Living Options for Recently Arrived Expat

[El Hijo de Manolo]

I watched a few videos of Boca Chica, the crowds on the beach were nuts. I'll take a closer look PP, thanks

BC is a hidden gem

 

[Gadfly]

Got it thanks, another vote for north coast.... why the caution about cycling, what's the danger?

Terrible drivers, bad roads here. Drivers of cars and motos not paying attention and texting while driving, many drunk. Stopping in the middle of the road for who knows what, parking like they’re blind. Speeding crazy young loonies popping wheelies. The list goes on.
Yet ironically no road rage !

 

[Tom0910]

Thank chico bill, a useful reply. Our time in mexico has expired, we have to leave and its our second time living here so hanging around is less appealing then somewhere new. We've lived Costa Rica 3 times over the years so looking for a new experience. You've given me reason to pause and take a closer look before taking the plunge. Colombia is also on the table

you won't find nice beaches anywhere in Colombia that have good infrastructure and safety. All of the fine beaches are in the extreme north (no man's land) or south (narco territory and crappy infrastucture) I lived in Colombia and loved it except that I am a beach bum that likes a few creature comforts, therefore I do not live there otherwise I would move back there tomorrow.

 

[bob saunders]

Thanks to Michelin Star Chef Bob!🙄

My son is a chef and my first wife was a professional baker. Her topfenstrudel was to die for.

 

[El Hijo de Manolo]

My son is a chef and my first wife was a professional baker. Her topfenstrudel was to die for.

Of course Bob!

 

[bob saunders]

Of course Bob!

you are just jealous.

 

[cavok]

Got it thanks, another vote for north coast.... why the caution about cycling, what's the danger?

I would suggest Cabarete or Las Terrenas also. I've lived on the east side of Cabarete for 15 years. You have several miles of clean. dog friendly beaches to walk on. Buy one of those new fat tire bikes and ride your bike on the beach, too. The drivers are too crazy to ride on the roads here. There is a small night scene on the beach - mostly a dinner crowd, but there's a couple discos and sports bars, too. Some P2P, but nothing like Sosua. Nearest clinic is in Sosua, but for major medical you have to go to Pto. Plata or Santiago.

 

[XTraveller]

Hi, sorry if this question has been done to death.

I'm an aussie globe-trotting with my 19yr old son and our dog.

We're departing Mexico to live in DR soon, with the intention to stay for maybe a year.

At the moment we're deciding which area to live.

So I'll add a few details of what we'd like in our chosen location and perhaps you could offer some recommendations

Preferences as follows

• Clean (enough for swimming), dog friendly beaches that aren't packed with gringos
• Night scene that isn't wall-to-wall pay-to-play professional girls (ill be here a while so I'd like to meet some good girls & have a gf)
• Easy access to typical amenities like supermarkets & doctors
• 2 bedroom accommodation choices no more than a brief bicycle ride from the beach for under US$1000/mth
• Safe

Anywhere come to mind?

Thanks,
Pain

First I must say your biggest challenge would be travelling with dog unless very small dog that can be on plane in the cabin with you. Many airlines have restrictions for dogs cargo space over the summer time due to heat. Also it maybe also a challenge finding accommodations. No problems for dogs on most beaches here.

I am surprise no one suggest Juan Dolio on the south coast may meet most of your criteria.
Note Juan Dolio is split in two section. New Juan Dolio (Villa de Mar) with many high rise Condo, some villas, some restaurants & bars.
Then there "old Juan Dolio" with a few beach bars and restaurants.

Juan Dolio during the week is very quiet, few expats and even less tourist. Note on week ends the beach areas and town fills up with Dominican's from Santo Domingo or San Pedro therefore not quite on Saturday and Sunday.

From Juan Dolio a 20 minute car or bus ride to San Pedro for Supermarket ( Jumbo, Iberia, Zagul)
Also in New Juan Dolio a small clinic for basic or emergence health care. About 1 hour drive to the Capital (Santo Domingo) for big Hospitals. They are also hospitals and clinics in San Pedro but better choice in Santo Domingo for anything serious.

