ive been in thailand 14 years, now i fancy dominica...advice please

1. where to live, best area for foreigners
There is no best area. It will depend on you. Larger groups of foreigners live in Santo Domingo (the capital city), and the beach (Punta Cana, Puerto Plata, Cabrera, Samana, La Romana, Juan Dolio, Boca Chica, with less in southwestern Barahona and Pedernales and mountain areas (Jarabacoa and Contanza).

2. is it really that dangerous, i can look after myself and far from naive but ...………

I would not say "it really is that dangerous." There are areas where security is less a concern. I know people who leave their doors open in Casa de Campo in La Romana. But take precautions as you would in a big city. Consider a gated community or condominium for shared security.


3. cost of living compared to say colombia. cost for 1 bedroom apartment in city. studio apartment with internet per month ?
Figure US$300 rental on the low side and US$1,000 on the upper side.

4. dress code. while in thailand i have never put a pair of jeans on in 14 years, too damn hot, what to wear ?
If you live in Punta Cana, La Romana, Samana… you can get away with shorts… in the cities, not so. In the cities shorts are a go for Sundays, but depending on who you are visiting you could go in shorts.

5. meeting woman, whats the custom, how to approach etc.
I don't think the customs here are very different than in Europe, for instance. Have always been impressed with how similar AFS exchange students from Europe are with Dominican youths.
If you are looking for sex for pay, the market works in your favor.

6. cost of night out at a decent bar ?
Again, all depends. There are places in the so-called Poligono Central of Santo Domingo that could cost you RD$10,000 a night out with a girl. Am sure Coco Bongo in Punta Cana will cost you over US$150 for a night out. But there are many others where you could sit down to a chat for cheap in a "colmadon" or liquor store for the cost of the bottle or drink -- RD$1,000.

deemaxxx said:

hi,

as i say i have been in thailand and cambodia for years now but thai government is making this difficult for foreigners to live there hence im thinking about dominica. i was looking into colombia.

so saying hello , i would love any sound advice such as.

1. where to live, best area for foreigners

2. is it really that dangerous, i can look after myself and far from naive but ............

3. cost of living compared to say colombia. cost for 1 bedroom apartment in city. studio apartment with internet per month ?

4. dress code. while in thailand i have never put a pair of jeans on in 14 years, too damn hot, what to wear ?

5. meeting woman, whats the custom, how to approach etc.

6. cost of night out at a decent bar ?

sorry for all the questions but really need to ask.

im from belfast in ireland btw. thankyou

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Welcome to Wonderland.
Having lived in both Thailand and sCambodia, I strongly suggest you plan/ do a 3 to 6 month vacation
down here before making the move to this side of the planet.

Dolores said:

If you live in Punta Cana, La Romana, Samana? you can get away with shorts? in the cities, not so. In the cities shorts are a go for Sundays, but depending on who you are visiting you could go in shorts.

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I live in Santo Domingo and I always wear shorts. I put my jeans on maybe once a year when I need to go to some government office.

There are those that will say that in order to be accepted in the country, you will have to learn to control perspiring while wearing dress pants and a long sleeved shirt on a 90 degree day. Only tourists wear shorts and sandles, etc. In that case I will never be accepted. And so it goes.

If you think that the Thai government makes it difficult to live there , then I would suggest that you will find the DR worse. Thailand has a good programme for foreign retirees to live there even if they have minimum income and assets. The DR has no retirees plan. In Thailand you are limited on what properties a foreigner can own not so in the DR . If you have not put on a pair of jeans, and I assume you mean pants of any time ,for 14 years , then I just wonder what you are looking for in the DR .
From what you write I think that Thailand is better for you than here ,

You have mucho homework to do. Don't leap without looking. Bad move.

Like any other subject on this forum you can take your questions with a grain (or more) of salt.

I have lived here for 9 years. Here is my take for what its worth:

Where to live depends on what you are looking for and if you prefer big cities or hanging out at the beach. Since you have a preference for shorts any beach area might do better however as someone pointed out shorts are ok, even in the bigger cities (Santo Domingo and Santiago) but depending on where you go you will get some strange looks. If it doesn't bother you then don't sweat it.

Crime to me is played up. I had one bad experience when I put myself in the wrong place at the wrong time. I know better but in 9 years I only made that mistake once. Don't be flashy, (no bling) and be aware is 90% of the answer to avoiding problems.

My brother has lived in Thailand for years and, yes if you qualify for a retirement visa, it makes it easy but prior to him being old enough it was a MUCH bigger issue in Thailand than it is here. Recently laws have changed but most of us realize it was primarily meant for the Haitian population. You over stay your visa, then you pay the tax / penalty when you leave the country.

Meeting women - Difficult to exclude pay to play since you are almost ALWAYS paying but it is about as difficult as breathing. (assuming you don't have asthma).
My brother has visited twice and although he likes it he still prefers Thailand (he is big into darts).

Come over and check it out.

Best of luck to you!

