How to get from Santo Domingo to Samaná?

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I'm going to tell you how to get to Samaná in Dominican Republic, a unique tourist area that is increasingly sought after by tourists. from Santo Domingo.

If you plan to visit Dominican Republic, Surely you looked for all the recommended places as they may be Santo Domingo its capital, Punta Cana, Puerto Plata, The Roman, Santiago of the Knights, Juan Dolio and obviously Samaná.

This last alternative of many others that there is to know in this beautiful and highly sought-after country leads us to want to know its landscapes and nature located on a large peninsula that increasingly attracts more tourists to explore its forests., waterfalls, beaches and more very little affected by human activity.

With so much to offer, Samaná is located north of Santo Domingo, it's not that far, But during my visit to this area I was surprised by how complex it can be to get there to see all its attractions..

This guide will help you if you plan to go from Punta Cana or another point in the country since the transportation base is the same.

How to get to Samana?

In view of the complications that I personally had in arriving, I thought it appropriate to share my experience and leave you the best recommendations to make your visit as pleasant as possible and, above all, your transfer.. We are going to review the different alternatives that exist on the market and how to use each of them., taking into account the high transfer prices.

The average time of all transfers is 3 a 4 hours, depending on road conditions, traffic and chosen means of transport, more if it is a bus since they stop more often.

Rent a car

Possibly, the most comfortable option of all to enjoy calmly and manage your times, but you must take into account: the arrival time of your flight (There are car rental companies that do not operate after 8 pm), driving in a foreign country with the risks that this entails and additional costs.

In my case, Given the time my flight arrived to Santo Domingo, it was impossible for me to use this option, since you will also have to take into account the logistics of picking up and returning the car within your flight schedules.

The cost is variable depending on the type of car and duration of the rental.:

• From $32 dollars per day plus other extra charges.
• Take into account the value of fuel, since the Dominican Republic has high values.
• There are also tolls on the road

Hire a transport

This is another convenient option since you don't have to worry about driving and the time is flexible according to your arrival or departure needs.. Several private services are offered that you can find very easily on the Internet, but the costs are high. The ones I consulted have these values:

• From $300 through a better route.

Of course, If you divide it by several people the value goes down, since there are transports of up to 8 people, but if you travel alone or as a couple, the total would be $600 round trip, very expensive. Take into account that you will have to look for a similar service in Samaná, since the transport does not stop there.

There are options in Civiatis, although I was not able to coordinate the pick-up as I expected.

Public taxi

This option is interesting since they are outside the airport all day and you will not have to wait, but that yes, its cost is extremely high. When I consulted from Las Américas Airport towards Samaná I had these answers:

• From $250 more tip.
  • If you take this option, ensure the price before boarding so that they do not charge you extra upon arrival and surprise you..

Be careful with this option, since from Samaná you will have to pay the same amount by taxi and if you travel 3 or more people with luggage you will not have enough space.

Uber

It seems to be the best option, But in reality, don't be surprised by the very affordable price that appears in the app when you quote this tour. $150 one way. The surprise comes when your Uber arrives and tells you that Uber charges you that amount, but you have to pay him double under the table, since you have to make the round trip.

Having said that, The price of using Uber is more expensive than your own taxi:

• From $250 down a road in a small car.
• From $350 on a road in a big car.

Lots of attention, In Samaná there is no Uber, so if you use it on the way, You will have to do the return in another of the indicated means..

Public bus

They call them guaguas and given all the logistical issues I experienced, it turned out to be the best option: My flight arrived at dawn so I had to spend the night in a hotel until early in the morning..

Once the sun came out we took an Uber now ($3 dollars from the hotel) towards the terminal Asotrapusa buses which is very close to the Colonial city, I recommend not walking through the area and getting there with your suitcases by taxi or Uber, It's not a very safe neighborhood.. Once you arrive at the first terminal, the service is very friendly and the buses even have excellent WiFi throughout the route..

These buses have their first departure at 5:00 am, so it is an excellent idea to take it early to arrive at your hotel according to the check-in time.

There are other bus options to Samaná, but these seemed the most comfortable to me, safe and top rated. A clarification, There are large comfortable buses, as I told you., but there are also some small buses or vans, that for me were uncomfortable because of the space, but depending on your schedule you could run into one or another bus.

Regarding the cost, this is very economical:

• $7 dollars per way per person.

If you travel with a suitcase, don't worry., since there is enough space and there are vendors with local sweets in case you didn't manage to eat something.

Conclution

It all depends on your time, budget and arrival time to Santo Domingo. Having said that, If you arrive at a time you can rent a car, do it and drive calmly, but if your budget is not enough for a car or private transportation, the public bus becomes the best option, takes a little more time, but the savings are huge.

Finally, I leave you the phone number of a taxi in Samaná, You can also go to Santo Domingo to see them (with the costs of the case). It's called Taxi Nadin and we met it thanks to a very kind lady on the bus to Samaná. You can contact him directly on Whatsapp:

• Taxi Nadin – https://wa.me/18297172470
  • They can also help you with tours of the attractions of Samaná.

I hope this guide is completely useful for all of you seeking to reach the beautiful Samaná.

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