, say, February.

If the rain doesn't bother YOU, or hurricane season doesn't factor into YOUR planning, great! OTHER people just MIGHT want to take it into account when planning a Carribbean vacation.

Don Alejo
04-02-2011, 06:05 PM
Yeah weyland, I just wanted to get a response "on the record" for any future beginner trip planners / forum searchers. I know there's plenty info on the board, but there's always room for more!


Don Alejon, you are a very nice man to go to all that trouble to answer someone who might or might not be coming in Fall. I would have just said that gives him six months to read up here and find all the answers himself.

TropicBob
04-04-2011, 01:12 PM
Don Alejon, you are a very nice man to go to all that trouble to answer someone who might or might not be coming in Fall. I would have just said that gives him six months to read up here and find all the answers himself.

Anyway by next autumn Sosúa might have been swept into the sea by the scheduled Santiago earthquake. (A Christian acquaintance emailed me this week to say it was on its way and I had better repent quickly).

I think the OP was pulling our legs about the Hawaiian shirt, guys. No-one could be that crass (apart from that harmless old eccentric Tropic Bob).

THE SHIRT proved successful the last 10 days on the North Coast! It will never be retired....

jose1234
04-04-2011, 03:18 PM
I would say that November and early December can be rainy times here. I like Rick a lot, but if you are going to stay there, be aware that it is very basic. For your first trip I might suggest a the other two options. As far as length of stay, I would highly suggest 7 days... As far as travel from Santo Domingo to Sosua, there are two bus companies, Metro Tours (www.metrotours.com.do) or Caribe Tours (www.caribetours.com.do)... The first is slighting nicer and more expensive...but both are fine...

Overall, you will have to read up a lot about the questions you have asked. Aside from the flight, most questions will be answered in the various trip reports and discussions on this board. Also, try to hook up with some ISOC people to hang out with and show you the ropes when you hit the ground.

My only suggestion to newbies is bring a reserve fund for unexpected expenses...such as a taxi that charges you $20 for a five block ride, you agree to a price with a Chica and then she claims you promised more and goes crazy later in the room and other assorted scams and drama many of us occasionally find ourselves in... But don't be too worried about the scams and drama...you have one life to live and this is the place to complete some of your fantasies...

Nothing but the best!

gdogg
04-04-2011, 03:36 PM
Thank you, everyone! You've certainly helped me narrow my focus on my research.


No...thank you!! You actually read the board and asked educated questions.
:wink:

johnfromnorthjersey
04-07-2011, 02:15 PM
Hi, all,

I'm new around here, and have just recently started researching the possibilities of an upcoming trip to Sosua. Mostly, what my research is telling me is that I'm an idiot for not discovering this 10 years ago. But such is life. We can't change the past, but we can use what we learn from it to make the future better. So, it definitely seems like a trip to Sosua will be in my future. With that as a starting point, I would appreciate some advice from all the veteran travellers on my initial planning:

Timing: I've got a few constraints on when I can go. I can't go until after August, as I've already got a trip to New Orleans planned then, and I'll need to prepare cash for that (not a mongering trip). I was thinking late October, early November. How are the crowds that time of year? Weather-wise, it seems like it's pretty consistent year-round, is that true in reality? As much as I'd like to go down ASAP, would I be better off waiting until next April, after the high season in Nov-Feb?

Budget: I'm thinking $150 (~5000 pesos) per day for chicas, food, and beverages (I do like to drink me plenty of cervecas!). Is this realistic?

Language: I've never studied Spanish, but I can read it at a reasonably functional level, based on classes in French and Italian. Also have several Portuguese friends at home, and I can pick up maybe 30-50% of that when I listen to it. Planning to invest in one of those cheap electronic translator devices. Should I expect to be able to communicate effectively?

Air: Seems to be the biggest unknown of the trip. I'm having trouble finding decent routes between any of the airports around me and POP. (I'm in the northeastern US, Boston is the closest major airport, but Manchester, NH and Portland, ME could also be options). Jet Blue's timing from Boston to JFK (where the one POP flight per day originates) means that I don't have enough time in between flights to make it on the same day, I'd need to fly in to JFK the day before. Have others found this to be an issue, or am I just not searching properly? On the other hand, getting between Boston and Santo Domingo seems ridiculously easy. Would it be a royal pain to find some sort of transportation from Santo Domingo to Sosua, or is this probably not recommended for someone who's never been to the DR before?

Hotel: I'd like to stay as central as possible in Sosua. New Garden and Terra Linda are always options, of course, but I'm leaning more toward a cheaper spot, like Rocky's or Don Antonio's. Does anyone know if the rooms in Orchid Hotel have AC? It doesn't say one way or the other on their website, does this mean it's safe to assume they don't have it?

Trip length: I'm kind of on the fence between 5 and 7 days. I want to give myself plenty of opportunity to experience everything, but don't want to end up bored from staying too long. Which means I'll probably split the difference and ultimately settle on 6 days. :-) Any recommendations on a good length of stay for a first trip?

Health: I'm a diabetic on an insulin pump. Should I expect any difficulties at customs getting medical supplies in? (It's not much, everything including spares will fit in a gallon-sized ziploc bag, not like I'm wheeling a cart full of stuff along with me or anything)

Chicas: I'm thinking a couple a day, maybe a TLN or 2 while I'm there. From reading the trip reports, it sounds like the experienced travelers out there generally have no trouble in this regard. Should I expect the same as long as I do my research before heading down, or is it the kind of thing that you've got to experience a few times before you get really good at it? I'm a fairly shy guy, mid-40's, bit of a paunch - never gonna win a beauty contest, but small children don't run screaming when I walk down the street, either.

Fashion: I'm a shorts, sandals, and hawaiian shirt guy when I'm on vacation. How big a step up to I need to go to get into Classico's in the evening? How about the casinos? (gambling's another favorite vice)

Thanks, everyone for your input!


Timing: I’ve been to the DR twice in Nov and once in June. Hopefully I’ll get down again this June. Both months are shoulder season so crowds and price are reasonable. Never had a problem getting a room and I book last minute. Weather was always good except for an occasional shower at night. The ocean was rougher in Nov.

Budget: I think $200 a day plus hotel and air is a confortable budget. $100 for chicas (1 ST @ 1,500 pesos and 1 TLN at 2,500 pesos) and $100 for food, booze, other entertainment and misc. expenses. My trip reports contain a breakdown of what I spent. Better to come home with some cash then being short.

Language: I speak zero Spanish and always found a way to communicate with the locals and chicas.

Air: I fly direct from EWR to POP using frequent flyer miles.

Hotel: I stayed at the NG twice and once at the Hotel D’Piero. The NG is one of the better hotels in town and ‘party’ central. But D’Piero’s is also very nice and I like its quite/lay back atmosphere. TL is the nicest but also the most expensive and comes with some issues. Rockies is ‘too basic’ for me. During my last trip is visited several hotels and gave my observations in my trip report. For a newbie I would recommend either the NG or TL. Both are centrally located and there are always a bunch of follow mongers hanging around.

Trip length: I stay for 7 days.

Chicas: I like a ST in the afternoon and then a TLN starting around 11pm. I usually stay away from the 9 & 10 chicas. It has been my experience that they rely too much on their looks and provide poor service for a high price. The 6,7,8 are usually willing to work hard for their pesos. Experience helps but everyone occasionally picks a theft, cheat, liar, drama queen or lousy provider once in a while. I usually wife up with an accommodating lady midway through the trip for my TLN’s.

Fashion: Bathing suite, shorts and t-shirts during the day. Nice shorts and a golf shirt during at night. I don’t like sandals so I always wear sneakers.