DR 10 year plan - Many Questions - Dominican Republic forum

DR 10 year plan - Many Questions

11POSTS

11 years ago

Howdy all. Lo seinto in advance if this gets long winded... just so many questions.

A little back ground about me (and future wife). We have been to DR 3 times in as many years, Bravaro and Puerto Plata, and even took a day trip once to La Romana on a scuba excursion. We fell in love with the country as soon as we stepped off the plane. We joked on our first trip that this will be our retirement destination... fast forward 3 years and we are actively working toward retiring in a tropical country.

My future wife speaks fluent spanish. She moved from Canada to Spain in her early teens and moved back to Canada in her early 20's so she is an old hand at this expat stuff. January of this year I got cracking on learning spanish and figure I will at least be functional if not fluent when we retire (10 years).

We are trying to research area's in DR. The only way to do that is to actually explore like a local.

The 2 places that seem like the best fit for us based on our research seems to be La Romana and Puerto Plata/Sosua/Caberette. And these areas will be the first on our explore list.

Is there a magic force bubble around POP airport? I can jump on a plane tomorrow and be in Punta Cana in 6-7 hours from Vancouver for about 600 bucks CAD return... POP requires a minimum of 2 connections, 24 hours, and about 1200 CAD. Is there a local island airline that can jump across the island from Punta Cana to POP? Anyone know of an airline that flies direct from Vancouver to Puerto Plata? Funny that it's cheaper to book an all inclusive in Puerto Plata than it is to go air only.

In our exploration we are hoping to fly in, rent an apartment or condo (not a resort), buy local food, eat/cook at home, and generaly pretend we are already living in the area to get a feel for it.

Another question is for planner. You had mentioned that you are renting a large 3 bed apt in La Romana for around $500 US. Is that typical for La Romana or did you get a smoking hot deal through networking and contacts?

For me Sosua/Caberette gets my motor running. I want to be a 55 year old surf beach bum. I understand the surfing in that area is stellar. Is this a heavy Expat area? Seems many on this forum live in this area.

Does anyone know anything about DREscapes.com? My girlfriend showed me a few videos of them on youtube. She thought it might be an idea to check out the island with them. However I got a weird vibe from it. Cross between time share sales and a cult... "No I will pass on the special koolaid thanks.... Sorry, I dont care what time the mother ship arives to see the time share properties". Could just be me... others may have an informed point of view. If they are a legit service... who knows, might take a few tours with them.

See also

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planner Dominican Republic Expert

17773POSTS

11 years ago

First welcome to the forums.聽 I relate to the airport issues with Puerto Plata. I travelled from Victoria, it was brutal and expensive.....

My apartment here in La Romana costs less than US 200 a month!!!!!聽 It is not overly expensive in La Romana if you loom.聽 Imagine a huge 4 bedroom 4 bathroom house for under聽 US 450!!!!

Anytime you get that feeling - listen to it.聽 If you come to La Romana I will show you around!!!

Bob K VIP Member

7675POSTS

11 years ago

Let me add my welcome.聽 My wife and I retired (early 56 for me and 50 for her) here to the north coast Sosua/Cabarete area over nine years ago and have not looked back for a second.聽 There is a huge expat community here made up of folks from all over the world. It has the largest expat community in the country other than Santo Domingo (mostly working expats).

Yes you聽 do need to do your homework and visit for an extended time not in a resort setting.聽 Flying to POP for some unexplained (lots have tried) is more expensive.聽 Many of us when we do fly do so out of Santiago with a lower fare.聽 Cab from Santiago is $100 and many times if two or more are traveling will save聽 you a good bit of money. So do look at the option of flying to Santiago.聽 There are no interisland flights so getting from one place to another is by road.

DREscapes is a scam to sell property...stay away if I were you.

Please feel free to ask away. There are lots of good folks here with good information and ideas.

Again welcome

Bob K

acadien175 Active member

98POSTS

11 years ago

The best scheduling that we found on commercial airline flights from Western Canada (Edmonton) to the DR is to take a red-eye overnight to Toronto arriving in the morning then take a direct flight to the DR - arriving mid-afternoon.聽 The return flights are little easier, leave the DR mid-afternoon for Toronto,聽 take a 9pm or earlier flight out which arrives at about midnight.

planner Dominican Republic Expert

17773POSTS

11 years ago

That is pretty much what I had to do, overnight to Toronto then flight to Puerto Plata.聽 However the issue was when there were delays..........I hated waiting in the airport.....LOL

acadien175 Active member

98POSTS

11 years ago

I have seen delays >8hours; an airline flight Toronto(YYZ)->Samana(AZS) had to return to Toronto after 2 1/2 hours flying time (mechanical problem -聽 no repair facilities in DR) and then transfer to a different plane to resume the flight.聽聽 The arrival late at night was interesting...

