Guide to International ATMs
Everyone wants to make the most of their time abroad, so to help you avoid wasting time worrying whether you have enough pesos in your pocket, I have put together a guide on international ATMs. First, you must choose how you wish to carry your money. There are typically three options when it comes to traveling internationally: 1. Bringing cash. It’s good to have some cash on hand when you first arrive, as you may have to pay for food, a taxi, etc. Though the exchange rates will not be the best, you can exchange money at your home bank or at the airport (exchange rates are usually better at the airport you fly into rather than out of) to hold you over. 2. Bringing a check card. Be sure to notify your bank before traveling abroad, otherwise they may freeze your account when they see a foreign transaction (this is to protect you from identity theft). Also be aware of which international ATM you are using, avoid stand alone international ATMs and ones that are not bank-affiliated. To be safe, you can also check with your hotel for recommended ATMs in the area. As for transaction fees, it varies depending on the bank so be sure to read on and look for your bank’s fees as well as typical international ATM costs. 3. Bringing a credit card. Credit card companies may charge currency conversion fees when you make a purchase (generally 1 percent from Visa or MasterCard plus an additional 1 – 2 percent), however these fees are typically lower than those you’d pay to convert your own currency at a change bureau. Keep in mind depending where you are going in the world, they may not have technology to swipe credit cards everywhere you’d like to buy something, so you may have to pay an international ATM transaction fee as well. Guide to International ATMs Fees: 1. Foreign ATM Fee – Most banks charge a flat fee of $2 – $5 each time you use your card at an international ATM to withdraw foreign currency. It is similar to the costs you incur when you use an ATM that is not affiliated with your bank. Keep in mind it is a flat fee, so it is best to withdraw larger sums of money at a time. For example, if you withdraw foreign currency worth $200 USD and your international fee is $5, you will be charged $205. If you withdraw $100 twice, you’ll pay $10 in fees. 2. Foreign/International Transaction Fee – There is typically a 1% – 3% fee for using your debit card in a foreign currency. The fee is calculated as a percentage of the converted transaction amount and is essentially the same as a credit card foreign transaction fee. For example, if you make a foreign purchase worth $50 USD, and your bank charges you a 3% fee, you will pay an additional $1.50 as a foreign transaction fee. If you are in Cabarete, here at eXtreme hotel we recommend you go to either Banco Popular or Scotia Bank to withdraw money. You can find them on eXtreme Hotel’s map of recommended ATMs in Cabarete. Photos and Guide to International ATMs by Lynsey Wyatt.
Flying in to Puerto Plata (POP)
How to prepare yourself for flying in to Puerto Plata (POP), Dominican Republic If you are planning on coming to the Dominican Republic and you are arriving in the Puerta Plata Airport, here are a few tips that will save you some time, money and confusion. I am originally from Vancouver Island, which is a large island off the coast of British Columbia, Canada. To get to the Cabarete, I normally have to do a circus act of flights to arrive. Vancouver – Newark – Miami – Puerta Plata, Vancouver – San Fran – Miami – Puerta Plata, Vancouver-Toronto – Miami-Puerta Plata…you get the picture. It normally takes me around 36 hours from my door step to get to my final destination. To minimize my headache and travel frustration, I have come to abide by this rules. Tip #1 – Keep Your Carrying Light Nowadays I understand that its costing more and more to check your bags, but when you’re hustling through airports to get to your next gate, you don’t want to me lugging anything heavy or awkward. I also recommend carrying as little as possible. Don’t try to be a hero and think you’ve worked the system by bringing everything on the plane with you. You’ll end up juggling all your shit and be one taking too much time at security, using up the extra seat at the airport bar or picking up your clutter while the rest of us wait behind you. This would bring me Tip #9 – Pack Smart Food! Tip #2 – Get your seat in the front of the plane If you can manage it, change your seat so that you can sit as close to the entrance of the plane as possible. This is important because when it comes to going through Immigration, security or check-ins, the sooner you get off the plane and get there, the shorter the wait. Make sure you also fill out your Immigration papers right away, this will save you time as well. As a side note, I like to board the plane at the very end. I’d much rather stretch my legs and walk around another 20mins then sit inside the sardine tube while negotiating over elbow space. Tip #3 – BRING FOOD! As a rule of life, I bring a snack with me everywhere, but I cant stress how important it is to eat good food while travelling. I swear it is a conspiracy by the American government to rid the country of obesity. In case you haven’t flown in a while, you’re pretty much looking at a bag of pretzel rejects and soda pop to keep you going for the next five hours. They provide small snacks to prevent me from going Lara Croft Kungfu Panda on an unsuspecting steward or stewardess when my blood sugar is about to dip too low. I miss those cute little tv dinners, I’ll never say anything bad about them again, I promise. Tip #4 – Be Prepared to Hit the Heat Wave Depending on where you’re coming from or how well you handle heat, be prepared to hit the hot wall of humidity once you step off the plane in Puerta Plata. This is why I like to layer. Under my travel outfit, I have the perfect Dominican outfit I can strip down to so that I’m not melting when I’m waiting in line for