[speakeasy]

Has anyone ever been there? Dominican girls I've seen in the U.S. are usually pretty hot, and they often have a type of mixture that makes them passable for Brazilian.

[Lumiere]

I lived there for 8 months.

Girls you meet in bars will either be hookers or upper class Dominicans (depending on which bars you go to).

Annoying thing about the hookers is that they often will not tell you until after you have f-closed them that they want paying.

Annoying thing about the upper class Dominicans is that they are used to snubbing people who are not part of their clique in order to separate themselves from the majority of the population (poor Dominicans) and they won't give you the time of day.

Also, Dominicans don't look like Brazilians.

P.S. You will need Spanish. Only the upper class Dominicans get any education and they will be the only ones that speak English. Dominican Spanish has a lot of slang and is quite difficult to understand.

[speakeasy]

So you're saying it's a daunting task to meet just nice, normal girls to hook up with who aren't pussies for hire?

[Lumiere]

(07-04-2009 01:30 PM)speakeasy Wrote:  

So you're saying it's a daunting task to meet just nice, normal girls to hook up with who aren't pussies for hire?

Yeah. I managed to get myself a Dominican GF when I was there but it was not easy.

[Hangover]

Dominican society is very segregated and, like in some other places in Latin America, you can tell upper class people by the color of their skin. And the hottest girls are usually the upper class ones. I don't remember much of a nightlife in Santo Domingo, or at least not on the same scale as Puerto Rico for instance, and the upper class people tend to hang out in 'their' bars with 'their' crowd.

[Lumiere]

(07-06-2009 08:50 AM)Hangover Wrote:  

Dominican society is very segregated and, like in some other places in Latin America, you can tell upper class people by the color of their skin. And the hottest girls are usually the upper class ones. I don't remember much of a nightlife in Santo Domingo, or at least not on the same scale as Puerto Rico for instance, and the upper class people tend to hang out in 'their' bars with 'their' crowd.

Dominican society is way more segmented that latin american societies. In DR you are either dirt poor or rich / middle class (by Dominican standards, not rich by western standards) with very little in-between. It's also very corrupt so you will see kids of even mid-ranking generals in the army, not particularly high up or important, being chauffer driven to school in a expensive cars.

I was often snubbed by cliquey rich kids in bars despite the fact that I am white and far richer than they are. It's just their culture, they are used to snubbing poor dominicans to keep them out of their clique. It's just an auto pilot response.

The nightlife in Santo Domingo is farily spread out with the only collection of bars within walkable distance of each other is (where I lived) in the Zona Colonial.

Even there the nightlife was fairly tame by western standards.

If I had my time there again I would not live in Santo Domingo I would live on the north coast.

If, in Santo Domingo, I would probably switch to online and day game and hit the malls.

[speakeasy]

Hmm, I'll probably pass on DR from the sound of it. I've heard there are great beaches, but then you can find that in many places.

[Lumiere]

(07-06-2009 11:42 AM)speakeasy Wrote:  

Hmm, I'll probably pass on DR from the sound of it. I've heard there are great beaches, but then you can find that in many places.

If you go then go to the north coast. Cabarete is one of the best places in the world to learn how to kitesurf and windsurf. That's where I learned kitesurfing. Nice restaurants and bars there too.

Getting laid there is super easy (especially just down the road in Sosua), just but clear before the act that you are not down for the pay to play scene.

[thegmanifesto]

How does the nightlife compare in Cabarete to Santo Domingo?


- MPM
The Guide to Getting More out of Life
http://www.thegmanifesto.com

[Lumiere]

Cabarete is basically a fun, one road beach town with lots of bars, cafes, hotels and (during the day) lots of kitesurfing and windsurfing. Partying is on the beach at night.

Sosua 4km down the road has one road with bars that are very busy every night and is a cheaper place to stay than Cabarete which is why i stayed there. In both places a lot of chicks are on the lookout for pay-to-play options so you have to be clear upfront if you are not down for that.

Santo Domingo is a (relatively) big working town with nightlife spread across town (needing a taxi) and only really gets busy fri and sat.

[thegmanifesto]

Lumiere,

Thanks for the data sheet.

Sounds like it might get old pretty quick, or you may be able to run through the place too fast.

Did you find that the case?

- MPM
The Guide to Getting More out of Life
http://www.thegmanifesto.com

[Lumiere]

(07-09-2009 11:47 AM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  

Sounds like it might get old pretty quick, or you may be able to run through the place too fast.

Did you find that the case?

Not really. I spent most of my days (wind permitting) learning how to kitesurf in Cabarete which is unbelievably good fun.

(Cabarete is widely regarded as one of the best places on the planet to kitesurf)



Followed by mojito two for one happy hours on Cabarete beach watching the Caribbean sunset. The place I used to go had amazing mojitos even by Cuban standards.

Near the bar on Cabarete beach with the great mojitos is an amazingly good pizza place even by Italian standards (and I have been to Italy more than 15 times).

In Sosua in the evening there are several options for playing live poker in the small casinos that are there.

The bars in Sosua are all in easy walking distance because its a small town and there are plenty of good food options there too.

