When planning your trip to Cabarete, one of the first things you will do is look for a flight. There are several international airports in the country of the Dominican Republic, but Puerto Plata International Airport (POP) is the closest to Cabarete, 20-30 minutes away. To keep things simple, this article will focus on getting to our condos from the Puerto Plata Airport, but we will take some time in future articles to explain how to get here from the other airports, namely Punta Cana, Santiago, and Santo Domingo.
Local’s Tip: You might be wooed by the prices these other airports offer but keep in mind there are other expenses and things to consider when making a choice. The ride from other airports can take 3-9 hours!
Before you land:
You will be given 2 forms on the plane to fill out. They will ask for basic information like business or pleasure, passport number, address to where you are staying, etc.
What to expect when you arrive:
The weather in Cabarete averages about 80°F (27°C). So, be prepared for a change in temperature and air quality. Once you get off the plane, a singing band of locals, and more often than not, a tasting of Brugal rum will greet you in the hallway that leads to customs. The airport is very, very small, so baggage claim and immigration is a breeze and take barely any time at all.
Local’s Tip: As tempting as it may seem, we suggest that you only exchange a small amount of money for Dominican Pesos at the airport. The exchange rate tends to be a little aggressive. Once you arrive at our condos, our front desk will be able to provide you with directions to an option with a better exchange rate within walking distance.
Another Local’s Tip: There are many porters who want to help with your luggage, if you don’t need help just say, “no, gracias”. They can be very persistent, so just smile and keep walking. If you do want their help, it is not free but there is no set price. These gentleman work on “propinas” (Spanish for tips). Depending on the amount of luggage, RD$50-RD$100 is generally pretty fair.
Getting from the airport to our condos:
There are a plethora of options when it comes to getting from the airport to our condos and your choice might vary depending on how much luggage you have, how much money you have, and how adventurous you are. The easiest and most comfortable option is hopping in a taxi van and this is what we suggest. It will cost about $35-38USD for the trip (not per person). We can arrange this option for you in advance and we will have one waiting for you when you at the exit gate when you arrive, or you can walk right outside and pick your own from dozens who will be happy to cart you to our front door.
Alternatively, you can choose from an assortment of public transportation options including taking a guagua, a carrito, or a motoconcho. For all 3 of these, you will need to walk to the street to hail your ride, so this is only suggested for those traveling very light. Either of the options will cost you RD$20-RD$50 (less than one US Dollar) and will take from 30-40 minutes. We have laid out each of these options in more detail in our Cabarete public transportation guide.
We hope you found this article useful and if you have any more questions, feel free to shoot us an email at info@cabaretecondos.com. *Keep in mind that prices are subject to change, as we are not the ones who set them.