Where is the best place to live in DR???

freeman

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Dec 9, 2003
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I want to know where is the best place to live in the Dominican Republic and WHY???

Obviously this is a matter of opinion, but a general answer would be interesting to a person deciding where to stay in the DR.

Also how does expense differ from place to place, for example Santo Domingo is the most expensive place to live in DR but by how much (%) when compared to a cheaper part of the country.
 

Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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What is the best place is greatly dependent on what the person trying to decide is looking for. Each area has its pluses and minuses. What are your priorities?
 

MikeKO

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It's pretty common for newcomers to a country to congregate in certain areas initially. Learn the ropes / language, then decide the best place. That being the case, North Coast seems a good starting point.

Just $.02
Mike
 

Tony C

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Well Freeman?
Going give us an Idea of what you want?

For what it is worth I wouldn't live anywhere Near the North Coast.
Santo Domingo is the place or maybe a Villa in Casa de Campo. Although if that Cap Cana project come to a complete fruition it is tempting!
 
For me,

Santo Dominigo
Jarabacoa


oops I forgot,

The reason,

Santo Domingo, I like the city, the congestion, the noise, limited tourist, horns honking, great place if your single, and just being around plain o'l city folks.

Jarabacoa, I like the climate and country setting.

Jarabacoa would be my number 1 place though.
 
Last edited:

NALs

Economist by Profession
Jan 20, 2003
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Here are my top 3places to live in the DR:

1. Santo Domingo: it's the perfect city in the caribbean basin. Everything you want is on sale somewhere in the city. Every type of people are constantly "on display" on it's vibrant streets. It's a surprisingly pleasant city (much of it doesn't even resembles third world at all), it has a sizable moneyed class which add that sense of "keeping up with the jones" lifestyle if that's what you want. Keep in mind that "keeping up with the jones" lifestyle is slightly more melow in SD than in say NY or London. And of course, the city is CENTRALLY LOCATED. The most extreme points in the country (the boarder, the north coast, and Punta Cana) are all about the same distance from town.

2. Santiago: it's a smaller version of Santo Domingo. It's smaller for now, the town is blooming into a metropolis at an alarming rate. Hopefully, it will continue to be a pleasant mini-santo domingo. It's only about a 1.50 to 2 hour ride along the smooth Autopista Duarte from Santo Domingo. It's in the middle of one of the most beautiful valleys on earth, the Cibao. The people are slightly more refined than those of the Capital. And the mountains are a stone throw away, very convenient on those occasional hot july and august days, when the mountains are in there 70s during the day and a cool 50 during the night.

3. On a ranch out in the provinces of El Seibo or Hato Mayor. Beautiful quiet countryside, life goes at a slower pace than most places in the DR (most places are slow to begin with), your not bothered by dominican capitalism as much as you would in Santiago or Santo Domingo, especially Santo Domingo. The potential to create a ranch with horses and other animals and agricultural stuff and then market the place as a tourist attraction are great in this region. This place is good for people looking to really get away from it all and simply relax under swaying palms and drinking Presidente or Brugal while you watch the cows graze on the super green lawns. I personally would like to have a getaway home here for those weekends when SD gets on your nerves.

Personally, I would like to own a luxury apartment in a highrise in Santo Domingo as my main residence, then own an alpine style country home in the Constanza valley for a weekend getaway into the mountains, a wild west style home in the Enriquillo Basin overlooking Enriquillo Lake and sorrounded by cactuses and very very hot air for those days when the Desert gives me "a call", a beach front palapa style villa in Cap Cana for those days when life is a beach, and a oversize typical dominican countryhome (the ones that are square and made of wood) but with balconies, two floors, elaborate mohagony lattice work, etc. A real caribbean jewel out on a ranch in the El Seibo or Hato Mayor country side. Thats for those days when the childhood dream of becoming a cowboy comes back for a weekend at least. Yeup people, I have some humungus dreams. But then again, I am still young and the more I see my self in my dreams, the greater the chance I will work wiser to attain them.
 
Nal0whs said:
Here are my top 3places to live in the DR:

1. Santo Domingo: it's the perfect city in the caribbean basin. Everything you want is on sale somewhere in the city. Every type of people are constantly "on display" on it's vibrant streets. It's a surprisingly pleasant city (much of it doesn't even resembles third world at all), it has a sizable moneyed class which add that sense of "keeping up with the jones" lifestyle if that's what you want. Keep in mind that "keeping up with the jones" lifestyle is slightly more melow in SD than in say NY or London. And of course, the city is CENTRALLY LOCATED. The most extreme points in the country (the boarder, the north coast, and Punta Cana) are all about the same distance from town.

2. Santiago: it's a smaller version of Santo Domingo. It's smaller for now, the town is blooming into a metropolis at an alarming rate. Hopefully, it will continue to be a pleasant mini-santo domingo. It's only about a 1.50 to 2 hour ride along the smooth Autopista Duarte from Santo Domingo. It's in the middle of one of the most beautiful valleys on earth, the Cibao. The people are slightly more refined than those of the Capital. And the mountains are a stone throw away, very convenient on those occasional hot july and august days, when the mountains are in there 70s during the day and a cool 50 during the night.