In Summary clean beach no problems with dog, Monday to Friday very quite, very little to none p2p action (nothing like Sousa or Boca Chica), big supermarkets 20 min away by bus or car, Small clinic for Doctor. Many accommodation choices within you budget. ( again dog maybe problem). Within your budget you can find maybe house or small villa. Down side Saturday and Sunday beach area fills up.

Expats in Juan Dolio ( few not many) do not go to beach area on week end because the have the beach to them self during the week.
Night life dead on week days but comes to life on week ends.

Generally safe if not looking for trouble. Can use bike in town (IMO bike riding is dangerous in all of DR because of poor driving habits of Dominican drivers)


NOTE: NO CROCS ON BEACH........HAHA....MATE. also no vegemite in San Pedro

Good travelling,

Keep us inform where you end up.

Xtraveller

 

[reilleyp]

I could live without gringo-free beaches and good-girl night scene.... son and I are as healthy as pro athletes so medical isnt a big deal... I meant it as to say not in the boondocks

north coast does seem to be best option

It does not matter if you are in pro athlete condition if a 50 year old triaxle with bad brakes and a bad driver runs over you while walking or driving. Medical care will be important, whether it is covered by insurance or not.

 

[drstock]

Just a word of caution to the OP. The members of this board who live in Cabarete suffer from a rare medical condition that has them seeing the center of the DR as Cabarete and Sosua. You noted in your requirements list "...not packed with gringos". Well, you certainly want to steer clear of the one-trick pony dusty road surf's up bruh Jersey Shore look-alike town of Cabarete. Soon they will be bulldozing over most of this has-been relic tourist trap with a beautiful concrete and metal-composite bypass that will allow serious tourists to breeze by this yeast and vomit-smelling, dope smoking surfer town to real precious areas of this amazing country! Places not constructed for those in mid-life crises attempting to reinvent their Jersey shore or south beach days.

As Sergeant Pain will be able to tell, people here have very different ideas about the merits of each location. The comments above are at the very least major exaggerations about Cabarete and at worst untrue. But for some reason the person who posted them has his own personal grudge against the town. I have travelled all over the country and would not choose to live anywhere else - nor would my friends who live here. I would suggest the Sgt comes and stays for a while in various places and makes up his own mind. He asked for recommendations and I can only give them based on my own experience.

 

[D'Arcy (Apostropheman)]

As Sergeant Pain will be able to tell, people here have very different ideas about the merits of each location. The comments above are at the very least major exaggerations about Cabarete and at worst untrue. But for some reason the person who posted them has his own personal grudge against the town. I have travelled all over the country and would not choose to live anywhere else - nor would my friends who live here. I would suggest the Sgt comes and stays for a while in various places and makes up his own mind. He asked for recommendations and I can only give them based on my own experience.

Does Cabarete really fit the stated desires of the OP?

1. The beach is LOADED with gringos as is the town. It's one of the Gringo-centric locations in the DR
2. There's TONS of P4P in Cabarete and on the beach.
3. There's Janets but you have to go to Sosua or Puerto Plata or other towns, perhaps the other way, Sabaneta at least, for a proper supermarket. There are Dr's but for a real emergency you'd have to go at least to CMC which is in or right next to Sosua, depending how deep one wants to troll in the semantic weeds...or to Puerto Plata or Santiago for most serious issues.
4. Rentals have gotten super expensive and unless one is willing to go more "Dominican" style $1000 won't go as far as some might expect or hope.

We're departing Mexico to live in DR soon, with the intention to stay for maybe a year.

At the moment we're deciding which area to live.

So I'll add a few details of what we'd like in our chosen location and perhaps you could offer some recommendations

Preferences as follows

• Clean (enough for swimming), dog friendly beaches that aren't packed with gringos
• Night scene that isn't wall-to-wall pay-to-play p,rofessional girls (ill be here a while so I'd like to meet some good girls & have a gf)
• Easy access to typical amenities like supermarkets & doctors
• 2 bedroom accommodation choices no more than a brief bicycle ride from the beach for under US$1000/mth
• Safe

Anywhere come to mind?

