Out of the shadows !

[North Coaster]

Signed up many moons ago as I was and still am fascinated by the DR. Have not been a contributor as my experience has been relegated to a one week vacation once sometimes 2x a year. I was more of a sponge getting info and staying in touch with the goings on, mostly interested in the North Coast, hence my DR1 handle.

Fast forward many years later and newly retired, I will spend my 1st winter here and be a bonafide Snowbird from the land of cold and snow, Canada,

From reading a few of the recent posts, I realize with now having a new life here I can contribute and relate my more recent experiences relative to these threads. I wanted to introduce myself first before jumping in. Thanks to all still here and looking forward to what's next.

 

[JLSawmam]

Welcome, North Coaster! Where do you plan on spending your first winter?

 

[JD Jones]

Looking forward to reading more from you!

 

[Northern Coast Diver]

Welcome to Paradise!

 

[AlterEgo]

 

[North Coaster]

Welcome, North Coaster! Where do you plan on spending your first winter?

Costambar, Puerto Plata

 

[JLSawmam]

I'm guessing you've spent time in Costambar before...pretty quiet in general but maybe a bit of an isolated feeling too. I'm on the other end of Puerto Plata, nearby to Playa Dorada. Again, enjoy the new experience!

 

[North Coaster]

I'm guessing you've spent time in Costambar before...pretty quiet in general but maybe a bit of an isolated feeling too. I'm on the other end of Puerto Plata, nearby to Playa Dorada. Again, enjoy the new experience!

Thanks JLS and you nailed it "pretty quiet" and "a bit isolated too". However, mayhem can be found not too fay away if that's what one wants

Cofresi (close by) is also a nice small beach town and Puerto Plata (the banks, large stores ect are pretty close by as well.

Costambar as my home base is convenient, 4 minute walk to the Gym and Los Mangos golf, a quick right and I am also 4 minutes from the beach. Jenny's the local colmado//market is a throwback to old style general stores, if you think they don't have something, look again they do !!

Walking about is safe and traffic at a minimum mostly. My sample size here in Costambar is limited; we will see if after 6 months I still like the tranquility ! Vamos a ver .

 

[josh2203]

Costambar, Puerto Plata

Very nice, welcome! Nice to see another poster (there are not many at the moment, I think), who actually reside in POP, not just NC. I'm not currently there, me and the family live in Europe but hopefully finally (we were supposed to be there already in May but due to family emergency are still in Europe) coming down to POP for Christmas or so. We've lived near Bayardo in POP for many years, that is our home base as my better half is from POP...

We've been to Costambar and through all the streets by foot countless times, I agree on the "isolation", but it is nice nevertheless. If it's still available, we'd be possibly renting a house there (not to stay per se, but for the pool) for a bit this year as well. That's still in the planning phase though.

If I can be of any help for any things local, happy to help.

 

[josh2203]

Walking about is safe and traffic at a minimum mostly. My sample size here in Costambar is limited; we will see if after 6 months I still like the tranquility ! Vamos a ver .

I look at at this way: It's good to go to relatively crowded places in the city for a bit as you know that you have your peaceful place to "escape to". If you get bored to either side (quiet area vs city center), you can spend a while in the other than then return...

 

[DrNoob]

Welcome ! Hope you have a great time here

 

[North Coaster]

Very nice, welcome! Nice to see another poster (there are not many at the moment, I think), who actually reside in POP, not just NC. I'm not currently there, me and the family live in Europe but hopefully finally (we were supposed to be there already in May but due to family emergency are still in Europe) coming down to POP for Christmas or so. We've lived near Bayardo in POP for many years, that is our home base as my better half is from POP...

We've been to Costambar and through all the streets by foot countless times, I agree on the "isolation", but it is nice nevertheless. If it's still available, we'd be possibly renting a house there (not to stay per se, but for the pool) for a bit this year as well. That's still in the planning phase though.

If I can be of any help for any things local, happy to help.

Thanks Josh ! I have a lot to learn and experience and adapt as I can no longer think like I am a vacation.....good thing is now I have all the time in the world to get it right !!

 

[JD Jones]

I don't think I'd want an apartment, but I'd be happy with a small house with a yard in Costambar.

 

[AlterEgo]

I don't think I'd want an apartment, but I'd be happy with a small house with a yard in Costambar.

We stayed in one for a few days awhile ago when we went up north to pick up a rescue dog. Dv8 arranged it for us, it belonged to someone in her husband’s family. It was very nice, quiet, I’d go there again. Nice area.

 

[Fulano2]

Welcome to the beautiful NC!

 

[JD Jones]

We stayed in one for a few days awhile ago when we went up north to pick up a rescue dog. Dv8 arranged it for us, it belonged to someone in her husband’s family. It was very nice, quiet, I’d go there again. Nice area.

We looked at houses and apartments there once about 20 years ago and thought they were a little on the high side. We found apartments for 35k in front of the beach but we didn't like the weekend crowds.

We were comparing the prices to Casa Linda where you could buy a house for 50K. Those days are gone. LOL

I bet one could still score one for decent money in Costambar if the timing was right.

 

[North Coaster]

I don't think I'd want an apartment, but I'd be happy with a small house with a yard in Costambar.

You would easily find that here, I see signs for rent/sale. I lucked out in that its like I have a private home. I have a separate entrance second floor and the view is better and so are the breezes. I am the only renter and surrounded by avocado and of course mango trees and all kinds of tropical plants. Not to mention that the owner being Dominicana loves to cook and share and I have to laugh cause whenever the power goes out (no TV or internet) she gets busy in the kitchen on the gas stoves.

 

[josh2203]

but we didn't like the weekend crowds.

That is unfortunately one drawback of Costambar, and not only weekends, but Semana Santa and other occasions. It will be packed. We've always stayed far away from Costambar on any public holidays and went towards the campo instead.

 

[North Coaster]

That is unfortunately one drawback of Costambar, and not only weekends, but Semana Santa and other occasions. It will be packed. We've always stayed far away from Costambar on any public holidays and went towards the campo instead.

It has been my experience that almost any beach that I have been to North Coast like Costambar, Playa Cofresi, Playa Teco, Playa Sosua or Cabarete, Sunday for sure will be packed with Dominicans, and if Monday also happens to be a National Holiday then its over the top. The beauty of being here now for an extended period is that I can avoid Sundays and Holiday weekends and enjoy the beach when they are recovering or back to work.

Its like let Dominicans be Dominican, after all it is their country and the beaches are public. When I did book one week vacations, I tried to go outside of Dominican Holidays for this reason. In fact its also a good time to stay off the roads as well, never mind the beaches !

Right now Costambar is super quiet weekends included , snow birds have not yet arrived and last Sunday was no worse than a MidWeek when the snowbirds are here.

 

[josh2203]

The beauty of being here now for an extended period is that I can avoid Sundays and Holiday weekends and enjoy the beach when they are recovering or back to work.

We have actually frequented the Costambar beach and spent hours there at a time, but the trick has been to be there during the weekdays and as early as possible. In particular during the pandemic, when our kids were schooled virtually by a US-based school and they had no strict schedules, we would go to Costambar on Monday-Wednesday mornings, have lunch there and if any larger masses of people would arrive, we would simply leave, simple as that. That was valid for us in general as well, we would frequent all the public places of interest when they were empty... Then when the masses would get out of work or whatnot, we would head home and start working/studying.