The Dominican Republic Bi-coastal Beauty

THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC IS ON A ROLL Tourism and foreign investment have been booming in recent years. It’s one of the easiest to access of the Caribbean islands, just a 3 1/2 hour direct flight from New York. This proximity, coupled with the New York Times calling the island nation “the new St. Bart’s” has resulted in a surge in U.S. tourists, which in turn is fueling strong demand for second homes and vacation rentals on the island. Despite unsettled politics in Haiti, which shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic; the trend shows no signs of slowing. In the opulent and rapidly expanding array of gated all-inclusive resorts on the seacoast, villas and condos are being snapped up at a rapid clip by affluent buyers from North America, South America and Europe.

Until a few years ago, the D.R. (as it is affectionately called by many) was considered a second-rate destination by many travel and tourism experts. As a result, many affluent Americans seeking second homes largely stayed away. Many of the former objections have been overcome by immense public and private investments that have brought rapid improvements to the island. Now being touted as the most affordable Caribbean destination by many travel writers, the D.R's half-discovered quality may not last much longer.

Among many other attributes, the D.R. has some of the world’s most beautiful beaches and an average of 320 days of sunshine each year. The recent five million dollar investment in the expansion and improvement of the island’s infrastructure is also making the island more attractive to foreign visitors and prospective second homeowners.

Huge investments are being made in the development of resort communities in the D.R.. The magnitude of these investments and increased demand has resulted in a growing number of regular flights from the U.S. And, the D.R. is now the number one country in the Caribbean for telecommunications, with extensive cell phone coverage and internet access. All these factors have combined to position the D.R. to become an even more popular tourist and second home destination in 2007. Many real estate analysts are predicting that this trend towards increased tourism and foreign investment in real estate will continue unabated well into the next decade.

Purchasing real estate in the D.R. is a relatively easy process. Compared to more restrictive laws in other countries, there are few legal prohibitions preventing a foreign national from purchasing real estate in the D.R. Many foreign nationals have successfully and profitably invested in D.R. real estate and have done so for many years.

Foreign investment in properties on the island ranges from luxurious all-inclusive resorts, condominium complexes being built as second homes to upscale single-family homes, villas and estates. A significant contributor to the growth in foreign property ownership is made up of an increasing number of U.S. residents seeking second homes with rental income potential, according to MRI Overseas Property, a large real estate firm based in Spain that sells Dominican properties.

With a comparatively low cost of living and easy access from the U.S., many people are finding the D.R.an ideal place for holidays and vacation homes. Compared to many other markets it is relatively inexpensive to buy and maintain a second home in the D. R. Another attractive feature of property ownership on the island is that there are virtually no property taxes. In addition to vacation homeowners, the reasonable cost of living has also attracted an increasing number of foreign retirees.
The D.R. has more than 800 miles of coastline with expansive fine white sand beaches. Beyond the beaches there is much unspoiled natural areas all around the island. There are 16 national parks, nine natural monuments and six scientific reserves on the island. There are 67 “protected areas” which include panoramic roadways, recreational areas and ecological corridors.
The “two coasts” of the D.R. both hold their own allure.

Highlights of the South Coast
The South Coast, (sometimes called the Caribbean Coast), has many miles of spectacular coastline, Santo Domingo, the vibrant capital of the Dominican Republic, is located on this coast. It’s known as the “birthplace of the Americas”. It was the first European city of the Western Hemisphere, founded in 1496 by Christopher Columbus’s brother, Bartolome Colon. Today it is a cosmopolitan city with a population of 2.5 million. It is the largest city in the D.R. Urban features include a great diversity of nightlife, great restaurants and shopping, along with museums, ballet, opera, and a baseball stadium (baseball being the national sport).

The city’s colonial heritage is preserved in the Colonial Zone, where many structures date back to the 16th century.
East of Santo Domingo is the slower paced town of Boca Chica. It is home to the largest reef-protected ocean lagoon in the Caribbean. The waters of the lagoon are shallow, clear, and calm. There are several all-inclusive hotels in Boca Chica, as well as many smaller hotels, restaurants and bars.
East of Boca Chica is a beautiful area known as Juan Dolio. It’s more tranquil and less hectic than Boca Chica. The area has a mix of private villas, condominiums and all-inclusive hotels, as well as the 18 hole Los Marlins Golf Course. Ten minutes away is San Pedro de Macoris, the nation’s third largest city, best known for being the home of many talented U.S. major league baseball stars.

