Area Information

   Getting There - Visitors to this area usually fly into the international airport at Puerto Plata. With colorful Victorian-style houses, lively plazas, and a nice ocean promenade, it has a truly Caribbean lilt…There are some interesting tourist sites here, including the ruins of the old San Felipe Fort, the Brugal Rum Factory, and a couple of nice amber museums and galleries. (Dominican amber is the best in the world.)

In Sosúa, you can still find a few of the lovely handcrafted houses built by Jewish settlers in the 1940s. Nearby Playa Sosúa is a gorgeous stretch of tranquil beach. Occasionally referred to as the "Acapulco of DR," this area is known for its nightlife, but in my opinion, seems to attract a more sedate crowd than Cabarete, which is a popular windsurfing spot and attracts a younger, hipper crowd.

Cabarete is funky, fun, and lively. Located on a lovely white-sand beach along an enormous bay, the former fishing village now caters to tourists. Surfers, windsurfers, divers, and party-makers crowd the beaches by day and the bars at night. A "perfect moment" can be had at one of the many beachside restaurants here, enjoying a meal on a warm, tropical night. Good food, good wine, twinkling lights, a cooling sea breeze rustling through the palm trees, lapping waves, your shoes kicked off, and toes dug firmly into the sand…it doesn’t get much better.

Between Sosúa and Cabarete you will find many lovely expanses of beaches, including Perla Marina, Seahorse Ranch, Encuentro, Punta Goleta, Kite Beach, Playa Laguna, and others. This area is home to many of the area’s residential districts, both along the beach and high in the hills with an ocean or mountain view. Many foreigners have invested here.

It’s easy to buy - In 1998, a law was written allowing foreigners to buy property in the Dominican Republic with the same rights and obligations as a Dominican citizen. The only requirement is that the Title Registry Offices keep a record, for statistical purposes, of all purchases made by foreigners. Acquiring property here is straightforward, the realtor and the notario (real estate attorney) you work with should be able to help you through the process. It never hurts to hire your own attorney, but it is common for realtors to recommend attorneys they feel comfortable with.