Tropical locations with picturesque secluded beaches often come with a catch: getting to the final destination is tricky. However, not the case when it comes to vacationing in Cabarete! The Dominican Republic has four main airports that you can fly into with flights daily from The States, Europe and Canada. The airports we will be highlighting in this article are Puerto Plata (POP), Santiago (STI), Santo Domingo (SDQ), and Punta Cana (PUJ) with Puerto Plata located the closest to Cabarete, and Punta Cana the farthest. Despite Puerto Plata being the closest, you may find flights are less frequent and more expensive compared to the other airports. Punta Cana often lures in travelers with great deals on flights, but it’s important to stay savvy and work out how much more it would cost to get to Cabarete from that airport and if it is worth it.

When you arrive:

You’ve booked your holiday, flights and transport from the airport, but what should you expect when you arrive? The first thing you will need to fill out is an immigration form and customs declaration. These are often given out during the flight and will require your passport number, the address of where you are staying, and other basic information. Once you exit the plane, you will immediately feel the temperature difference, so we always suggest packing an easy change of clothes to keep you comfortable. Just before passport control, you will need to head to the clearly signposted tourist card counter where you will purchase a tourist card for $10. We have banks and money exchange close by so don’t be too hasty to change up all of your money at the airport, since they may not give the best of rates.

Taxi

Getting a taxi to pick you up at the airport is the most convenient option for travelers. It is also the most comfortable and quickest option, but maybe not the best choice for those on a tight budget. There are always taxis outside the airport that you can use, just make sure you know where you are going roughly. We suggest printing out a map, as we do not have street addresses like you may be used to. You can use landmarks or refer to locations (like the name of the hotel). Alternatively, we are happy to arrange a taxi for you to bring you straight to our front door! Below are the rough pricing and timings for the various airports.

Puerto Plata – 20 minutes – $35

Santiago – 1.5 hours – $100

Santo Domingo – 4 hours – $200

Punta Cana – 5.5 hours – $400

Bus

Taking the bus is the least expensive option but does require some taxi hopping. The buses are comfortable, air-conditioned, and have toilets on board. It will take slightly more time than the taxi but is still relatively quick. Below we have outlined the steps from each airport and links to the bus schedules.

Metro Bus Schedule & Prices

Caribe Bus Schedule & Prices

Santiago – 3 hours – $60

Hail a taxi at the airport and have them take you to either Metro or Caribe Tours. About US$18 or $RD700-800 and 15 minutes. The $18 is for the “right at the airport taxis”. If you head just outside the airport on the street, you can grab a “local” taxi for about $US5. You will be buying a ticket to Sosua. Journey time: 2 hours. Cost: $RD100. Once you are in Sosua, you can take a guaguastraight to our hotel if you arrive in the day. About 30 minutes and RD$30. You can also grab a taxi for about RD$500. About 20 minutes.

Santo Domingo – 7 hours – $45

Hail a taxi at the airport and have them take you to either Metro or Caribe Tours, about 10 minutes away from each other just west of the Zona Colonial. It will cost about US $25 and take 25-35 minutes. Once at the bus depot: You will be buying a ticket to Sosua. Journey time: 5 hours. Cost: RD $330 Once you are in Sosua, you can take a guagua straight to our hotel if you arrive in the day. About 30 minutes and RD$30. You can also grab a taxi for about RD$500. About 20 minutes.

Punta Cana – 9 hours – $25-$50

Hail a taxi at the airport and ask them to take you to Bavaro Express Terminal, located at the crossing known as Friusa, right aside the Tourist Police Palais, in the centre of Bavaro. About US$30. Take the Bavaro Express Bus to Santo Domingo (the last stop of Parque Enriquillo). Get there at least 45 minutes early to buy ticket as buses fill up quickly. About 3 hours (90 minute rest stop in La Romana) and RD$400. Hail another taxi from the bus stop in Parque Enriquillo and ride to either Caribe Tours or Metro bus station. About 5 minutes and RD$200-300. Caribe Tours bus to Sosua departs on the hour every hour. Journey time 4-5 hours. Metro Bus to Sosua departs 7 am, 11 am and 4 pm. Journey time: 3.5 to 4 hours. Once you are in Sosua, you can take a guagua straight to our hotel if you arrive in the day. About 30 minutes and RD$30. You can also grab a taxi for about RD$500. About 20 minutes.

Rental Car

Renting a car is the third option and one we do not advise unless you are an experienced traveler. The roads and drivers can be a little less organized compared to what you are used to. We also strongly recommend not driving at night, since some areas are not well lit making it difficult for those not familiar with the area. However, if you are renting a car for the entire trip, this may work perfectly for you. When renting a car, make sure you know the inclusions in the daily price like insurance, and note that gas is around $6.50/gal. Depending on what type of car you rent, which company you use and the type of insurance included, the prices on average cost $40-$80 per day. Some companies will allow you to drive it one way, although could be an extra charge involved. This accounting also doesn’t include the price of the tolls, which can cost up to $60. Here are the timings from each airport.

Puerto Plata – 20-30 minutes

Santiago – 1.5-2 hours

Santo Domingo – 4-5 hours

Punta Cana – 5.5-6 hours

Top Tip: Make sure all prices are negotiated prior to travelling, as our prices are only a rough guide and try to have the correct money as often drivers do not carry much change. It’s good to have some money in Dominican Pesos and some in US Dollars so you are covered from both angles.

*WE WILL ALWAYS ORGANIZE ANY SORT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR YOU IF YOU NEED IT. FEEL FREE TO EMAIL US: info@villataina.com

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