White-sand beaches, swaying palm trees, warm turquoise water, year-round sunshine… The Dominican Republic is steeped in true Caribbean charm. This island nation boasts 800 miles of coastline, all of it sandy and welcoming…
But the stretch of beach that we think is most worthy of your attention is Las Terrenas—an eclectic, multicultural Caribbean beach community found on the DR’s Samaná Peninsula, a finger of land that sticks out from the country’s northeast coast.
Settled by French expats in the 1970s, Las Terrenas has been attracting foreigners ever since—among them Germans, Italians, Swiss, Brits, Poles, and Russians.
This helps explain the diverse shopping and dining options around town that include everything from a German meat shop to an authentic French boulangerie to an Omaha beef store and an Italian clothing boutique.
While this goes far beyond the selection available at your average Caribbean destination, none of the natural tropical appeal has been lost in Las Terrenas. It remains a pastel-washed Caribbean beach town, with swaying palms and beach vistas around every corner.
In recent years, mostly thanks to its infrastructure developments, more Americans have been arriving. Aside from the beautiful beaches and welcoming cosmopolitan community, they’re attracted by the affordable, active lifestyle, ease of access from the States and Canada, and user-friendly residency options.
On a day-to-day basis, expats get involved in activities like swimming, sailing, kayaking, fishing, hiking, and horseback riding, as well as more high-octane stuff like kiteboarding and surfing.
The DR offers several residency visa options that are easy to apply and qualify for. Real estate is affordable, and construction standards are high, with high-quality finishings available locally and highly skilled general contractors.
Whether you’re looking for a second home in the sun… a full-time option for your retirement that offers an attractive lifestyle… or a chance to earn rental income in a growing tourist market, Las Terrenas is worth checking out.
