- Thread starter Lulla
- Start date
Aussi looking for the right lil beach town, culture, beauty, food n dance!!!
- Status
I don't think the OP expressed any disdain for working chicas, but concern about sex trafficking which is a crime. Adult women choosing the trade is a different story, but as a woman myself, too much of it on your face gets a bit tiring soon.
I think Lulla would like Cabarete as a cosmopolitan small town, but she won't find the "restaurants and beach bars selling local food" Local food is available in one or two beach restaurants and elsewhere in Cabarete but this is a tourist town and restaurants cater to tourists and expats. Most Cabarete locals don't precisely have the means for eating out.
Art, culture and social justice you say. Sosua has a Casa de Art, loads of culture, our own museum, 10 minutes to international airport and the friendliest people. Calm clean bay beach for swimming, decent private hospital and shady tree lined streets. Samana Peninsula while beautiful is very remote. Cabarete (15 minute drive from Sosua) drowns a fair number of tourists in the ocean and has a narrow dangerous highway for a main street with high priced touristy restaurants. The girls will leave you strictly alone and a friend told me some of them are very very nice if you give them a chance. Good luck
To the OP:
First, welcome to DR1!
You've gotten some pretty solid advice thus far. First and foremost, rent - for a while - before you buy anything. It is extremely easy to purchase property in the DR, and hard to sell it.
That said, to your questions, the three best beaches catering to international travelers (and thus your best shots for achieving some rental income) are Punta Cana/Bavaro, Cabarete and Las Terrenas. All have their pros and cons to them, but the only way to really know what works for you is to visit them. I'd spend 4-6 weeks in each location, and try to gauge which spot is best for you.
Punta Cana/Bavaro is pretty much the heart of the all-inclusive industry in the DR. Lots and lots of amazing resorts, and the beaches are very beautiful. Not a really bustling expat community as it's a bit spread out, but you'll find it's pretty Americanized in terms of shopping and restaurants and what-not.
Cabarete is the wind/kitesurfing capital of the universe. It has a long, crescent-shaped beach which is good for walking and swimming, though the water can sometimes be a bit rough. Tons of beach restaurants and bars serving a younger clientele. The town itself is a bit small, but I'd consider it part of the North Coast Complex, which runs from Puerto Plata to Sosua, through Cabarete and Gaspar Hernandez, and on to Cabrera. It's a bunch of small and interesting towns, some touristy, others not so much, but folks are constantly shuttling back and forth.
Las Terrenas is, IMHO, the prettiest spot on the island. It has postcard-perfect beaches and waterfalls, and a cool little town to boot. Although most expats are Germans, French and Italian, Spanish is universally spoken, and most europeans who travel can speak quite a bit of English, so you should get by just fine. It is the most remote and has the least infrastructure of the three, but for many people that's a major positive.
Because they are all in touristy areas, the cost of living can vary enormously (from studios in aparta-hotels to mega-mansions), so it's hard to give you a sense of costs without knowing your lifestyle expectations. That said, public transportation is the most challenging in Punta Cana, and easier in the other areas. Locally-sourced food should cost about the same.
I'll leave it to others to talk about the NGOs, but would encourage you to spend your first four months to focus on learning the language and getting a general sense of the area. Trust me, that will take a while, and will prepare you for doing charitable work later.
Either way, best of luck!
First, welcome to DR1!
You've gotten some pretty solid advice thus far. First and foremost, rent - for a while - before you buy anything. It is extremely easy to purchase property in the DR, and hard to sell it.
That said, to your questions, the three best beaches catering to international travelers (and thus your best shots for achieving some rental income) are Punta Cana/Bavaro, Cabarete and Las Terrenas. All have their pros and cons to them, but the only way to really know what works for you is to visit them. I'd spend 4-6 weeks in each location, and try to gauge which spot is best for you.
Punta Cana/Bavaro is pretty much the heart of the all-inclusive industry in the DR. Lots and lots of amazing resorts, and the beaches are very beautiful. Not a really bustling expat community as it's a bit spread out, but you'll find it's pretty Americanized in terms of shopping and restaurants and what-not.
Cabarete is the wind/kitesurfing capital of the universe. It has a long, crescent-shaped beach which is good for walking and swimming, though the water can sometimes be a bit rough. Tons of beach restaurants and bars serving a younger clientele. The town itself is a bit small, but I'd consider it part of the North Coast Complex, which runs from Puerto Plata to Sosua, through Cabarete and Gaspar Hernandez, and on to Cabrera. It's a bunch of small and interesting towns, some touristy, others not so much, but folks are constantly shuttling back and forth.
Las Terrenas is, IMHO, the prettiest spot on the island. It has postcard-perfect beaches and waterfalls, and a cool little town to boot. Although most expats are Germans, French and Italian, Spanish is universally spoken, and most europeans who travel can speak quite a bit of English, so you should get by just fine. It is the most remote and has the least infrastructure of the three, but for many people that's a major positive.
Because they are all in touristy areas, the cost of living can vary enormously (from studios in aparta-hotels to mega-mansions), so it's hard to give you a sense of costs without knowing your lifestyle expectations. That said, public transportation is the most challenging in Punta Cana, and easier in the other areas. Locally-sourced food should cost about the same.
I'll leave it to others to talk about the NGOs, but would encourage you to spend your first four months to focus on learning the language and getting a general sense of the area. Trust me, that will take a while, and will prepare you for doing charitable work later.
Either way, best of luck!