La Romana, about 90 minutes east of Santo Domingo is home to Casa de Campo, a 7,000 acre property including two 18 hole championship golf courses, including the famous Pete Dye-crated Teeth of the Dog, The area has many exclusive private villas as well as regular hotel accommodations. On a high bluff just east of the resort is Altos de Chavon, an unusual artists community designed to resemble a 16th century Mediterranean village. Among other features, Altos de Chavon has a 5,000 seat amphitheatre as well as many shops and restaurants
Just east of La Romana is Bayahibe, a small fishing village surrounded by a number of beautiful all-inclusive resorts fronting on miles of white-sand beaches. Ongoing expansion in this area will see several new resorts in coming years.

Touring the North Coast
The North Coast Highway is a well-maintained, two-lane road that follows the coastline alongside stunning beaches. It passes through many typical Dominican villages interspersed with ever-changing, sometimes breathtaking tropical vistas.

Even though the roadway passes through what appear to be areas of tropical wilderness, you are never far from an oasis of civilization. The North Coast presents a combination of friendly islanders, a lively Latin culture, and many bohemian expats, including artists and writers from all over the world. It all makes for an unusual, fun, captivating and safe place to spend a Caribbean vacation or to search for your second home.
The north coastal highway offers the choice of many towns and resorts with easy access to an airport at. Puerto Plata City, one of the principal population centers of the North Coast. It’s a center of regional commerce, a port city and the capital of the Province of Puerto Plata. The city curves around the base of towering Mt. Isabel de Torres. The summit with its manicured botanical garden can be reached by a sky lift called the teleférico. Other hallmarks of the city are its busy, narrow streets, quaint colonial and Victorian architecture and a wide oceanfront boulevard that ends at an historic 16th century Spanish fortress.

Cofresi and Costambar are two adjacent communities to the west of the town center that feature some of the best beaches in the Puerto Plata area. Both towns are popular with retired expatriates, and there are many villas and condos available for rent by owners. Oceanfront properties can still be found in this area for what would be considered very little, compared to other Caribbean locales.

The Playa Dorada Resort complex is about 20 minutes drive from Puerto Plata. It is a collection of more than a dozen all-inclusive hotels and resorts that offer a country club setting, featuring low-rise structures spread out through a very lush tropical setting. The three-story maximum height restriction emphasizes the natural vegetation rather than the built environment. Some are on the beach, others wrap around a Robert Trent Jones-designed golf course.

Sosua is a vibrant Latin town centered on a spectacular beach and bay. The town has a wonderful assortment of hotels, bars and restaurants. Unlike the controlled environment of the all-inclusive resorts, Sosua affords plenty of opportunities for interaction with local Dominicans. This charming town is considered a must see by many repeat visitors to the D.R. It’s also a center for real estate sales for much of the North Coast.
Cabarete is a town with a beautiful beach that has been called one of the best windsurfing spots on the planet. A variety of hotels, restaurants, bars and windsurfing centers are located along a single beachfront strip.

Other places of interest along the North Coast include La Isabela, the first permanent settlement built by Christopher Columbus on his maiden voyage in 1492. Rio San Juan is a coastal town known for boat tours through a mangrove-choked lagoon. Just outside of town is Playa Grande, a beautiful beach and a championship golf course being developed for resorts planned for the area.

At the eastern extreme of the north coastal highway lies the beautiful Samana Peninsula. It’s a region of spectacular hills that feature a vast forest of coconut palms. The towns of Samana, Las Galeras and Las Terrenas are charming Dominican villages with some cosmopolitan flair imparted by many of the U.S. and European expatriates that have settled in the area.
Cabrera is a serene agricultural region that is attracting affluent foreigners who are building luxurious countryside estates.

With this brief overview, it is apparent why the allure of the Dominican Republic’s varied coastline is drawing a growing number of foreign tourists and second home owners. With some reasonably priced properties available in this island nation, it is definitely worth a vist (or two, or three). And did we mention that there are also two mountain ranges that run through the interior of the island? We’ll leave that for our next visit.

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