Where to live?

Matilda

RIP Lindsay
Sep 13, 2006
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There seem to have been a lot of people recently asking where is 'best' to live here. Apart from all the standard advice "try it out first', "don't buy straightaway", "learn Spanish", would it not be an idea to do a FACTUAL comparison between the different areas? I only know the south, have spent 2 days in the east, a few weeks in Barahona, and never ventured north of Santiago (beautiful I thought!). We could do something like beaches, house prices, nationalities, shopping, water sports etc, that was factual rather than opinions because if I was looking to come here now I wouldn't have a clue as everyone thinks their area is the best. For example Juan Dolio: good points - good beaches, caribbean sea so calm and good diving, but no windsurfing. Apartments on the beach from 200,000US$ up, apartments off the beach 60,000US$ up, houses 175,000US$ up. 2 golfcourses, 45 mins Santo Domingo, 25 mins airport (but no charter flights). Nearest charter flight airport 3 hours away (bad point when picking up friends who come to stay). Average restaurants (Bad point - no RIBS!!). Nearest town has 2 good supermarkets, good fruit and veg market and you can get most things there - 10 kms away. Not too many ex pats, mostly italian and some German and Canadian. A few US and even less British (shame). What do you think?

Matilda
 

Ringo

On Vacation!
Mar 6, 2003
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Each person has thier own deffinition of "best place to live. This would be another... pointless, angry debate that goes nowhere.

Just ask AZB.
 

Matilda

RIP Lindsay
Sep 13, 2006
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Each person has thier own deffinition of "best place to live. This would be another... pointless, angry debate that goes nowhere.

Just ask AZB.

That's why I said keep it factual as every time someone asks on this forum they get a personal veiwpoint and not the facts. yes it depends what they are looking for but sometimes they don't know. There is no reason why we can't give the facts such as type of restaurants, amount of ex pats, levels of crime (Listin diario do the odd good survey on that) and some people on this forum have so much knowledge it would be easier to pool it once that have to keep repeating it as each person asks. It is not a debate it is a list of facts for each place.

matilda
 

globalmike295

On Vacation
Jul 11, 2006
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If you like ribs try Rockies in Sosua on the North Coast. I had to say it first because I know there are 20 of you waiting to do this. Any way Sosua is not a bad place to live . Cabarete , for windsurfing is a few miles away.
 

Ringo

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Mar 6, 2003
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That's why I said keep it factual as every time someone asks on this forum they get a personal veiwpoint and not the facts. yes it depends what they are looking for but sometimes they don't know. There is no reason why we can't give the facts such as type of restaurants, amount of ex pats, levels of crime (Listin diario do the odd good survey on that) and some people on this forum have so much knowledge it would be easier to pool it once that have to keep repeating it as each person asks. It is not a debate it is a list of facts for each place.

matilda

"Facts" in this and most forums, news articles, TV.... are based on personal perception as in this forum. and at times slanted toward a personal adjenda. IE: Some rave about a restaurant/bar... whatever, that I would never enter. That does not make it a bad restaurant. just a place that I don't wish to enter... as an individual, that I am not comfortable with one or more factors of the establishment.

Just read the posts from the last couple of days. Some trying to "outdo" everyone... "this is the best".... this person or that person.... this town or that.

I AGREE. So much knowledge and information.. but the whole idea of an open forum opens the door to .... everyone and their points of view... Real or otherwise. Good luck.
 

Chris

Gold
Oct 21, 2002
7,951
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www.caribbetech.com
.. would it not be an idea to do a FACTUAL comparison between the different areas? ..
Matilda

Oh my God Matilda! ... We'll be overrun by every spamming spoofing silly gringo wannabe realtor in the DR ... giving us the 'factual' information.

Besides that, it is a nice idea. :laugh:
 

Ringo

On Vacation!
Mar 6, 2003
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Oh my God Matilda! ... We'll be overrun by every spamming spoofing silly gringo wannabe realtor in the DR ... giving us the 'factual' information.

Besides that, it is a nice idea. :laugh:

Hi Chris, Agreed. Nice to have a "fresh" point of view. lol
 

planner

.............. ?
Sep 23, 2002
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I like your idea so let me add some "info / facts"

Area: Puerto Plata

Nearest Airport: 15 minutes away

Roads: getting better, main highway has been under repair for over 18 months, Malecon redone and very nice.

Beaches: Long Beach - Decent but maybe not swimable
Playa Dorada - 5 minutes away, good
Costambar - 5 minutes away, decent
Cofresi - 8 minutes away, decent
Sosua - 25 minutes away, very good
Cabarete - 45 minutes away, very good

Hotels: Lots of all inclusive, several non all inclusive, lots of cabanas

Restaurants: good choice and variety, tourist oriented and local oriented.

Activities: wide variety of activities, no professional baseball team
Movie theatre, several casinos, Ocean World

Water sports: Cabarete for kite surfing etc, 45 minutes away.

Mountains: we have them, great scenery and views.

Water: Atlantic, can be rougher then the Caribbean side. Good for swimming and playing.

Shopping: 3 good size supermarkets, not great shopping (Santiago is far superior. All necessities available. Good fresh produce markets.

Vehicles: more expensive here then in Santiago and other locations.

Furnitue: limited selection if you want more then basics. Prices higher then Santiago.

Night spots: Lots of choice from Local oriented to tourist oriented.

