Title: Playa Dorada, Sosúa and Cabarete transfers from Santiago (STI) 2026 Locale: en Canonical HTML URL: https://stivip.com/en/guides/playa-dorada-sosua-cabarete-transfers-from-sti Updated: August 2026 Author: STI dispatch desk, Santiago de los Caballeros Operator: STI VIP — A&M Caribbean Group SRL # Playa Dorada, Sosúa and Cabarete: transfers from STI Answer first · updated September 2026 · written by the dispatch desk ## Direct answer Puerto Plata, Playa Dorada, Sosúa and Cabarete have distinct hotel destinations. Use the exact property on the booking form to match the zone and avoid applying one coastal fare to a different town. VIP prices are one-way, per vehicle for 1–6 passengers. Taxes included. Santiago $59; La Vega $89; Jarabacoa $149; Puerto Plata $145; Sosúa $159; Cabarete $169 USD. VIP 7–14: +$40 USD. Prices are one-way, per vehicle, taxes included, 1–6 passengers. 7–14 passengers move to a van: VIP +40 on local zones. Private only — no shared seats, no night surcharge, no prepayment to hold. Rate list updated August 2026. ## Three coastal towns, one road north Puerto Plata, Sosúa and Cabarete sit along the same stretch of the Dominican Republic's north coast, in that order heading east, and most transfers from STI use the same route out of Santiago before splitting toward the specific resort. Playa Dorada is the resort strip just east of Puerto Plata city, home to Casa Colonial Beach & Spa, Viva Heavens by Wyndham, Blue Jack Tar and the Playa Dorada Golf hotels (VH Gran Ventana Beach Resort, VH Atmosphere). Puerto Plata itself has Marien Puerto Plata, Lifestyle Tropical Beach Resort, Cofresí Palm Beach & Spa and Emotions by Hodelpa. Sosúa, centred on El Batey and Los Charamicos above Sosúa bay, has Casa Marina Beach & Reef, Sosúa Bay Beach Resort, Piergiorgio Palace Hotel and Sosúa by the Sea Boutique Beach Resort. Cabarete, further east, is built around Kite Beach, Bozo Beach, Encuentro and La Boca, with hotels including Millennium Resort & Spa, Viva Tangerine, Natura Cabana Boutique Hotel & Spa, Kite Beach Hotel, Extreme Hotel and Velero Beach Resort. ## The drive from STI: route and what the road is like From Cibao International Airport the car heads north on the Gregorio Luperón highway, climbing over the Cordillera Septentrional pass before descending toward the coast at Puerto Plata. It is a good, mostly divided road with real elevation change, so the drive takes a bit longer than the straight-line distance suggests. Plan 60 to 80 minutes to Puerto Plata and Playa Dorada, 75 to 95 minutes to Sosúa, and 85 to 105 minutes to Cabarete. Add ten to fifteen minutes in heavy rain over the mountain pass. The distances and drive times page lists every zone from STI if you want to compare with Jarabacoa or La Vega on the other side of the province. ## Resort entrances and giving the exact property name Playa Dorada is a gated resort complex with a shared entrance road serving multiple hotels, so the exact property name matters — the guard checks it before waving the car through. Puerto Plata's standalone hotels like Marien Puerto Plata have their own driveways. In Sosúa, El Batey and the bayfront hotels are straightforward drop-offs; if you are staying in a villa above the bay, send the community name and gate contact ahead of time. Cabarete's hotels line the beach road rather than sitting behind a single checkpoint, so the driver needs the exact hotel name to find the right entrance among several similarly named properties along Kite Beach. ## Why a shared shuttle hurts on this route specifically On a 25-minute run within Santiago a shared shuttle costs a little time. On an 85-to-105-minute run to Cabarete it costs a lot. Shuttles fill with passengers heading to several resorts along the same coast, then work down the road in order — the last stop can lose 30 to 40 minutes on top of an already long drive, after a long flight. There is also the wait before departure. A shared vehicle leaves when it is full; a private car leaves when you are in it. We do not sell shared seats. ## Cabarete: kitesurf gear and the kite beaches Cabarete's Kite Beach and Bozo Beach are the reason many travellers make the 85-to-105-minute drive from STI rather than stopping at Sosúa. Encuentro, a little further east, is the wave-sailing and surf beach; La Boca sits at the river mouth with calmer water for beginners. Kite gear needs space: a board bag