Thanks,
Pain

I have nothing against Cabarete per se, but it would not be my recommendation, generally, nor choice for a place to live, personally and I don't believe that it fits the OP's ask

 

[El Hijo de Manolo]

As Sergeant Pain will be able to tell, people here have very different ideas about the merits of each location. The comments above are at the very least major exaggerations about Cabarete and at worst untrue. But for some reason the person who posted them has his own personal grudge against the town. I have travelled all over the country and would not choose to live anywhere else - nor would my friends who live here. I would suggest the Sgt comes and stays for a while in various places and makes up his own mind. He asked for recommendations and I can only give them based on my own experience.

Note Bene: there are those that promote certain areas by default due to asset investment. Home resale is in the toilet right now in Cab. Have to plug it where you can.

 

[cavok]

Note Bene: there are those that promote certain areas by default due to asset investment. Home resale is in the toilet right now in Cab. Have to plug it where you can.

You're totally clueless, Hijo. Property values here have jumped up about 30% just this year and they're selling like hotcakes. Several in my complex sold online - buyers never even came to look at them. I love it here in Cabarete and have zero plans of going anywhere, so no need for me to promote Cabarete.

 

[windeguy]

Note Bene: there are those that promote certain areas by default due to asset investment. Home resale is in the toilet right now in Cab. Have to plug it where you can.

You're totally clueless, Hijo. Property values here have jumped up about 30% just this year and they're selling like hotcakes. Several in my complex sold online - buyers never even came to look at them. I love it here in Cabarete and have zero plans of going anywhere, so no need for me to promote Cabarete.

cavok, I agree that Hijo is totally without a clue on the property issue. Buyers are buying off the internet from pictures. Casa Linda cannot keep up with demand.

Land was cleared in two spots for new construction just this past week, one on my street and the other around the corner from me.

Some people don't like Cabarete and I get that. But the clueless should not post about which they know nothing.

As for the OP's requirements, he either makes trade-offs or has unobtanium.

 

[william webster]

Careful people
Magoo is a very sensitive person
You’ll hurt his feelings

 

[drstock]

You're totally clueless, Hijo. Property values here have jumped up about 30% just this year and they're selling like hotcakes. Several in my complex sold online - buyers never even came to look at them. I love it here in Cabarete and have zero plans of going anywhere, so no need for me to promote Cabarete.

I think that when Mr Manolo refers to Cab he may be talking about Cabrera. He may be right about property values there. I don't know.

 

[Yourmaninvegas]

Don't see how property values have a relevance to the OP's original question.
He did not indicate that he was interested in purchasing a property.
Because if property values are relevant to a recommendation of where the OP should live...
Then I will have to throw where I live in EASTSIDE!!

📈⬆️

As for the OP's requirements, he either makes trade-offs or has unobtanium.

Agreed.

Hey @windeguy where is "unobtanium" on the periodic table?

 

[El Hijo de Manolo]

Careful people
Magoo is a very sensitive person
You’ll hurt his feelings

I really get their goat ya gotta admit! They can fire away and I'll keep on posting my opinion.

 

[El Hijo de Manolo]

cavok, I agree that Hijo is totally without a clue on the property issue. Buyers are buying off the internet from pictures. Casa Linda cannot keep up with demand.

Land was cleared in two spots for new construction just this past week, one on my street and the other around the corner from me.

Some people don't like Cabarete and I get that. But the clueless should not post about which they know nothing.

As for the OP's requirements, he either makes trade-offs or has unobtanium.

That town has 4 disasterous hearts that are so clogged with plaque there is no hope. Callejón, el "Play", Ciénaga and Barrio Blanco. Folks may have to look at the real numbers on crime, including drug trafficking, murder and general thuggery before investing. There's no way to spin that!

 

[Fiji]

thank you for this, I appreciate they are Canadian, which is a plus!