Ex Pats: Don't know exact numbers but there are lots of us on the North Coast and in Puerto Plata. Brits, Canadians, Americans, German etc etc.

Medical: seems to be enough good doctors and easy access to more in Santiago ( 1 hour away) Several good clinics. Good access to dental care as well.

Real Estate: I really don't know. Someone else can help out here. But there is lots of choice!

IF we use this format maybe this can actually be helpful.
 

Ringo

On Vacation!
Mar 6, 2003
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I like your idea so let me add some "info / facts"

Area: Puerto Plata

Nearest Airport: 15 minutes away

Roads: getting better, main highway has been under repair for over 18 months, Malecon redone and very nice.

Beaches: Long Beach - Decent but maybe not swimable
Playa Dorada - 5 minutes away, good
Costambar - 5 minutes away, decent
Cofresi - 8 minutes away, decent
Sosua - 25 minutes away, very good
Cabarete - 45 minutes away, very good

Hotels: Lots of all inclusive, several non all inclusive, lots of cabanas

Restaurants: good choice and variety, tourist oriented and local oriented.

Activities: wide variety of activities, no professional baseball team
Movie theatre, several casinos, Ocean World

Water sports: Cabarete for kite surfing etc, 45 minutes away.

Mountains: we have them, great scenery and views.

Water: Atlantic, can be rougher then the Caribbean side. Good for swimming and playing.

Shopping: 3 good size supermarkets, not great shopping (Santiago is far superior. All necessities available. Good fresh produce markets.

Vehicles: more expensive here then in Santiago and other locations.

Furnitue: limited selection if you want more then basics. Prices higher then Santiago.

Night spots: Lots of choice from Local oriented to tourist oriented.

Ex Pats: Don't know exact numbers but there are lots of us on the North Coast and in Puerto Plata. Brits, Canadians, Americans, German etc etc.

Medical: seems to be enough good doctors and easy access to more in Santiago ( 1 hour away) Several good clinics. Good access to dental care as well.

Real Estate: I really don't know. Someone else can help out here. But there is lots of choice!

IF we use this format maybe this can actually be helpful.

GOOD JOB PLANNER! One of the few reports that gets to the point without a lot of.. Blah....Blah....Blah. POP and area has alot more to offer, but your start is and example to be followed.
 

planner

.............. ?
Sep 23, 2002
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Thanks honey! I agree there is a lot more to offer but I didn't want to create overkill here............ Hopefully others will follow suit and not debate everything......LOL
 

Ringo

On Vacation!
Mar 6, 2003
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Thanks honey! I agree there is a lot more to offer but I didn't want to create overkill here............ Hopefully others will follow suit and not debate everything......LOL

You did great. BTW... don't call me "honey", I'm just to sour for the honor. LOL
 

Matilda

RIP Lindsay
Sep 13, 2006
5,485
338
63
Planner you have got the idea. Hooray!!!! Right now lets do it for each place and if it doesn't work here we'll do the book and let DR1 sell it and we'll all make lots of loot!

Matilda
 

Camden Tom

Bronze
Dec 1, 2002
736
39
0
I like Cabarete best. I liked it better 6 or 7 years ago when it was just a little seaside village. It has been growing exponentially over the last few years. Lots of great little bars and restaurants both on and off the beach. It's pricier than most other places but once you get to know the area, you can still get a great meal for a reasonable price. The setting is quite beautiful with the ocean to the north and the mountains to the south. To get to a large super market is about a 15 minute drive. For major purchases ie; furniture, appliances, etc, you need to go to Santiago, about a 1 1/2 hour drive. There's much less of a hooker scene in Cab than in Sosua. That's not to bash Sosua, actually, we like Sosua and go there frequently. Lots of expats in Cabarete, from everywhere, especially Yanks, Brits, and Canucks. The beach is long and beautiful, the water is usually rough. It is certainly one of the top destinations in the world for wind sports. One thing I don't like is that the Cabarete/Sosua is so small that you can't go anywhere without running into people that you know, and also, everybody knows everybody elses business.
Sooooooooo.......Cabarete gets my vote, warts and all.
 

Andy B

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
774
0
0
www.elmarinique.com
Definately don't come out to the Samana peninsula. You're liable to discover it's the nicest part of the DR and one of the best places to live despite it's remoteness (at least until the new SD-Samana highway is open and flights from the US start servicing el Catey). Have fun looking around.
 

Lambada

Gold
Mar 4, 2004
9,478
410
0
80
www.ginniebedggood.com
Definately don't come out to the Samana peninsula.

:laugh: Wise man.

Factual info is fine but it isn't problem free. Do those of you who already live in areas saturated by foreigners really want any more there? :cheeky:

I'm all for aspiring expats making their own investigations. Funnily enough I'm not in favour of making it too easy, otherwise I think they arrive with unrealistic expectations. My concern is that aspiring expats would misuse the info and think they had done their own homework. I accept this wouldn't be the intention of the info provided. But I really don't think anything can beat people doing it for themselves, because in that process they can test out whether this is the place for them or not. Making it too easy means it is harder for someone to admit this isn't the country for them, almost as if they had 'failed'. Whereas of course they haven't.

So.............if you're doing brief factual info my suggestion would be keep it very brief, very factual and don't attempt to cover 'everything'. Word it so it can't be used as either a bible or a crutch but an invitation to self propelled investigation.

I see planner has already covered Puerto Plata so I won't add anything. Not that they'd want to come here, nasty dirty little town, isn't it dv8? :)