around 140 to 150 centimetres no longer fits diagonally in a VIP vehicle alongside luggage. One kite bag with light packing can work in the VIP car with seats adjusted; two or more bags mean the van, at the standard $20/$40 surcharge. Tell dispatch the bag length when you book. The kitesurf season runs strongest from roughly December to August, with the steadiest trade winds in the June-to-August stretch — the season and weather guide has the month-by-month detail. ## Which airport should you fly into for the north coast? Cibao International (STI) is usually the better choice even though Puerto Plata (POP) sits closer to the coast: STI has a deeper US flight network, and the 60-to-105-minute fixed-price transfer is a known, comfortable drive. POP is worth it only when a direct flight lands there with a genuinely better fare or schedule. The which-airport guide compares STI, POP, SDQ and PUJ in full, with drive times to every destination. ## Prices, vehicles and what is included One way, per vehicle, one to six passengers, taxes included: Puerto Plata / Playa Dorada $145 VIP; Sosúa $159 VIP; Cabarete $169 VIP. VIP is a modern air-conditioned car or minivan. VIP is a luxury SUV or executive van. Seven to fourteen passengers go in a van, which adds $20 to the VIP rate and $40 to VIP. Car seats are free, and bottled water is in the vehicle. Flight tracking, meet-and-greet with a name sign inside STI arrivals, and waiting time are all included — nothing is metered. Round trips get 5% off the combined fare. ## The return: leave earlier than you think Going home from Cabarete or Sosúa, plan the lobby pickup 3.5 to 4.5 hours before your STI departure, because you are adding a 75-to-105-minute drive over the pass to the normal airport routine. From Playa Dorada or Puerto Plata it is slightly less. Book both legs at the same time — it is one message, the price is the same fixed rate in each direction, and it avoids arranging an early lobby pickup the night before. ## Booking it Send the arrival date, flight number, exact resort name, number of passengers, suitcases and any car seats or kite bags to WhatsApp +1 849 377 5889. You get a written confirmation with the fixed price, the vehicle and the meeting point in STI arrivals. Payment is in cash to the driver or by card. Nothing is charged when you book. ## FAQ ### How long is the transfer from Santiago airport to Cabarete? 85 to 105 minutes, heading north over the Cordillera Septentrional pass on the Gregorio Luperón highway. The fixed price is $169 VIP per vehicle, taxes included. ### How much is a transfer from STI to Playa Dorada or Sosúa? Playa Dorada is $145 VIP, and Sosúa is $159 VIP, one way per vehicle for one to six passengers. Vans for seven to fourteen passengers add $40 VIP. ### Should I fly into Puerto Plata (POP) instead of Santiago for the north coast? Not usually. STI generally has better US fares and schedules, and the 60-to-105-minute fixed-price transfer is a comfortable, well-known drive. POP is worth it mainly when a direct flight there beats STI on price or schedule. ### Can I bring kitesurf gear on the transfer to Cabarete? Yes. One kite bag around 140–150 centimetres usually fits a VIP vehicle with luggage; two or more bags need the van. Tell dispatch the bag length when you book so the right vehicle is waiting. ### When is kitesurf season in Cabarete? Roughly December to August, with the steadiest trade winds from June to August. The season and weather guide has the month-by-month wind pattern. ### How early should we leave Cabarete for a flight from STI? Plan the lobby pickup 3.5 to 4.5 hours before departure, covering the 85-to-105-minute drive plus the normal airport routine. Book the return at the same time as the arrival to lock in the timing. ## Related pages - [Full price list](https://stivip.com/en/prices) - [How pickup works](https://stivip.com/en/how-it-works) - [FAQ](https://stivip.com/en/faq) - [Uber at STI airport](https://stivip.com/en/guides/uber-at-sti-airport) - [Taxi vs private transfer](https://stivip.com/en/guides/taxi-vs-private-transfer) - [Shared shuttle vs private](https://stivip.com/en/guides/shared-shuttle-vs-private) - [Transfer times by destination](https://stivip.com/en/guides/transfer-times-from-sti) ## Contact WhatsApp +1 849 377 5889 · info@cana.tours · STI VIP (A&M Caribbean Group SRL), Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic.