Advice for tropical travel locals - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!



Go Back   TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards! > Members Lounge > General Travel Tips, Education, Advice > General Travel Tips and Advice

General Travel Tips and Advice Have you traveled before?- Please share your tips and advice with fellow Tpunks!

Raileurope.com: See Europe by train
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 12-19-2006, 11:19 PM   #1
cnchsr12
Members
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 7
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Question Advice for tropical travel locals

Hi! My friend and I (we are both female) want to travel to a tropical island for spring break. I am an experienced traveler but have not been to any cool islands. We want to go somewhere that is NOT a hotspot for spring break parties, but is not lame either, and some place that is fairly affortable while there (i.e. hostels, cheap eats, etc). I am open to any suggestions and would greatly appreciate the advice!
cnchsr12 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-20-2006, 12:11 AM   #2
omisan
Minister of Offense
 
omisan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: San Fran Disco
Posts: 6,528
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Send a message via AIM to omisan Send a message via Yahoo to omisan
Default

First question to get started: Where are you going from? Your closest airline hubs will probably determine which are the cheapest to get to.
__________________
¿Donde esta Omid? Omi-san wa doko desuka? Ou est Omid? Wo ist Omid?

Find out @ http://omidabroad.blogspot.com

omisan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-20-2006, 04:19 AM   #3
TERI
TPunk Recognized
 
TERI's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 977
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
Send a message via MSN to TERI
Default

Hey I know of the best place to go. It's Benna2's place in the DR. she has a few condos that she rents out. you might even get a TravelPunk discount. that would be cool! and hot! just pm her or check out her site.
__________________
never frown. even when you're sad, cause you never know who's falling in love with your smile.

urple\'> "Wanna feel the warm breeze, sleep under a palm tree, feel the rush of the ocean."
"...Get aboard a fast train, travel on a damn plane."
" Take a Risk, Take a chance, Make a change!"--- Break away. Kelly Clarkson (lol)
TERI is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-20-2006, 06:49 AM   #4
benna2
TPunk Emeritus
 
benna2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Hanover, Ontario
Posts: 2,097
Thanks: 0
Thanked 2 Times in 1 Post
Send a message via AIM to benna2 Send a message via MSN to benna2 Send a message via Yahoo to benna2
Default

Wow Teri thanks for recommending my place!!

To the original poster, yes I do have a busy little business going on here in Sosua, Dominican Republic. If you want to look at my website the address is www.sosuavacationrentals.com

They are affordable, especially if you are sharing the costs with another person.

Sosua is a fun little town on the North Coast of the DR and is fairly cheap to eat and drink here. There are dance clubs, stores, restaurants and ton of water sports to take part in if you like that kinda thing. The number one kitesurf beach is in Cabarete and only a few minutes away by car.

Any questions or anything just send me a message.
__________________
"The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page." ~St. Augustine"

Come visit me in the DR!
www.sosuavacationrentals.com
benna2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-20-2006, 08:43 AM   #5
cnchsr12
Members
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 7
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default

We are flying out of Phoenix, a major hub for a few airlines (hopefully that will help us
cnchsr12 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-20-2006, 08:49 AM   #6
cnchsr12
Members
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 7
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default

I checked out the website - the place looks beautiful. A few questions: does 'one week' = 6 nights? Is there public transport to get to the nearby tourist town (Cabarete)? is there transport from the airport? I ask, cuz we would probably not rent a car. Thanks!
cnchsr12 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-20-2006, 10:33 AM   #7
omisan
Minister of Offense
 
omisan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: San Fran Disco
Posts: 6,528
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Send a message via AIM to omisan Send a message via Yahoo to omisan
Default

cnchsr12 - having visited Benna in the DR, I can answer unequivocally that you should NOT rent a car there, unless you're totally into the adrenaline-rush seat-of-your-pants driving. ('Course, I'm into that, but my friends' heart attacks serve as reason not to do it again.)

There are buses and vans to Cabarete, and they're pretty cheap, at that. And parking's a bitch in Cabarete anyway. There are shuttles/taxis from the airport. I think it came out to around $22 one way.

If I have time over the next day or so, I'll try to find the business card of the best, most awesome cab driver in the northern DR. He will be your private chauffeur if you want to be carted around in a Toyota minivan like royalty
__________________
¿Donde esta Omid? Omi-san wa doko desuka? Ou est Omid? Wo ist Omid?

Find out @ http://omidabroad.blogspot.com

omisan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-20-2006, 08:05 PM   #8
benna2
TPunk Emeritus
 
benna2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Hanover, Ontario
Posts: 2,097
Thanks: 0
Thanked 2 Times in 1 Post
Send a message via AIM to benna2 Send a message via MSN to benna2 Send a message via Yahoo to benna2
Default

Yes, as someone who was involved in a car accident, it is not in your best interest or needed to rent a car here!