Welcome to dr1!! I think the Samana/ LT area sounds like what you are looking for but I would try Cabarete out as well even though there is a lot of prostitution around.
Rent in the areas you are looking for a few months if possible before buying
Good luck!!
Rent in the areas you are looking for a few months if possible before buying
Good luck!!
Not sure what budget you have ? With Cabarete a house walking distance to the beach is more expensive (like anywhere). If you have to drive to the beach then the person renting needs a vehicle or take a lot of taxis.
The main street is busy in Cabatete so that part doesn't have the lil beach town feel to it. You can parallel park if you can find an open spot or pay to park. Leaving a paid parking lot there you do have to worry about people speeding.
Electricity is expensive. So you would have to worry about electric cost or charge that seperate.
I am not sure at what point owning would be a good investment. There are a lot of places to rent in the DR from apartments to villas. A lot of them you can negotiate the price down.
As far as a moped in most of the DR some people will take the risk and some won't. But most of the DR people drive crazy.
The main street is busy in Cabatete so that part doesn't have the lil beach town feel to it. You can parallel park if you can find an open spot or pay to park. Leaving a paid parking lot there you do have to worry about people speeding.
Electricity is expensive. So you would have to worry about electric cost or charge that seperate.
I am not sure at what point owning would be a good investment. There are a lot of places to rent in the DR from apartments to villas. A lot of them you can negotiate the price down.
As far as a moped in most of the DR some people will take the risk and some won't. But most of the DR people drive crazy.
Well Connected
Las Galeras yes.
Las Terrenas no.
From LT to SD it takes you 2 hrs. only on a highway like road.
donP
Las Galeras yes.
Las Terrenas no.
From LT to SD it takes you 2 hrs. only on a highway like road.
donP
LT's infrastructure
Re: Infrastructure
LT has power 7/24.
The town has several well stocked supermarkets including La Sirena's Super Pola branch.
Overland buses run to SD several times a day (350 Pesos).
donP
Re: Infrastructure
LT has power 7/24.
The town has several well stocked supermarkets including La Sirena's Super Pola branch.
Overland buses run to SD several times a day (350 Pesos).
donP
Sure, but the medical facilities are limited, and the only international school is in French, and doesn't go all the way through high school. In addition, there's nothing like a true department store in the area. Don't get me wrong, I actually prefer LT, but we don't know what her needs are.
as those of us who live here know.... a day trip is always appreciated to break the boredom/routine
In Cabrera, we hike off to Playero on a whim (1 hour) or when feeling strong to Sto Dom...(2.5 hrs)
not a bad way to spend a half day or day.
LT has enough to offer (Samana in general) and with the best highway connection in the country plus a great airport for NYers and Cdn's and Euro's
what's not to like.
as Don donP says - 2 hrs to Sto Dom....close enough and yet far enough
there may be a reason the rich Doms go there over Sos/Cab..... ask them, not me
Sos/Cab is an acquired taste - IMO - not one I have acquired
Cosmopolitan ?
found in drinks only in Sos/Cab.... fully in bloom for Samana---- again me talking
but we have thrashed this mule 100 times....
see for yourself girl.......... give'em a try
In Cabrera, we hike off to Playero on a whim (1 hour) or when feeling strong to Sto Dom...(2.5 hrs)
not a bad way to spend a half day or day.
LT has enough to offer (Samana in general) and with the best highway connection in the country plus a great airport for NYers and Cdn's and Euro's
what's not to like.
as Don donP says - 2 hrs to Sto Dom....close enough and yet far enough
there may be a reason the rich Doms go there over Sos/Cab..... ask them, not me
Sos/Cab is an acquired taste - IMO - not one I have acquired
Cosmopolitan ?
found in drinks only in Sos/Cab.... fully in bloom for Samana---- again me talking
but we have thrashed this mule 100 times....
see for yourself girl.......... give'em a try
Lulla, your first-class post as gotten you first-class replies. You have heard from sincere posters each with their own style.
I have benefited from too. I share many of the same objectives and the replies helped me.
I think the art and culture need is not really addressed for me: no classical (Antigua) exists to my knowledge on the NC. If it did I would move today. It is scarce in STI, exists in STO.
Keep in touch.
Tom/STI
I have benefited from too. I share many of the same objectives and the replies helped me.
I think the art and culture need is not really addressed for me: no classical (Antigua) exists to my knowledge on the NC. If it did I would move today. It is scarce in STI, exists in STO.
Keep in touch.
Tom/STI
Hi there! I have never posted in a forum before... So hope I'm not too off topic
I am looking to purchase a small villa in DR so I can visit regularly. I travel from Australia to the Caribbean each year because I love the many cultures of the islands and would like a base where I can make friends and learn more about Dominican life.
I can visit 3 places on my next trip in July, in search of my new home. Because It takes me 3 days travel to get to DR i try to do as much research as possible before hand- any advice about a town that you think might suit me would be much appreciated!!
About me:
-30s
- interested in art, culture, Caribbean food, music and social justice issues
- will stay in DR for at least 4 months of the year to relax, explore, would like to volunteer for local community run NGO and go dancing. I would rent the villa out the rest if the year
Things important to me:
- Beauty - clean beaches and green forests
- respectful relationships between ex-pats and locals, i want to get along with everyone
- not a high rate of sex trafficking
- some night life
- the ability to rent the villa out when I am in Australia
- restaurants and beach bars selling local food
Thank you so much for your help!!!
Why do you want to leave Australia? Australia has it all! Go live in Queensland for sun and nice islands!
- Status