East Coast compared to North Coast

InsanelyOne

Bronze
Oct 21, 2008
895
28
28
The intent isn't to rank one over the other as much as just compare the two. I've lived in the Bavaro area for over 5 years. During this time, I haven't noticed much in the way of a "community". Certainly the lack of any kind of local municipal government plays a part. It's probably not the most scientific approach but when I look at the DR1 fora there are 108,462 posts in the North Coast forum and 18,692 posts in the East Coast forum. Quite a disparity. Are there really that many more people in the North? When I read the posts in the North Coast forum I just get this sense that people are somehow more connected. More discussion about particular places and events.

In my years here, the Punta Cana / Bavaro area has gone through significant changes. The roads repaved, the new highway, the supermarkets, Plaza San Juan to name a few. I don't necessarily see that much of a change in the volume of what I would perceive to be as ex-pats (as opposed to tourists). I am seeing what might be a growing Dominican middle-class.

I could be totally full of crap as this is all anecdotal.

Would anyone else care to chime in? What are your observations. How do these different areas compare? And please try not to crap all over the thread.
 

caribmike

Gold
Jul 9, 2009
6,808
202
63
I have lived on the North Coast, 3 years in Luperon, 1 year in Sosua and 7 years in Puerto Plata. I like the landscape better in the North but the beaches in PC are far superior of course.

I live now in Higuey for other reasons (and we might move on to La Romana or SDQ sooner than later...) but I prefer the East over the North... Why I cannot say, maybe it is because of CEPM? :)

The North "exists" far longer than the East, tourism wise so that might explain why there are more posts / activity in the NC forum...
 

Cdn_Gringo

Gold
Apr 29, 2014
8,671
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I live in the heart of tourist/gringo central here on the north coast. I too have found it more difficult than I thought it would be to meet others. The propensity seems to be to drive into their compounds close the automated gate and stay there until they once again need to venture out into the local economy for whatever reminder of home they seek. If I wave and shout hello as I walk past these fortresses, the usual response is to sick a pack of howling hell hounds upon me to ensure that I do not linger for a verbal response.

I wave as they drive by and they avert their eyes and speed up. I say hello in English at Playero and they look at me like I've just landed from Mars. I am in the process of getting a name tagged made that says, "Hola. My name is Dave. I do not bite. Please do not be afraid, I mean you no harm."

BTW I hate spiders...
 

windeguy

Platinum
Jul 10, 2004
42,211
5,966
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maybe you have to learn to speak German ?

Or Quebecois. Or Italian. Or Swiss.....or Russian.

As others mentioned the north coast was "discovered" by North American and Europeans as an inexpensive vacation spot. It has a longer history, with more people buying houses and condos, and nicer scenery than the east coast. The east coast is more reminiscent of somewhere in Florida. Flat, flat and more flat land.
 
I find it much easier to make new friends here in the NC than I ever did back home. I didn't like Sosua much until I got to knows the crazy expats who live there and now I love going. I do hear in some of the gated communities it can be tough to make friends if you aren't from the same country type thing...
I feel quite the sense of community at the moment but it did take me almost 2 years and forcing my way into different groups of people haha.
C_G I found volunteering at different places was an easier way to meet people or come to the Finish Line on sat between 4-7pm lots of great friendly expats there.
 

donP

Newbie
Dec 14, 2008
6,942
178
0
Litte Choice in the DR

The Dominican Republic is a country where you have to choose your friends very very carefully. :rolleyes:
My criterion is the question whether I would also want to be friends with a certain person in my home country.
Unfortunately, then quite often the choice is down to very few.... :disappoin :tired:


donP
Yes, I know I am not an easy person... :laugh:
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
i used to be enthusiastic about them white people but not anymore. friends should be chosen with more care than that.

north coast has certain specifics that no other area in DR has. there are lots of gringos and lots of information makes it to local media that do excellent coverage of all that is happening:
Puerto Plata Habla
Puerto Plata Digital
DETRAS DEL RUMOR :: Noticias con Profesionalidad y Criterio
Periodico El Faro - Puerto Plata
Noticias POP - Una Divisi?n de Noticias de Transmisiones Realesa S.R.L
 

Hector L

New member
Jun 11, 2010
155
0
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I find the east coast [PC} much cleaner, much safer and the people much friendlier. I avoid the all inclusives.
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
4,329
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Interesting reading

I agree on the scenery - prettier on the No Coast , IMO

What about flights/access?