Because of the local chicas out searching for pay for play options, the bars in Sosua typically have 2 or 3 girls to every 1 guy and are busy every night of the week. You will see some of the faces regularly but, bearing in mind the sheer numbers of girls you will always meet new ones every night.

I stayed there for a couple of months and didn't get tired of it.

Also DR is one of the cheapest places in the Caribbean.

Kitesurfing + Great mojitos + awesome pizza + cheap prices + Caribbean sunsets on the beach + texas holdem + lots of chicas + busy nightlife every night = takes some time to get bored of.

But that's just me.

[thegmanifesto]

Lumiere,

Thanks for the data.

"bearing in mind the sheer numbers of girls you will always meet new ones every night"

That is really the key.

I have been in plenty of small beach towns, where after you run through 3 or four girls you have the whole town wanting you on a cross.

One more question:

Best time of year to go?

- MPM
The Guide to Getting More out of Life
http://www.thegmanifesto.com

[Lumiere]

(07-09-2009 02:03 PM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  

One more question:

Best time of year to go?

- MPM
The Guide to Getting More out of Life
http://www.thegmanifesto.com

Anytime

It's sunny all year round.

In terms of best times for kitesurfing winds, you can google for that.

[thegmanifesto]

Lumiere,

Do you recommend checking out any other spots that are potentially better than Cabarete?

Punta Cana?

- MPM
The Guide to Getting More out of Life
http://www.thegmanifesto.com

[Lumiere]

(08-17-2009 12:16 PM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  

Lumiere,

Do you recommend checking out any other spots that are potentially better than Cabarete?

Punta Cana?

- MPM
The Guide to Getting More out of Life
http://www.thegmanifesto.com

Punta Cana is the least Dominican of the whole of the DR. It's where the majority of the all inclusive hotels are where tourists are shipped in and out of every week. Not worth more than a day or 2 IMO.

The NE coast is quite nice. The whole Samana area (not just the town samana but up to the very tip of the coast).

A lot of french people have settled there so its also less Dominican that most parts but it's much nicer than Punta Cana in terms of bars / nightlife.

In Punta Cana most of the guests at the all inclusives dont even venture out of the compounds.

Mid Feb to March is the season for whale watching in Samana. The entire atlantic population of blue whales go there to mate.

Have quite funny memories of my time in Las Terrernas (in samana province). I SNL'd a Haitian chick who lived down the road from hotel. The Italian owner knew her and, when he found out that she didn't charge me for the lay and just went with me because she likes me, he got pissed off and tried to charge me more for my hotel room. Haha.

[thegmanifesto]

Lumiere,

If you were staying a week in DR, is it better to set up shop in Cabarete or Sousa?

Nightlife, girls, food and beautiful beaches wise.

Thinking of staying http://www.cabaretecondos.com/ or http://www.piergiorgiopalace.com/

Thoughts?

Other recommendations?

Gracias.

- MPM
The Guide to Getting More out of Life
http://www.thegmanifesto.com

[Lumiere]

(08-23-2009 11:03 PM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  

Lumiere,

If you were staying a week in DR, is it better to set up shop in Cabarete or Sousa?

Nightlife, girls, food and beautiful beaches wise.

Thinking of staying http://www.cabaretecondos.com/ or http://www.piergiorgiopalace.com/

Thoughts?

Other recommendations?

Gracias.

- MPM
The Guide to Getting More out of Life
http://www.thegmanifesto.com

Prices of accomodation in Cabarete seem way too expensive to me (unless you want to learn to kitesurf and do a deal with a school - a lot of them will rent you a basic room for a decent price as part of your schooling).

Cabarete is a less than $1 bus ride from Sosua. Nightlife rocks far more in Sosua.

Beaches are nicer in Cabarete but bearing in mind the cost, that there is a bus every 5 mins from Sosua and you are there in 10 mins ...

My advice? Stay in Sosua. Stay for a few days first and get the layout of both places down.

Stay in Casa Valeria.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-...ublic.html

It's a smart, small clean place with a small swimming pool that's run by a nice Dutch couple that speak fluent English.

There is a cheaper place two doors down (between Valeria and small supermarket on the same road) that I stayed in as well run by a german guy that seem to not speak Spanish or English which is odd. Stayed there because it was cheaper and I was on a long haul stay learning kitesurfing.

Basically.

Cabarte = Kitesurf action. Better beaches and parties on the beach (albeit in only 3 bars, all of which are basically next to each other).

Sosua = Cheaper to stay. Way better nightlife. Wayyyyyyy more chick action (the vast majority will be semi pros who will want money but I f-closed a barmaid there a number of times without money every being raised as a subject, she just liked me so it IS possible.)

BTW. If you bump into american guys at the bars there on holiday, be wary of hanging with them. There are a LOT of guys from NY that are basically NY gang guys. The kind of guys that would scare you and you would avoid like the plague if you bumped into them on the NY metro.

Flights from NY are super cheap, quick and they go there to bang the cheap hookers and semi-pros.