Welcome to DR 1. Dominica it's not.

http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-livin...2=Colombia&city1=Santo+Domingo&city2=Medellin

Indices Difference Info
Consumer Prices in Medellin are 46.54% lower than in Santo Domingo
Consumer Prices Including Rent in Medellin are 48.28% lower than in Santo Domingo
Rent Prices in Medellin are 54.77% lower than in Santo Domingo
Restaurant Prices in Medellin are 51.65% lower than in Santo Domingo
Groceries Prices in Medellin are 47.12% lower than in Santo Domingo
Local Purchasing Power in Medellin is 100.26% higher than in Santo Domingo

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greydread said:

http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-livin...2=Colombia&city1=Santo+Domingo&city2=Medellin

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Time to head to Medellin!!!

deemaxxx said:

hi,

as i say i have been in thailand and cambodia for years now but thai government is making this difficult for foreigners to live there hence im thinking about dominica. i was looking into colombia.

so saying hello , i would love any sound advice such as.

1. where to live, best area for foreigners

2. is it really that dangerous, i can look after myself and far from naive but ............

3. cost of living compared to say colombia. cost for 1 bedroom apartment in city. studio apartment with internet per month ?

4. dress code. while in thailand i have never put a pair of jeans on in 14 years, too damn hot, what to wear ?

5. meeting woman, whats the custom, how to approach etc.

6. cost of night out at a decent bar ?

sorry for all the questions but really need to ask.

im from belfast in ireland btw. thankyou

Click to expand...

My two bits for what it's worth. Rather than rent or buy, I chose to get a membership in a resort. It's not a
timeshare and I can stay there as long as I want. I get a small villa and my only daily cost is for food and booze. You can explore from there, decide if you want to stay long term, and then decide if you want to rent or buy.

As for female companionship, staying at a resort allows you access to women from the UK, Europe, Canada, and the USA. As they are there for a week or two, the relationships tend to be short lived if you like that sort of thing.
Relationships with DR women can be more complicated as they have extended families. I've had a few during thesix years I've been spending my winters here. I've enjoyed them and still delight in their company. Prostitution
is legal here. If you want to go down that route, there are lots of opportunities to do so.

The DR is an incredible place with a diverse culture, friendly people, and safe and not so safe areas. Keep an
open mind, respect the people and the culture, and you will truly appreciate what this country has to offer.

By the way, I'm from Newfoundland Canada which has a large percentage of people of Irish descent. We are
closer to Ireland than we are to British Columbia, on Canada's west coast. If you walk down Water Street in St.
John's you swear you were walking down the streets of Dublin. Pubs on every corner with bands playing
traditional Irish music, etc.

May you be a half an hour in heaven before the devil knows your dead!

Garyexpat said:

Time to head to Medellin!!!

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The food, transportation, some services, are way off the reality ...
meaning they are waay higher.

deemaxxx said:

hi,

as i say i have been in thailand and cambodia for years now but thai government is making this difficult for foreigners to live there hence im thinking about dominica. i was looking into colombia.

so saying hello , i would love any sound advice such as.

1. where to live, best area for foreigners

2. is it really that dangerous, i can look after myself and far from naive but ............

3. cost of living compared to say colombia. cost for 1 bedroom apartment in city. studio apartment with internet per month ?

4. dress code. while in thailand i have never put a pair of jeans on in 14 years, too damn hot, what to wear ?

5. meeting woman, whats the custom, how to approach etc.

6. cost of night out at a decent bar ?

sorry for all the questions but really need to ask.

im from belfast in ireland btw. thankyou

Click to expand...

I think you probably mean the Dominican Republic. The other place you mentioned is a small island in the Carribean. Do you speak any Spanish? Coming to the DR is also a complicated process if you plan on being here permanently. You will need to apply for residency to be here legally. If you hold an Irish passport than you would need to get a number of documents from there, including a criminal background check with digital fingerprints. Go on line and check out all of the requirements. It doesn't sound like finding women will be a problem but finding the DR might.

It's always refreshing to read two pages after a "One Hit Wonder OP"?

Are you trying to say "arrived" here?

AlterEgo said:

First of all, DR1 is for the Dominican Republic, not Dominica, which is a totally different island.

Second of all, in the event you really DO want the Dominican Republic, be aware that DR1 is not a "chica site", so please keep your questions regarding them to a minimum.

Third of all, if you plan to live in DR, you'll need residency, which needs to begin in your home country.

Finally, Welcome to DR1!

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you can ask about lov breahups how to meet them but only the good girlls

Maybe it's foodie side of me asking this but with wonderful food scene over there and near by, why would anyone wants to move to DR from SEA? They have similar tropical weather and cost is relativity cheap but food ans spices are night and day compare to DR. If I was getting same pay, I would not hesitate to move there, I would be there in heart beat.

Gringo Starr said:

I live in Santo Domingo and I always wear shorts. I put my jeans on maybe once a year when I need to go to some government office.

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Not Dominica related.