my bags or to get through customs. Tip #5 – Have cash on-hand! There are few things you’ll want to have USD or DOP for. First up, the local cha-cha band greeting you in the POP arrival hallway on your way to customs. Don’t be a dick, give them some change and you’ll have good voodoo during your trip. Next, your Tourist Fee, this will cost you $20. If you stay longer then 14 days, you’ll also have to pay a 500rd fine ($12 USD) on your way out of the country as well. You’ll also have to fill in a form for this (Make sure you have this on-hand with your immigration form which you should have already filled out on the plane). Once you get through customs and you have your bags, you’ll have many official and nonofficial people offering to help you with your bags to get you to a taxi. DO NOT ACCEPT! you are literally 50ft from the exit of the airport where you can get yourself a taxi and not have to pay someone for it. When you first walk-out, you’ll be surrounded by a big “U” shaped crowd of people yelling, chatting and trying to get your attention. Walk straight past them to the road (with confidence and purpose) and grab any taxi. It is a FLAT RATE of $35 to Cabarete. If you are going anywhere else, there is a big board listing the cost to other locations. Normally its $100 to Santiago and $200 to Santo Domingo, but you can always negotiate. Learn more about getting around the Dominican Republic and how to get around Cabarete here! Hope this helps! Bon Voyage! Until next time, Genevieve
Phone Service within Cabarete
Ever need a phone while you’re traveling? Lots of people like to stay connected while on vacation. Whether it’s a way to connect to family back home, new friends met in Cabarete, or a means for your Sanki (sexy Dominican man lover) to call you, a cheap Dominican phone is easy to get and use. The two main phone companies in the Dominican Republic are Claro and Orange. I personally don’t feel that there’s one more effective than the other, and everyone will have their personal opinion, but Claro is better. There are many places that sell phone service within Cabarete, but I prefer going to the Claro store at the end of town near Janets. Why do I like this branch you ask? Well, because the young lady at the counter speaks perfect English and doesn’t hit on me. She’s polite, professional and doesn’t judge me when I’ve lost yet another phone. I mean, It’s not my fault when I leave my phone on a coffee table in a busy place and someone steals it? Or when gravity rips it out of my delicate dancer hands and smashes it on the pavement? No, I didn’t think so either. Anyway, you can buy a cheap phone for 700rd ($18USD) with pay as you go credit or a fancy pantsy phone for 4,000rd ($100) with a contract. If you have an unlocked GSM phone you can just get a SIM card here as well. When you go to buy a phone and SIM card, make sure that you bring your passport- very important and very annoying if you forget it. Once you have your phone, Maria ( the fake name of the English speaking Claro lady) can adjust the setting so your phone speaks English. If not you’ll be pissing yourself every time you need to look at your dictionary to decipher your saving and text options. Last but not least – if you go with a pay-as-you-go credit option (which is the best), you can buy credit almost anywhere. Liquor stores, fruit stands, grocery stores, gas stations and pharmacies. happy calling amigos! Yours truly, Geneveive
Getting Around Town
So you live in a big city. Five day a week grind, coffee, yes. Traffic, to-do lists, stepping on the scale disappointed every time. My back, these bags under my eyes, expensive toaster-slash-oven, I’ll take that to-go and before you know it you’re no fun. Long story short, upgrade your lifestyle with Extreme Fitness Camp. While you’re here, you’ll need to know how to get around town. You’ve three options. Wah-wah (it’s not spelled that way but I’d rather introduce the word to you phonetically or else you’ll say it wrong FOREVER.) Wah-wahs (spelled guagua) are buses that are really just vans stuffed with Dominicans and it’s awesome! It can be hazardous, the more riders, the more profitable the trip, so sometimes the driver must be reminded that he can’t stop for more. But it’s the cheapest, though you usually have to walk along till you see one speeding toward you then wave and hope there’s enough space for half a butt cheek on that thing. It’s about 20 pesos within Cabarete and is the best way to go to farther destinations like Sosua (30 pesos) or Puerto Plata. They’re harder to find at night so plan your trip accordingly. Then there’s taking a carrito or carro publico, they look like taxi’s but it’s the same deal as guagua (they stop for more passengers and fill it up) but in a car, sometimes van. From here (Kite Beach) to town (Cabarete) is around 50 pesos. You say “Cuanto es?” and they should say “seen cuent ah” (50=cincuenta). To catch any ride make sure you’re walking in the direction you want to go to, on the side of the road going that way. There are actual Taxi’s as well if you’re feeling fancy and want a private ride. Definitely more expensive though, it’s about $35 from Puerto Plata Airport-POP to Kite Beach. Best way, because there’s always one of these around, fast, no-stops, they’ll even give you their number so you can call them for a ride back, are the moh-tho-cohn-choh. The oh sound is like the O in orange or “Oh, it’s moto concho but pronounced correctly.” Down side is it’s also most expensive, 50 pesos for a ride into Cabarete. If you’re with a friend you can ride Triple Trouble saying-“lows dose por see-en?” (los dos por cien= both of us for 100?) Ya, three grown human beings on one bike isn’t safe but…well yes it’s definitely not safe. Ladies you really don’t need to be shooting a music video with this guy, just grab the seat under your butt, it feels way more secure anyway. Best advice I can give about anyone on a moto is Sit up straight, slouching isn’t sexy.