Special recommendations : After a day of kitesurfing, typically I would go down to the centre of Cabarete beach. They have this one bar (I think its called LAX) that does a 2 for 1 mojito offer between 6 and 8 PM and their Mojitos are absolutely great and cheap.

A couple of doors down from there there is the best pizza restaurant in the whole damn country. I think its called Pomodoro. I lived there 8 months and travelled the entire country and there is no question in my mind that thats the best pizza in the whole country.

The spicy sausage pizza there is amazing (damn, I am getting hungry typing this).

So. Day kitesurfing followed by happy hour mojitos on the beach watching the beautiful sunset, followed by Pomodoros pizza (also served on the beach), followed by a trip back to Sosua to rock the bars (and maybe a little poker action at the casinos) was basically my ideal day.

Enjoy.

[thegmanifesto]

Lumiere,

Thanks for the unreal tips.

I guess Sousa it is.

If cost weren't a factor, would you stay http://www.piergiorgiopalace.com/ vs Casa Valeria? (or some other spot)

Meaning is one better located, more user friendly, no issues with bringing girls back etc than the other?

"There are a LOT of guys from NY that are basically NY gang guys. "

Thanks for the heads up. I am guessing, Dominican hoods? Do they play a factor in swooping girls there? ie mess up the scene?

I love the food tips. Feel free to bust out some more, maybe Dominican food.

Also, specific bars?

- MPM
The Guide to Getting More out of Life
http://www.thegmanifesto.com

[Lumiere]

(08-24-2009 11:15 PM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  

Lumiere,

Thanks for the unreal tips.

I guess Sousa it is.

If cost weren't a factor, would you stay http://www.piergiorgiopalace.com/ vs Casa Valeria? (or some other spot)

Meaning is one better located, more user friendly, no issues with bringing girls back etc than the other?

"There are a LOT of guys from NY that are basically NY gang guys. "

Thanks for the heads up. I am guessing, Dominican hoods? Do they play a factor in swooping girls there? ie mess up the scene?

I love the food tips. Feel free to bust out some more, maybe Dominican food.

Also, specific bars?

- MPM
The Guide to Getting More out of Life
http://www.thegmanifesto.com

Casa Valeria is better located for the bars. Its about 15 seconds from the main drag and even in those 15 seconds you will walk past 2 more bars. I regular brought girls back and they are cool with it. They post a security guard at the front door at night but this is for your protection and NOT to stop you bringing girls back.

I brought two different bar tenders back to my room in one night with no problem at Valeria. First one asked me for $15 for the lay (despite insisting to me that she was not a hooker) so I kicked her out, invited the other one back to my room an hour later and had no such problems.

Also if you just phone them or turn up you should be able to get a room at Valeria in the $30 to $40 a night range (cheaper than the listed price on the link I gave). Get a room at the front of hotel and not one overlooking the pool if I were you. The ones overlooking the pool are nice too but you will need mosquito repellent for those rooms.

No not Dominican hoods, mostly white (but not all) lower class NY gang trash. They go nuts when they see the price of the cheap rum too. I was in a bar there once and there was a bunch of black NY gang guys just HAMMERING on the rum and tequilla. One of them was standing next to me and literally fell unconcious while he was standing up. Hit the floor like a sack of potatoes - BAM !

Dominican food sucks for the most part. Stuff like Mofongo. Avoid.

Only Dominican food I liked was Sancocho which is a really rich soup made with 7 different kinds of meat. Really rich and tasty.

On the same road as Casa Valeria is Rockys which is an insitution there and is THE place to go for ribs. There is an Irish pub next to that which does good deals especially on the daily specials. Tasty burgers.

Apart from that you will find most of you eating options on the main drag and on the street parallel to it. Sosua is only small so it won't take long for you to get a feel of your options there.

[thegmanifesto]

Lumiere,

Excellent tips.

Thank you.

- MPM
The Guide to Getting More out of Life
http://www.thegmanifesto.com

[thegmanifesto]

Lumiere,

Thoughts on going out/staying in Santiago?

I am kind of picking up that the girls are hotter and more upperclass and difficult.

- MPM
The Guide to Getting More out of Life
http://www.thegmanifesto.com

[Lumiere]

Dont know Santiago

[thegmanifesto]

Lumiere,

Got a decision to make.

I was all set on going to cabarete. But, I am going to miami beach which I can only fly to santo domingo.

Or I have to fly back to NYC then fly to puerto plata.

So I can:

1. just go to santo domingo.
2. fly to santo domingo then take a $200 cab to cabarete (I saw this on the internet)
3. fly from miami to nyc to puerto plata (which seems kind of retarted)

Am I missing something?

What do you think is the move?

- MPM
The Guide to Getting More out of Life
http://www.thegmanifesto.com

[Lumiere]

Fly to Santo Domingo.

Take a bus to Sosua / Cabarete (I would recommend Sosua although Cabarete is only 8 mins further down the road so I guess it does not matter).

It's 10 dollars and only 4 hours.

The buses are pretty luxurious (way better than greyhound in the US) but take at least a jacket and long pants because the air conditioning on the bus is pretty aggressive.

Bus company website here : http://www.caribetours.com.do/

Enjoy.