There are public cars that squish a bunch of people in them and get you to wherever you need to go along the main highway for the grand total of about 30 pesos, or one dollar US. Cabarete is only about a seven minute drive from Sosua.

And with my pricing, one week =7 days...It is one calendar week. Arrive on a Wednesday, check out the following Wednesday.

Transportation from the airport is easy as well. I usually can arrange for my driver to pick people up if needed and the cost of this is 400 Pesos or about $13 US dollars.

Hope I answered all your questions...It is rather nice to be here in the sunshine rather than the cold snow I will admit!!
__________________
"The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page." ~St. Augustine"

Come visit me in the DR!
www.sosuavacationrentals.com
benna2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-21-2006, 01:05 AM   #9
simply_angelic
The " ... " queen of TP!
 
simply_angelic's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ontario
Posts: 2,946
Thanks: 0
Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts
Default

aaaah you say that NOW...but come christmas, you'll be dying to be back w/ the beautiful snow :D
__________________
~Laura
GO CANADA!!!!

If you walk backwards, you'll find out that you can go forward and people won't know if you're coming or going.

Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today.
-James Dean

Countries I've Visited: Austria, Botswana, Canada, Costa Rica, Democratic Republic of the Congo, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Italy. Malawi, Mexico, Portugal, Rwanda, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan, Tanzania, Uganda, USA, UK, Vatican City, Zambia
simply_angelic is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-21-2006, 07:55 AM   #10
TheJake
To Smart For Mensa
 
TheJake's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Salt Lake City
Posts: 5,585
Thanks: 3
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
Send a message via AIM to TheJake Send a message via MSN to TheJake Send a message via Yahoo to TheJake Send a message via Skype™ to TheJake
Default

I live in Phoenix and would suggest San Jose Costa Rica instead of the DR. There are no direct flights out of phoenix to the DR but there are to Hawaii and San Jose. US Airways has a flight that leaves on Friday and one that comes back on Saturday so if you went you'd have to spend a week!
__________________
Adventure needs to be as much about discovering yourself as it is about discovering the world.
TheJake is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-21-2006, 07:15 PM   #11
LiveFreeorDie
TPunk Emeritus
 
LiveFreeorDie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Newly relocated to C-bus - USA
Posts: 2,858
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default

Quote:
aaaah you say that NOW...but come christmas, you'll be dying to be back w/ the beautiful snow :D
Are you crazy???!!! Good god, I could kiss the snow goodbye and happily spend Christmas on a beach for the rest of my life.
__________________
\\Jamie\\



"Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." Ben Franklin

"The plural of anecdote is not data"
LiveFreeorDie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-21-2006, 11:49 PM   #12
TheJake
To Smart For Mensa
 
TheJake's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Salt Lake City
Posts: 5,585
Thanks: 3
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
Send a message via AIM to TheJake Send a message via MSN to TheJake Send a message via Yahoo to TheJake Send a message via Skype™ to TheJake
Default

you say that now but spend more than a year down here in the warmer climates and you'll start singing like Bing....
__________________
Adventure needs to be as much about discovering yourself as it is about discovering the world.
TheJake is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-22-2006, 05:52 AM   #13
benna2
TPunk Emeritus
 
benna2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Hanover, Ontario
Posts: 2,097
Thanks: 0
Thanked 2 Times in 1 Post
Send a message via AIM to benna2 Send a message via MSN to benna2 Send a message via Yahoo to benna2
Default

Well I will say that it is just three days til Christmas and I am not missing the snow one little bit! There is something to be said about being able to lounge out by the pool in my bathing suit, sun beating down and a lovely drink in my hand in DECEMBER! Usually this time of year, I am fighting a cold, having to scrape a foot of snow off my car every morning and wasting hours of my day trying to find parking spots at the mall. Not my idea of a good time.

A white christmas is more of a sentimental thing I think, and while it is beautiful to look at, I am ok without it. What I will miss is my family back home because Christmas is that time of year when we all get together so it will be a little strange I guess. Its a good thing I have a little "family" in Sosua that consists of a big group of friends and are going to have our own Christmas dinner.

Ok...sidetracked. I didn't realize that there were no flights here from Pheonix. I actually had some clients from Arizona stay with me not that long ago. I guess if a direct flight is important to you, then you should check out one of the places Jake mentioned. If its no worry about switching planes and connecting somewhere, or if you have any specific questions, just let me know. I no longer look at the DR from a "vacationers" perspective as I have made it my home. I really love it here and any of my friends that have come to visit have left wishing they could live here too!
__________________
"The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page." ~St. Augustine"

Come visit me in the DR!
www.sosuavacationrentals.com
benna2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-27-2006, 07:43 PM   #14
cnchsr12
Members
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 7
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Default

I actually went to Costa Rica (Manuel Antonio) last year for spring break. It was amazing but I really want to go somewhere new this year A direct flight is not as important as an affortable one!
cnchsr12 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply






Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 11:19 PM.



 

Search Engine Friendly URLs by vBSEO 3.2.0 (Unregistered)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121