Planning Trip to Extreme Hotel
What we want you to know before traveling to Extreme Hotel in Cabarete: Before packing your bag and setting off to join us in paradise, there is some important information we want you to know about Extreme and Cabarete. Staying GREEN The infrastructure in the DR is nothing special, sometimes in Cabarete we have issues with the power and water supply. Extreme’s philosophy on living and lifestyle is to do it ‘green and clean’, we like to apply this to every aspect of our operation. We are proud to say that we now run almost solely on solar power. Why is this great? Because when the city’s power goes out, ours doesn’t! However, blackouts can still occur, so get ready for an Extreme hangout – candles, friends, and a windy Caribbean night. We’ve also have a water reserve tank in case the city’s water runs low. But keep in mind: If it hasn’t rained for a while, or everyone is taking crazy long aromatherapy showers…we might not have water left for the last guy. Oh yea, and in the Caribbean heat, hot water is overrated. We’ve also installed low flow toilets to save water; this means that toilet paper goes in the garbage can. You can also help us save energy by leaving your hair drier and electric razor at home. These items use up at lot power and are redundant in this surfer chic town. So keep in mind that if you show up well groomed every day with fluffy hair, we’re going to put you in a taxi and send you to an all inclusive where they fold your towels into animal shapes and place chocolates on your pillow. You can also get guest brownie points if you help us stay green! Separate your bottlesfrom you garbage, always turn off your lights and fans when you leave the room. Unplug electronic devices when you’re not using them, and if you really want to make us happy we’ve even got a compost in the back where you can put your veggie and fruit peels, but no pressure. A recent New York exec described us as “an upscale hostel, except with your own room .. and its way cooler” – Extreme hotel is set at the foot of a rainforest jungle on a world class kite beach with a permaculture garden on one side, and a flying trapeze on the other. We even have our own aquaponics system which means we grow our own fish and lettuce! Security and Safety We are very serious about security and safetyat Extreme. We’ve got cameras around the property, security guards 24/7 and gates on all the entrances of the hotel. What we need you to do is make sure those gates are always locked. When you check in, we give you two keys, one for your room and one for the security gate. Always make sure the entrance gate is locked behind you. We don’t recommend walking the beach at night, but people still do it. Jewelry, smartphones and loose cash are easy targets. Please note that the hotel enforces a no guests policy, so if you meet someone in the bar, go to their place for after hour parties. Getting around Cabarete Extreme is home to the most popular restaurant on Trip Advisor, Chichigua . There are also plenty of restaurants in town, and going out in Cabarete is a fun and social thing to do. We often take groups out to our favourite places. We like the local places that serve cheap high quality Dominican food. If you’re looking for something special, ask us, as we have a ton of great restaurant recommendations. The great thing about Cabarete is that you can find amazing Italian, German, Thai, Japanese, and Spanish restaurants. To get into downtown Cabarete, we either walk the beach (1.5 miles, 30 min) run (record is 8 minutes) take a moto taxi for 50 pesos (make sure you get on and off the motorcycle on the left side to avoid the hot tail pipe), or you can take a taxi for 250 pesos. Side note: The peso is currently sitting at 38 RD : 1 USD If you don’t feel like going out we can give you some tips on where to pick up groceries for your mini fridge in your room.. Picture avocados the size of footballs, papayas that taste like heaven, golden bananas and passion fruit that will make you cry with joy. We’ll introduce you to some great local exotic fruit that you’ve never seen before, like one of my favorites Guanabanas. In town there are two grocery stores as well as small ‘colmado’ right across the street from us where you can buy produce and beer. Things you’re going to want to bring Cash. We expect payment in full when you arrive. Make sure you have enough to cover your balance in Dominican Pesos, American dollars or Canadian dollars. If you prefer to pay with credit card, it’ll cost you an additional 26%…no fun. Also most places in town don’t accept cards so it’s always best to have cash on you. There are two ATMs in town that we recommend and work well with most foreign bank cards. Your room deposit will be held as a key deposit. When you return your key, we will refund your $50 via paypal, it will be the initial transaction that is refunded. With our free Wi-fi, you can write emails and do work in the comfort of your room or beach side at the Chichigua restaurant. It’s almost always sunny here, so pack your sunscreen and hat. Bring your water bottle because for $3 we provide your room with a five gallon water jug to stay hydrated. Between the hot sun and the active kiting and fitness lifestyle, H20 will be your best friend. This is a surfer chic town, so light casual clothing is best. Flip flops are perfect for any occasions and bathing suit tops are the new bra. Also,
