A couple of things I would like to point out about the DR. 1) Safety: Yes, there is crime in the DR and you do need to keep your street smarts when you are walking about in some areas. But this has been blown up out of proportion by the media and some bloggers online. Is very simple, folks. Don't be a fool! If you live in Santo Domingo, there shouldn't be any reason as to why you should be walking in Villa Juana, El Capotillo or Cristo Rey at 2am. The people that live in those places are not out at 2am. Why? Because you will get robbed at gun point. Period! If you live in Las Terrenas, there are areas where there has been robberies and drugging tourists or foreigners and taking them on ATM rides. Yes! This has happened. But then again. Doesn't this also happen in Detroit and Chicago? Or course it does. One thing that is not going to happen in the DR is your kids being gunned down in school. That you won't see. Just do your research, befriend locals that know what's going on on the ground. Stay away from dating apps (this applies to Colombia or any other place you are considering) and hang around with locals that have similar level of education and economic status as you, and learn from them how to avoid the areas or situations where you can be exposed to a little more danger. 2) Cost of living: This channel does a pretty good job at giving pragmatic information. But I laugh at some traveler channels out there that are talking about how you can live with $1,000 USD per month and then are showing videos of Cap Cana, or Los Cacicazgos, Piantini and Naco in Santo Domingo. Or they show a video of a Million Dollar villa in Jarabacoa and talk about a $400 dollar per month rent cost 😂 Let's be real for a moment. Can you eat a meal at a seafood restaurant and get fried fish and a couple of beers for 30 dollars? Sure! You most definitely can. Can you do that at Don Pepe, or El Cantabrico in Santo Domingo? It's going to be well north of 100 dollars per person. More close to 200 dollars if you order wine. What I'm trying to say is that there are 2 very distinct Dominican Republic. There is the one where you can go to Boca Chica and enjoy the beach for very little money! But there is the other Dominican Republic where you can go in your 400, 000 dollar Ferrari to Club Nautico in Boca Chica where the membership is upwards of half a million dollars and everything is as exclusive and with the quality that comes with it. It is less expensive to live here than it is in Miami or New York. That doesn't mean it is cheap. You want cheap! I suggest you look at Tailand or Vietnam. The DR is not as inexpensive as some of those other UA-cam channels want to make it look like. You are not renting an apartment in Los Cacicazgos for 400 dollars per month. 😅
Thank you! That's awesome you are moving there, which area? And sure my video gear is the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 which I loooooveeee! You can find the link in my comment section, where I mention gear.
@@senkusu yes Santo Domingo has them I realized after I recorded it could be misunderstood - was thinking of beaches as close as you could reach if you were already in Punta Cana . Didn’t know that about Santiago being among the best - thanks, if people were interested in big cities then that’s good for them to know.
I’d like your view on the Cabarete area. I have loved visiting there and have done so several times. But what about retirement there? I have met expats from France, The US, Canada, etc. it’s all been very friendly. There are good choices for grocery shopping with three major stores nearby. Also a new hospital with U.S. trained physicians and plenty to do. It seems to be rapidly developing into an expat haven with a lot of construction of condos and villas.
Cabarete has been an expat hub for a long time. Personally I could not live there long-term -- but I understand why expats like it, it IS very mixed and international. Maybe too much? lol Depends on what one is looking for.Have been there at least four times though for work and each time the vibe doesn't move me. The center of Cabarete is very buzzy with bars and restaurants lining the beach, and kitesurfers on the other end so if you're into that watersports scene it is a good community to be a part of. There are also areas a bit more removed from the party scene, like Encuentro. And yes you are close to Sosua (my least fave place in DR), Puerto Plata. But overall for me it's become too expensive and crammed.... and generally not as safe as the east coast. That's just my opinion Btw I didn't know there was a new hospital - that's great.
@tourismlens I enjoyed both. I was there to experience beaches and kiting. Cabarete is a busy kiting mecca with an extensive international community. It's a high energy ocean sport location. It was awesome to experience, but I enjoyed the less busy beach vibe of Las Terrenas. Different feel to both locations. Great international food in Las Terrenas! Thank you for your informative channel!
@@barrymonteiro8893 That's exactly the difference! I found that my likes changed over time in terms of where to live, too. The beauty of DR is that it has so many diverse sides to it. Thanks for watching!
Thanks very much!! Aaaah I know so true, and I have so many somewhere in my hard drives but ran out of time and needed to publish this for today. Next time!
Thank you!! I was familiar with it before even going there 😁 - my stylist in the US was Dominican ! it’s also very similar hair culture with Ethiopians (I am of Ethiopian heritage).
Excellent reviews. I've lived in SFM as a Peace Corps volunteer, married someone from the area and go back often. It feels like home when I'm back there. I've also lived in Sosua and managed a solar energy business. From what I read, the government is trying to move Sosua in a different direction and I hope it works.
Thank you!! Wow that's amazing! :) I married someone from SDQ as well sometime after I decided to move there. And I went to SFM once or twice, to visit the cacao plantation up there! Beautiful area. Is it a good area to consider retiring I wonder? As for Sosua that's the same thing I used to hear every year am afraid, and nothing ever changes. In fact I think it's gotten worse from the news I saw recently.
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Which area appeals to you?! Got more questions drop them below 😊🇩🇴
I Love Your Spirit,Intelligence and knowledge of Tourism!❤
@@ronaldchristian1960 Thanks so much 😁🙏🏾
THANK YOU LILY!!!!
You're welcome!! thanks for watching!
A couple of things I would like to point out about the DR.