We have also found that it really pays to be flexible on travel dates; e.g. Edmonton -> Samana ~CAD$385, WestJet, on a Tuesday,聽 the Saturday was significantly higher .聽聽We found that charters are cheaper but dates are not as flexible, luggage limited, and here they stop flying South at the end of the season.

JumpingJupiter Member

11POSTS

11 years ago

Wow. Thanks for the generous offer to show us around La Romana, Planner. We will most likely take you up on it. Info directly from a local Expat about a town we are looking at will save us a huge amount of trial and error. To be honest, even knowing the right questions to ask will go a long way. La Romana struck me as a layed back small town not really a tourist trap.聽 I didn't even know there were resorts in the area until a friend at work mentioned he had been to DR and stayed at a resort in La Romana.
It looks like La Romana is the best way to live on the cheap (I reread your 鈥淐ost of living 2015鈥� post).

Bob, Thanks for the heads up on DREscape. Unfortunately, I was unable to find any flights from my area to Santiago. I will keep looking since it is a good idea.

A question about driving. From what I read the gringo is always at fault. And if you are a gringo and have a fender bender you go to the local lockup (or hotel if you have good insurance). I've seen the Dominicans drive... the fact that there isn't a crack up every 3 seconds defy's explanation. Everyone is in a massive rush to be late for their next appointment

. Has anyone had a smash up? What happened and what were the consequences?

Do anyone have scooters or small CC motorcycles? The reason I ask is both my girlfriend and I ride. Would be a cost effective way to get to and from the beach, market, etc. Add a motor cycle trailer and could haul bigger stuff.

Almost forgot. Was thinking because it is so easy to get to Punta Cana airport... is there a bus service or something that you can suggest to get from the south side to Sosua area? Either wait in an airport for your flight from Toronto to POP or just jump on a jet to punta cana and travel overland. How long is the bus from Punta cana to POP?

Jupi

acadien175 Active member

98POSTS

11 years ago

La Romana has an airport (LRM).聽 WestJet flies there - seasonal service from Canada via Toronto, a ~4 hour flight arriving midafternoon on Thursdays.聽聽I have seen flights from YVR to LRM (via YYZ) down at聽 ~CAD$372 one way...

Bob K VIP Member

7675POSTS

11 years ago

Jumping yes the gringo will be at fault.聽 You only go to the lock up for serious accidents or if some one is injured and the police are called.聽 We actually had a moto run into us at high speed.聽 He was on our side of the road and we had nearly stopped so he could avoid us...nope.聽 Thankfully he flipped over the car and was not really injured.聽 He had NO identification, NO license, NO insurance, NO registration for the bike. Thankfully we had a car full of Dominican friends who kept things civil.聽 He demanded 10,000 pesos to fix his bike on the spot.聽 We taped the fender back on the car (always carry duct tape in your car) and drove off.聽 We did have someone offer to take him to the hospital but he refused.聽 He contacted us again and we told him to file a police report as we had done.聽 He did not want to as he had no ID and was probably here illegally.聽 We spend 1000 peso on our lawyer and she wrote up an agreement were he took $5000 pesos and that was the end of it.聽 So totally not our fault and only cost us a bit over $100 US.聽 We got off cheap.

MOtos are extremely dangerous here so be carful riding and driving them.

Punta Cana is multiple bus rides and for two will run you $100 or so plus take over 8 hours each way. Not聽 a real option for the north coast.

Bob K

JumpingJupiter Member

11POSTS

11 years ago

#10

acadien175, you took flights from Edmonton to Samana?... do you live in/around Samana or La Terrenas? We looked at rentals in La Terrenas (an area we are considering) and found lots of very high end properties and high rent compared to other area's we are researching. Is La Terrenas the Beverly Hills of DR??

drtuttle Guest

0POSTS

11 years ago

#11

Hello JJupiter

Las Terrenas can be very expensive for some individuals. It's definitely one of the most quiet and beautiful places on the Island. I wouldn't compare it with Beverly Hills or anything of this kind as still nobody can avoid the blackouts (unless you have a transformer or solar panels) and the living standards are still lower than a developed country.

If you are looking for a luxurious, safe, and quite place, Casa de Campo in La Romana, or Cap Cana in Punta Cana can be the best choice.

It's a matter of personal choices and needs. I love Las Terrenas for many reasons that may differ with the individual preferences of others.