More FAQ
There is a lot of little bits of local knowledge that we are happy to share with you, and it can be a lot to take it. To make it easier, we’ve created this page of good information for you to refer back to during your trip. If there is something you think we should add, then tell us – we are happy to add it! How do I book tours? Ask Genevieve to tell you the options and she will call book your tour. How can I join one of the activities at the hotel? If you are on a hotel and activity package, check in with your respective sport and book your times. Mention that you are on a package. If you want to join one while here, note that each activity is a separate business and needs to be booked and paid for separately unless you are on a package. How do I refill my drinking water? Bring your water bottle to the entrance and inform the Extreme Team and they will gladly sell you a replacement for $100 RD ($2.50 for 5 gallons). If you nice to Scott, he will take his shirt off and deliver it. How do I get to town? Town is a 30 minute walk along the beach (only during the day), or a taxi / guagua / moto taxi ride to town Motos are parked out front. We only use the ones parked there, as we know who they are. Typical costs for a moto taxi are $30-50 RD per person. Yes they will take 3 people on a moto. REMEMBER TO GET ON and OFF FROM THE LEFT SIDE Taxis are also parked out front, only until 9 pm. Taxi cost is $200 Rd to town for the taxi, and you can fit up to 7 people Gua guas pass on a regular basis during rush hours and less regular on off hours. Cost is $20 RD per person to Cabarete or Sosua. It’s a small car with a little sign on top. How do I open the gate up the stairs? The gate and security was designed by a Navy Seal (no kidding!) Each entrance is covered by a security camera, and it’s backed up online for months (have to love free storage). To get through the gate, use your key and turn it towards the Mountain side (vs the beach side). Remember NO GUESTS What does no guests mean? It means no one who is not registered and signed into the hotel with proper identification is allowed into the hotel. This is for your protection as well as ours. If it’s true love, then they will wait until the next day. I need more toilette paper, where can I find some? Every floor has a closet at the end of the hallway stocked with toilette paper, a plunger and other cleaning supplies, feel free to help yourself. Why does my toilet keep getting clogged? Not sure how to put this, so I’ll just say it. It’s an old building and the plumbing is not designed for foreign objects (large amounts of toilet paper, tampons, hair clips, suntan lotion bottles .. you would be surprised) … please don’t put anything but toilet paper in the toilet, use a minimal amount of toilet paper and flush often (vs one big one), or just put your toilet paper in the basket beside the toilet. Is it possible to extend my stay? It is possible, however you will have to visit our management team in the office/gym to confirm the availability. I need to speak to Genevieve, how can I reach her? Extreme is a little different than other places- staff double as athletes / instructors and are often busy practicing or teaching an activity. Although they are not always around, the are always available. You always reach any of our team members by emailing info@extremehotels.com or by leaving her a message on Skype: extremehotels . You can also find her phone number on the sign on the front gate,or try the office. Where is the office? The office is in the gym behind the wall – think wizard of oz. After hours try the left gate next to the stairs. Office hours are 10 – 4 pm, closed when the wind blows, and money/bookings and office type stuff is normally only done during office hours. Nothing much happens on Sundays – For an emergency, talk to one of the guards or any of the staff from any of the activities. I need to exchange money, where can I do that? The best place to exchange money in Cabarete is at Wally’s, located in the downtown core of Cabarete on the mountain side of the highway. If you need to take money out from a ATM or bank machine, we recommend that you go only to Scotia Bank or Bank Popular. Keep in mind that these banks will only let you take out 10,000RD ($250 USD) at a time. What do I do with my keys when I’m checking out? There are two iron gates in the main entrance of the hotel, the one on the right opens to the stairs to the second floor, the one on the left leads to Genevieve’s room. Before leaving, throw the keys under the LEFT gate. How safe is Cabarete? Cabarete is a safe place, however it is important to remember that you are in a foreign country and the rules of the law are different. One should act in a smart and respectful manner to avoid any altercations. It is always better to walk in a group, especially at night. When going out in the evening, it best to leave everything valuable at the hotel and only carry cash. DO NOT GO OUT WITH YOUR IPHONE! It’s sunny and we are solar. Why is there no power? Probably because someone tried to plug in a blow drier and/or an electric kettle. I’m sure