1) Safety: Yes, there is crime in the DR and you do need to keep your street smarts when you are walking about in some areas. But this has been blown up out of proportion by the media and some bloggers online. Is very simple, folks. Don't be a fool! If you live in Santo Domingo, there shouldn't be any reason as to why you should be walking in Villa Juana, El Capotillo or Cristo Rey at 2am. The people that live in those places are not out at 2am. Why? Because you will get robbed at gun point. Period! If you live in Las Terrenas, there are areas where there has been robberies and drugging tourists or foreigners and taking them on ATM rides. Yes! This has happened. But then again. Doesn't this also happen in Detroit and Chicago? Or course it does. One thing that is not going to happen in the DR is your kids being gunned down in school. That you won't see.
Just do your research, befriend locals that know what's going on on the ground. Stay away from dating apps (this applies to Colombia or any other place you are considering) and hang around with locals that have similar level of education and economic status as you, and learn from them how to avoid the areas or situations where you can be exposed to a little more danger.
2) Cost of living: This channel does a pretty good job at giving pragmatic information. But I laugh at some traveler channels out there that are talking about how you can live with $1,000 USD per month and then are showing videos of Cap Cana, or Los Cacicazgos, Piantini and Naco in Santo Domingo. Or they show a video of a Million Dollar villa in Jarabacoa and talk about a $400 dollar per month rent cost 😂
Let's be real for a moment.
Can you eat a meal at a seafood restaurant and get fried fish and a couple of beers for 30 dollars? Sure! You most definitely can. Can you do that at Don Pepe, or El Cantabrico in Santo Domingo? It's going to be well north of 100 dollars per person. More close to 200 dollars if you order wine.
What I'm trying to say is that there are 2 very distinct Dominican Republic. There is the one where you can go to Boca Chica and enjoy the beach for very little money!
But there is the other Dominican Republic where you can go in your 400, 000 dollar Ferrari to Club Nautico in Boca Chica where the membership is upwards of half a million dollars and everything is as exclusive and with the quality that comes with it.
It is less expensive to live here than it is in Miami or New York. That doesn't mean it is cheap.
You want cheap! I suggest you look at Tailand or Vietnam. The DR is not as inexpensive as some of those other UA-cam channels want to make it look like.
You are not renting an apartment in Los Cacicazgos for 400 dollars per month. 😅
Fantastic video we are moving to DR in about two years nice video but I was also wondering what camera are you using it a good video quality.
Thank you! That's awesome you are moving there, which area? And sure my video gear is the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 which I loooooveeee! You can find the link in my comment section, where I mention gear.
For internet in a remote place you can buy a starlink which the service is very affordable $2500 DOP
I heard about that! Awesome that they have it now.
Dominican here. The best medical facilities are in Santiago and Santo Domingo... Not Punta Cana.
So true
@@senkusu yes Santo Domingo has them I realized after I recorded it could be misunderstood - was thinking of beaches as close as you could reach if you were already in Punta Cana . Didn’t know that about Santiago being among the best - thanks, if people were interested in big cities then that’s good for them to know.
@@tourismlens Thank you for your videos and your perspective by the way.
I’d like your view on the Cabarete area. I have loved visiting there and have done so several times. But what about retirement there? I have met expats from France, The US, Canada, etc. it’s all been very friendly. There are good choices for grocery shopping with three major stores nearby. Also a new hospital with U.S. trained physicians and plenty to do. It seems to be rapidly developing into an expat haven with a lot of construction of condos and villas.
Cabarete has been an expat hub for a long time. Personally I could not live there long-term -- but I understand why expats like it, it IS very mixed and international. Maybe too much? lol Depends on what one is looking for.Have been there at least four times though for work and each time the vibe doesn't move me. The center of Cabarete is very buzzy with bars and restaurants lining the beach, and kitesurfers on the other end so if you're into that watersports scene it is a good community to be a part of. There are also areas a bit more removed from the party scene, like Encuentro. And yes you are close to Sosua (my least fave place in DR), Puerto Plata. But overall for me it's become too expensive and crammed.... and generally not as safe as the east coast. That's just my opinion Btw I didn't know there was a new hospital - that's great.
Great information. I spent a month in Las Terrenas and Cabarete this past June.
You're a great travel journalist and seemingly lovely lady!
@ why thank you! 😊 What did you think of those places?
@tourismlens I enjoyed both. I was there to experience beaches and kiting. Cabarete is a busy kiting mecca with an extensive international community. It's a high energy ocean sport location. It was awesome to experience, but I enjoyed the less busy beach vibe of Las Terrenas. Different feel to both locations. Great international food in Las Terrenas! Thank you for your informative channel!
@@barrymonteiro8893 That's exactly the difference! I found that my likes changed over time in terms of where to live, too. The beauty of DR is that it has so many diverse sides to it. Thanks for watching!
Great video and very helpful info...no pictures of Las Terrenas? The views are stunning! I'm surprised...
Thanks very much!! Aaaah I know so true, and I have so many somewhere in my hard drives but ran out of time and needed to publish this for today. Next time!
Your hair looks beautiful, did you learn anything about the Dominican’s hair culture.
Thank you!! I was familiar with it before even going there 😁 - my stylist in the US was Dominican ! it’s also very similar hair culture with Ethiopians (I am of Ethiopian heritage).
Las terrenas is beautiful and safe. Disappointed you did not show a video. It has the most beautiful beaches
Excellent reviews. I've lived in SFM as a Peace Corps volunteer, married someone from the area and go back often. It feels like home when I'm back there. I've also lived in Sosua and managed a solar energy business. From what I read, the government is trying to move Sosua in a different direction and I hope it works.
Thank you!! Wow that's amazing! :) I married someone from SDQ as well sometime after I decided to move there. And I went to SFM once or twice, to visit the cacao plantation up there! Beautiful area. Is it a good area to consider retiring I wonder? As for Sosua that's the same thing I used to hear every year am afraid, and nothing ever changes. In fact I think it's gotten worse from the news I saw recently.