How many flights into POP vs Punta Cana and La Romana ?
Of course, SDQ is an easier reach for the east than than the north too.

and its my impression That the east relies more on AI's than Sos/Cab where there a pretty vibrant 'street scene'
any comparisons in the east ?
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
13,470
3,604
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There are more flights going into PUJ than all the other airports in the DR combined. That covers SDQ of course.
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
13,470
3,604
113
There are more than 100 Hotels in the Punta Cana-Bavaro area. The people don't get here in Canoes. :knockedou
 

Robert

Stay Frosty!
Jan 2, 1999
20,574
341
83
dr1.com
Welcome to the Forum and prepare to be abused continuously by the posters from areas other than PC--even though those of us who live there, know it's one of the best areas to live in the D.R.

If your posts are constructive and useful, normally they are not abused.

Then again... Some people get what they wish for...
 

Domdream

New member
Jul 26, 2014
204
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0
Welcome to the Forum and prepare to be abused continuously by the posters from areas other than PC--even though those of us who live there, know it's one of the best areas to live in the D.R.

Well here you go then. Your comment on the russians and other posts you make are usally inaccurate. You dont even live here full time. So why do you talk like you have an f***ing clue because truly you dont. The russians are buying real estate and businesses faster than any other nationality here in bavaro. But if you lived here you might realize that!!!
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
13,470
3,604
113
Well here you go then. Your comment on the russians and other posts you make are usally inaccurate. You dont even live here full time. So why do you talk like you have an f***ing clue because truly you dont. The russians are buying real estate and businesses faster than any other nationality here in bavaro. But if you lived here you might realize that!!!

Very true. There are billboards in Bavaro for Real Estate in Russian.
 

HUG

Silver
Feb 3, 2009
3,940
1
0
Well here you go then. Your comment on the russians and other posts you make are usally inaccurate. You dont even live here full time. So why do you talk like you have an f***ing clue because truly you dont. The russians are buying real estate and businesses faster than any other nationality here in bavaro. But if you lived here you might realize that!!!

Is this another expat who thinks there is something clever, amazing or people should be envious about living in DR. Being a full time resident is nothing to get all up tight about, it's somewhere to live and so get over the attitude, the thread was doing quite well.
On the other hand, what you say is correct, I spend quite a bit of time in Bavaro, whenever I need to get out of the city it is the easiest place to go where I can play tourist for a few days. I do realize every time I go that there are more and more Russians springing up. I'm not sure how much of a good thing this is, what I have noticed is they can appear quite shady, and I have myself witnessed their teens kicking off trouble in one of my friends bars, involving guns, which is almost unheard of before the Russian invasion.

As far as the OP goes. I started off living in Sosua and enjoyed it. I wouldn't say there is a better sense of 'community', that is false community in my opinion. Everyone knows each other, and you can go anywhere and have a chat with anyone, but that is not community as far as I know it, I wouldn't trust anyone as far as I could throw them. The micro politics is terrible, everyone spends their time bitching or making trouble for others. And so the 'community' of the Northcoast depends on your interpretation of community.
After moving to Bavaro I found that there is no sense of 'community'. It is too big and spread out to get that feeling of togetherness, everyone knows each other yes, but you are less likely to bump into other expats unless you go looking for them. Unlike most I don't like the beaches on the East, I prefer the North. The East coast feels like it needs to stop developing, fill up what is there before continuing otherwise it will always have the feeling of being a ghost town. And investors will never get the buck they deserve because there is just too much competition, it is a renterss/buyers market which works against them and does the area no favours overall.
And anyway, now I live in the Capital which is a completely different animal, and can not be compared at all to either the North or East, or Central. Each sector of the DR could be another country entirely in my experience, lived in them all and find few similarities in each.
 

sosuamatt

Bronze
Jul 29, 2013
912
13
38
PUJ is building an additional terminal with with additional embarkation and debarkation ramps--due to open sometime this fall. An additional runway is in use now. The original building itself, is a work of Island Art with Thatched Roofs and open-air terminus. The airport itself has a massive amount of available parking and is accessible to the main highway through the Punta Cana area/region. The entrance to the Autopista del Coral is literally feet from the entrance to the parking area. All-in-all, this makes PC a very desirable destination from a tourist perspective. All the AI's in the area are accessible via a 4 lane highway which runs all the way to Macao Beach and beyond.
Another good post from google.