Caribe Tours is an excellent and economical way to travel between cities in the Dominican Republic. I used Caribe Tours to get to and from Santiago from Sosua. The published rate for that trip at the taxi stands was $35 US. A "helpful" driver quoted me a bargain rate of 1200 pesos which is only a few dollars less. My bus ticket was only 70 pesos, or less than $2 US.

You'll still probably need a taxi ride at both ends, but you'll still save a lot of money.

The buses are large and airconditioned with comfortable seats. They have television monitors mounted on the ceiling and play movies during the trip. I was told the buses have bathrooms, but I didn't need it so I didn't check.

The ride between Sosua and Santiago runs every hour and takes about 90 minutes including a short stop in Puerto Plata. The bus runs all the way to Santo Domingo on the south Coast.

If you can read Spanish, you can get more information from their website at:
http://www.caribetours.com.do/

The first photo above is the outside of the Sosua terminal. Here is a photo of the Santiago terminal when coming from or going to Sosua.

I found the brochure I grabbed.

Caribe Tours Santiago Sosua
Aut. Pto. Plata-Sosua esq Los Charamicos
Tel: 571-3808

Caribe Tours Puerto Plata
Calle Camino Real esq Eugenio Kunhardt
Tel: 586-4544

Caribe Tours Santiago Las Colinas
27 de Febrero esq Las Americas
Tel: 576-0790

Caribe Tours Santiago Los Jardines
27 de Febrero esq Las Maimon
Tel: 241-1414

Caribe Tours Santo Domingo
27 de Febrero esq Leopaldo Navarro
Tel: 221-4422

When I was going from Santiago to Santo Domingo, I was dropped off at the Los Jardines terminal. It's smaller than the Las Colinas terminal pictured above. I also found it harder to understand the announcements of the bus arrivals, so I recommend paying more careful attention when leaving from here.

My tickets between Santiago and Santo Domingo ran 140 pesos, less than $3 US at the current exchange rate. The 2.5 hours in the comfortable, air-conditioned bus breezed by quickly.

Santo Domingo Terminal
This is located at a very busy intersection. I had no problem getting in and out quickly, but you may want to not cut it close just in case.

Anyone know if Caribe operates a SD-LRM route? I don't see it on their website (Horarios desde SD), nor did I receive a reply to my email to them.

I was wondering how caribe tours handles luggage are they pretty reliable? or am I better off packing really light I'm thinking of coming in from sdq into sousa

I recently rode two routes on Caribe Tours. Santo Domingo to Sosua for 360 DOP with a travel time of 5 hours and 15 minutes.

I also rode Santiago to Santo Domingo for 280 DOP with a travel time of 3 hours and 15 minutes.

For Sosua to Santiago I had used the Metro Bus company because it was more convenient with it's Sosua location. Had I known about it at the time, I would also have used them to travel from Santo Domingo to Sosua. However, for going to Santo Domingo, I'd recommend Caribe Tours because of it's location.

I hope that wasn't confusing...basically going to Santo Domingo, take Caribe Tours...going to Sosua, take Metro Bus.

Regarding the luggage question, you put it underneath the bus at the start of your trip. I was uncomfortable with this because the bus makes a few stops and people take their luggage out. There is no ticket system or any kind of tracking to prevent someone from taking your bag if you are not there to stop them from doing so. I don't think theft happens often because most people didn't seem to worry about it at all, but I wouldn't put anything of significant value down there. I travel light and always use the overhead compartments on the inside of the bus which are comparable in size to airplane compartments, maybe a little bit smaller, but few other people use it so unless you have thick cases you should have no problems with space.

Caribe Tours is mentioned in 2014/02 Camaro1257 - Camaro's view of Santo Domingo

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quote:

• Caribe Tours
I took the Metro from Sosua to Santo Domingo so I decided to take Caribe Tours from Santo Domingo to Sosua on my return trip in order to compare the difference. The difference between the two services is that Caribe tours buses are more comfortable both in ride and in seating because the seats had more cushion. In addition Caribe Tours gives a ticket for your luggage, they played movies and the bus runs more frequently than the Metro. The disadvantage is Caribe Tours stopped in La Vega, 2 stops in Santiago, Inbert and Puerto Plata before you disembark in Charimecos at the edge of Sosua. The trip was approximately 5 hours.

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For the record;
I was surprized there is not per say a caribe tours bus station in sosua; all they have is a very small office on the side of the road in charamicos (on the edge of town of sosua).
I just got off on the side of the road and you would see the small office across the road. there you would go to buy your ticket back to santo domingo. so no station, no seating chairs, no nothing!!!
the buses would go just a little farther down the road and then turn around if not continued to cabarete. once they get back to sosua, they would stop at the side of the road to load up passengers and luggage.
Only when you get to puerto plata, you will see a full fledge bus station, bigger than life !!!!!
I was told caribe tours is going to build a station in sosua but since this is the DR, probably would take at least 20 years or so for that to be a reality !!!

For the record;
There is not per say a bus station in sosua, just a small office on the side of the road, where you get off and get your luggage.
This is in charamicos (on the edge of sosua town). the bus would continue to cabarete or after a little farther down the road it would turn around and come back. once it gets back to sosua it would stop on the side of the road to load up passengers and luggage. you buy your tickets in that little office and wait for the bus on the side of the road.
Once you get to puerto plata, you would see a full fledge bus station there.
I was told a full station is in the works but knowing this is DR, it would probably take another 20 years !!!!

MP