Posted By: Points Summary January 30, I rented a car and spent one night in Cabarete and one night in Puerto Plata. It was my first time driving in the Dominican Republic even though there were a lot of online warnings not to drive in the DR. Never exchange money at Puerto Plata International Airport β From the moment you land at POP International Airport, you will be greeted with money exchange touts in addition to the taxi cab mafia. Driving is really no joke in the Dominican Republic because you share the road with a ton of motorcycles on tight roads.
Gas is displayed in gallons instead of liters β This was the first time I rented a car in the Caribbean and I was surprised to see gas stations display their prices in gallons instead of the conventional metric system in liters. The beaches are gorgeous β There was crystal clear water on the Atlantic side of the Dominican Republic, particularly on the beautiful beaches of Puerto Plata and Sosua. Prostitution is legal in the Dominican Republic β A lot of people visit the Northern Coast of the Dominican Republic because of its famous sex tourism.
Whenever I was walking around Cabarete, Sosua, and Puerto Plata, I was hit up for a massage, strip club, brothel, or sex. There are a lot of hookers and sex workers roaming around the red light districts during the daytime and nighttime because prostitution is legal in the Dominican Republic. On the last day in the Northern coast of the Dominican Republic, I saw firsthand of the horrific rain.
When it rains, it really pours down hard in the northern region of the Dominican Republic because of its sub-tropical climate. Gringos are a walking dollar sign in the DR β Every time I took a walk out in Cabarete, Sosua, and Puerto Plata, I was encountered with touts whether it was a prostitute, taxi cab driver, or a street hustler. Street hustlers basically want to sell their services whether their working as pimps getting a cut of the commission or overpricing you on tours and souvenirs.
Bottom line: If you look like a gringo, prepared to pay gringo prices since we are a walking dollar sign in the Dominican Republic. I want to say that not all Dominicans are that way and some are generally really nice.