3. On a ranch out in the provinces of El Seibo or Hato Mayor. Beautiful quiet countryside, life goes at a slower pace than most places in the DR (most places are slow to begin with), your not bothered by dominican capitalism as much as you would in Santiago or Santo Domingo, especially Santo Domingo. The potential to create a ranch with horses and other animals and agricultural stuff and then market the place as a tourist attraction are great in this region. This place is good for people looking to really get away from it all and simply relax under swaying palms and drinking Presidente or Brugal while you watch the cows graze on the super green lawns. I personally would like to have a getaway home here for those weekends when SD gets on your nerves.

Personally, I would like to own a luxury apartment in a highrise in Santo Domingo as my main residence, then own an alpine style country home in the Constanza valley for a weekend getaway into the mountains, a wild west style home in the Enriquillo Basin overlooking Enriquillo Lake and sorrounded by cactuses and very very hot air for those days when the Desert gives me "a call", a beach front palapa style villa in Cap Cana for those days when life is a beach, and a oversize typical dominican countryhome (the ones that are square and made of wood) but with balconies, two floors, elaborate mohagony lattice work, etc. A real caribbean jewel out on a ranch in the El Seibo or Hato Mayor country side. Thats for those days when the childhood dream of becoming a cowboy comes back for a weekend at least. Yeup people, I have some humungus dreams. But then again, I am still young and the more I see my self in my dreams, the greater the chance I will work wiser to attain them.


Sound like you would be a great travel agent :cool:
 

NALs

Economist by Profession
Jan 20, 2003
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I don't want to pull this thread of topic, but being a travel agent is not really something I look forward to. Now, owning a travel agency that will eventually branch into all markets of the world that I can penetrate, now that is what I want. I'm sorry. I am the capitalistic type of person. I like to lead, not follow, unless I'm following on the footsteps of a well worn trail to riches!!! By the way, riches to me doesn't mean money, it only would mean money to me once I find true happiness. That's the only time money has some real value in ones life, when there is some happiness involved. Not that giggly feeling one gets when one buys something, but that feeling good about yourself feeling, just for being alive and well. That's the happiness I'm talking about. But, to stitch this reply back to the topic of this thread, I must say that I am striving to make my dream of living in SD a reality everyday in and out.
 

BushBaby

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The BEST place to live in the Dominican Republic is where YOU feel most comfortable. You are not going to know this until you have travelled around a bit visiting North, South, East, Mountain areas & Beach areas or the Central area of Santiago. This is why most of us advise newcomers NOT to buy a house here to start with but to start by renting a place & checking out all the differing areas that might appeal to your senses (AND budget!!).

Where are you coming from? How old are you? Do you have a family coming with you? Are you looking for the night life, business oportunities, a quiet or hectic lifestyle? How many times have you visited the DR & where did you go? What do you know of the culture here ? .................. Hey, we could go on like this for ages but really to help you best, we do need a little bit more info as to what your likes & dislikes are. There's no point in recommending somewhere lively if all you want is a quiet life (& vice versa!!).

IF you decide on the North Coast, feel free to PM or e-mail me. Other than that, do your searches in the archives & then ask here for more specific information - you can be SURE you will get some interesting responses!!! - Grahame.
 

XanaduRanch

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Sep 15, 2002
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The Best Place ...

... obviosuly, to live in the DR is Xanadu City. Our pouplation has increased 450% in the last three months. Not including the se-X habits of the locals! And that has nothing to do with the free wine X-change program written into the Xanadu city charter ...

Tom (aka XR)

P.S.
Accepting new X-residents by application only.
 

freeman

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Dec 9, 2003
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Thanks for the response guys they have been very useful. To answer some of the questions about myself well, I'm in my mid 20s from Europe and will be travelling on my own. I'm looking for a place which has a good nightlife, friendly people, warm weather and things to do without always paying high prices i.e. a culture shock. I speak Spanish so I thought I would give DR a try, hopefully it doesn't turn out to be just a tourist Island.
 

Tony C

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freeman said:
Thanks for the response guys they have been very useful. To answer some of the questions about myself well, I'm in my mid 20s from Europe and will be travelling on my own. I'm looking for a place which has a good nightlife, friendly people, warm weather and things to do without always paying high prices i.e. a culture shock. I speak Spanish so I thought I would give DR a try, hopefully it doesn't turn out to be just a tourist Island.

If you want "good Nightlife" and not be in a Tourist area than Santo Domingo is your place. But then Santo Domingo is the more expensive area to live in the DR. Of course "expensive" is all relative. What is expensive for some might be reasonable for others.
In other words.....We need more info.
 

Conchman

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Not sure what kind of nightlife you are looking for, but the North Coast is filled with tacky little bars blarring merengue and frequented by ugly hookers. Around here is not even a single European or American style club with modern music. But Cabarete can be fun with its restaurants and bars on the beach.

Sounds like you might be better off in Santo Domingo, with its 4 million people you will always find something to do. You can find all kinds of nightlife, even top DJ's from around the world spinning in different clubs about once per month.

Santiago is too dirty and crowded for me, but then again I have only driven through it many times or shopped there - and never really hung out in the city. I'm sure it has more things to offer but my feeling is if you live there, you might as well live in Santo Domingo.
 

amy2761

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Mar 16, 2003
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Re: The Best Place ...

XanaduRanch said:
... obviosuly, to live in the DR is Xanadu City. Our pouplation has increased 450% in the last three months. Not including the se-X habits of the locals! And that has nothing to do with the free wine X-change program written into the Xanadu city charter ...

Tom (aka XR)

P.S.
Accepting new X-residents by application only.


lol, Tom - watch it! We have enough to deal with already .... I'd like to keep the 'peace' and relative quiet around here.

Stay well,
Amy