Rental car in or around puerto plata

Welcome. I wont recommend renting a car and driving. Take a bus, a taxi but dont drive.

Thank you i've read the warnings but i'm am still wanting to rent a car. Can anyone give advice on which rental company? Thanks

Don't rent a car. If you do know that if you are in an accident you will go to jail. Everyone goes to jail till the situation can be figured out (this usually means how to place the blame on you and how much $$$ is it going to cost you). If this happens on a Friday plan on 2-3 days in a Dominican jail.

If you insist on renting then take the full insurance package.  Your home insurance and your CC insurance is USELESS here and again an accident will cost you $$$$ with out the insurance (2-3 times the actual cost of repairs) and then when you get back home you can try to get reimbursed by your insurance company. Also make sure the insurance that you buy here includes Casa de Conductore.  With this they transfer you to a hotel in Santiago or Santiago (1=2*) instead of jail.

Traffic in Santo Domingo is like rush hour in Rome with 99% of the drivers acting as if Drunk, Blind, Deaf, or just plain Stupid.  The bus is cheap comfortable and the cabs are cheap as well.

Bob K

To answer you actual question as a tourist I would go with a name brand company (Avis, Hertz, Budget etc)

Bob K

Hmmm...that last post kind of messes with our plans.  We had intended to drive all around the North Coast over Christmas Break, to try and get a feel for the neighbourhoods and see if it was a place we may like to live. Do you have a suggestion for doing this without renting a car?

Sheri

One of us can recommend a good taxi driver for you.  You can negotiate a daily rate with them that is often less then the cost of renting a vehicle.  I am happy to PM you a good driver.  And Bob will know several as well.

There is a great driver that we as well as our friends and clients use all the time. He speaks perfect English, has lived in the are his entire life, has a newer van, and is very reliable and trust worthy.   Let me know if you want his contact info and I will PM it to you.

Bob K

Thanks guys, Bob, I will discuss with the hubby and probably do that. Better than ending up in jail or just generally lost, probably cheaper too!

Sheri

Ok...let me know

Bob K

Hi Bob,

We were considering renting a car to take us from the Riu to Playa Dorado daily for kite surfing until reading your post. Could you recommend a driver that we could make arrangements for daily round trips?

thank you,

Jason

First if you want to kite board and are traveling anyway I would got to Cabarete rather than Playa Dorada.

You can try contacting Elias and he may be able to help you.  Great guy, speaks perfect English, reliable and has a new van. If he cannot do it he may be able to arrange some one else

Here is his contact info and the cell phone is the best way to reach him otherwise use the email address:

Elias:
[email protected]
809-571-3602
809-842-5557 (cell phone)'

Bob K

I am thinking there is no kite boarding in Playa Dorada they don't get the same set up as Cabarete!

And its a 45 minute drive each way at least from the Riu to Cabarete!  You may want to rethink this.  I agree with Bob.

Thanks bob for the contact info. I will send him an email now. There is a kite boarding school on Playa Dorada, its right at the Orange Market. kitelegendschool.com. They also have a location in Cabarete as well. We took a beginner course there a few months ago, and was going to continue the lessons this trip. I completely agree that Cabarete is the place to go.  The reason we choose to do it here, was because its less crowded. However when booking the Riu we didn't realize that it wasn't walking distance, poor planning on our part, we booked a special and found out afterwards. I am also doing a website for the Orangemarket to try and bring some awareness to the market for people staying at nearby resorts, so at the same time I plan to take some pictures and gather more information to put on their website. Orangemarket.org

Wow learn something every day!!!!

Still should try at least one day in Cabarete.

Bob K

Yes im going to check it for sure. Supposed to be the kiteboarding capital! Hopefully ill finish my lessons and give kite beach a try :-)

Good luck.you will love Cabarete

Bob K

Yup if you love the sport you will love Cabarete for sure.

We've been lucky so far with car rentals...you won't really have a choice about the insurance...expect $250 on top of a week rental for the "full insurance" but, as Bob K and Planner have indicated, don't expect it to actually protect you if heaven forbid you get in a serious accident. 

As I have posted elsewhere...only my husband who is German and has lived and driven in South Africa, Mexico, etc...feels comfortable driving around (side note...he agrees DR is the worst!)...I'm not comfortable with it!  I will only drive in our little town...and not without trepidation!

All that being said...we've rented cars 5 times (driven across the country North to South, East to West)...but, as I've also said...we've been lucky!  Not for the faint of heart...or it you have only ever driven in North America.

brodies2013 good post and correct info.  My wife calls driving here like living in a  real life video game

Bob K

Exactly!