From the west coast you wont find direct flights to Dominican Republic, and I find the prices with connectors very reasonable taking into consideration the distance, also聽 most of the time a round trip flight from Toronto to Vancouver can be more expensive than flying from Vancouver with connectors to DR.

Think about it and adjust your seat belt

Cheers

acadien175 Active member

98POSTS

11 years ago

#12

Yes, flights from Edmonton to Samana via Toronto, both Air Canada and WestJet follow that route.聽聽In some instances we have booked one airline down and the other on the return trip to get better scheduling/pricing.聽聽

My wife's family is from Samana and Sabana de la Mar.聽 To reach Sabana it meant taking a ferry across the bay from Samana.

Bob K VIP Member

7675POSTS

11 years ago

#13

What ferry are you talking about?????????????/

Bob K

acadien175 Active member

98POSTS

11 years ago

#14

Locals call it a ferry.聽聽It is better described as a "water bus",聽 with scheduled trips, which takes passengers and motor cycles across the bay.聽 Here's a link in English聽聽

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Bob K VIP Member

7675POSTS

11 years ago

#15

Thanks I was not aware that that was operational

Bob K

1 member reacted to this post

acadien175 Active member

98POSTS

11 years ago

#16

The Samana <-> Sabana de la Mar ferry has been in place for a number of years, am not sure about the others.聽 Here's a youtube

NB.聽 The Bay of Samana聽 is subject to silting up.聽 The ferry used to go pier to pier,聽 now it transships passengers to smaller boats if it gets too shallow in Sab. de la Mar

JumpingJupiter Member

11POSTS

11 years ago

#17

Drtuttle
To answer your question. "you are looking for a luxurious, safe, and quite place?" Safe and quiet, yes.

Luxurious no. Both myself and girlfriend lead very simple lives (by choice) by North American standards. Would probably be considered upper middle class by Dominican standards. Some of planners other posts describe pretty much the standard of living we are looking for... a blend of local/expat life style.

Based on cost of living... La Romana would be perfect with one catch the ocean is very flat. Great for Scuba... not so good for surfing. It's an hour dirve north east to Playa Macao or an hour drive west to聽 La Boya. I could be wrong though... anyone know of surfing close to La Romana?

drtuttle Guest

0POSTS

11 years ago

#18

Hello JJupiter

I wans't asking any question, but thanks for the answer

Playa Caribe is pretty close to La Romana and it's good for surfing. The only thing is that it's a very small stretch of beach, you have also to pay a fee to get in.

Cheers.

JumpingJupiter Member

11POSTS

11 years ago

#19

Sorry Drtuttle. I miss read your earlier post.

planner Dominican Republic Expert

17773POSTS

11 years ago

#20

This area is not known for surfing at all.聽 That is the north coast for sure!!!!

Bob K VIP Member

7675POSTS

11 years ago

#21

Best surfing on the island is on the north coast

Bob K

planner Dominican Republic Expert

17773POSTS

11 years ago

#22

Some of the best surfing in the world I am told.聽 I only watch!!!!

Bob K VIP Member

7675POSTS

11 years ago

#23

Plus one of he top kite boarding areas in the world with the world championships here every couple of years.

Bob K

JumpingJupiter Member

11POSTS

11 years ago

#24

Part of our 10 year plan is to check out areas but for me a least... to learn to speak/read/write Spanish. My future wife is fluent and that is a huge benifit to me... having someone to converse with in spanish but I am currently at the "All Inclusive Resort" phase of hablo espanol. Cerveza, Vino, and bano.... lol. Being a Canadian French was a manditory course till the 9th grade but Spanish courses were not even offered in the small town I grew up in back in the 80's.聽

Are there Spanish courses I can take while in DR? How did the expats on the forum transition over to Spanish? I believe while we are exploring the island I will have to treat our vacation/exploration as a 'Working Vacation". Perhaps taking Spanish lessons in the mornings and asking my wife to not speak english (unless it is an emergency) while in country.

I am very curious to hear about your experiences transitioning over to living in a Spanish speaking country from Canada/USA/Europe.

acadien175 Active member

98POSTS

11 years ago

#25

If you are looking for a useful introductory text for learning Spanish, I like 'Madrigal's Magic Key to Spanish' by Margarita Madrigal,聽 ISBN 978-0-385-41095-3.聽 It is based on words English speakers know already - cognados,

Then again there are many youtube videos for learning:聽

Ted

PS. I too have a Spanish speaking wife who will only speak Spanish at certain times .

planner Dominican Republic Expert

17773POSTS

11 years ago

#26

For me it was simply necessity. I came with NO Spanish and learned as I went.聽 I am good but not perfect!

I regret NOT taking lessons when I first arrived!

1 member reacted to this post