The capital city of the Dominican Republic, Puerto Plata is known for its white sand beaches and local shopping. Most people visiting the city choose to stay at the all-inclusive resorts on the beach. An all-inclusive might not be your most frugal option, but there are a number of ways to sleep cheap in Puerto Plata.
Find out what interests you most about Puerto Plata. Visit La Isabela, a town founded by Columbus when he touched down in the Dominican Republic. Playa Dorada features Puerto Plata's most desirable beaches. Shop at the market which is geared more toward locals than to tourists.
Visit Sosua if you want to shop in a tourists area in addition to the local market. Sosua plays home to a number of resorts and hotels that are reasonably cheap.
Hone your negotiation skills, as almost anything is up for negotiation in Puerto Plata and most of the Dominican Republic, from lodgings to goods to bus fare.
Fly into Puerto Plata via Gregorio Luperon International Airport, located 15 km east of the city.
Plan your travel between the city proper and the surrounding resorts and hotels. A bus is the cheapest but slowest option. There are also gua-guas, which are part of an unorganized collective of minivans providing discount transportation for the masses.
Stay in a guest house of high quality for around $70. Some guest houses can cost as little as $15 per night. Be certain that a very cheap guest house is close enough to the attractions you want to see and far enough away from crime-ridden areas.
Consider staying at one of Puerto Plata's many all-inclusive resorts, even if the the per night cost is higher than staying at a hotel. Many all-inclusives in Playa Dorada feature 4-star quality accommodations and all-you-can-eat buffets. If you can find a promotional rate of around $100-$140 per night, then you would be staying in a 4-star quality hotel for 2-star prices (after you deduct the savings on food costs). All-inclusive resorts can also feature evening entertainment well worth the extra money.
Stay a short distance from Puerto Plata and find cheap accommodations there. The nearby town of Sousa has hotels that are cheaper, on average.
