Options are to fly into Puerto Plata or Punta Cana and charter a flight or drive from there.  Drive time from Puerto Plata is almost four hours; eight hours from Punta Cana.Options are to fly into Puerto Plata or Punta Cana and charter a flight or drive from there.  Drive time from Puerto Plata is almost four hours; eight hours from Punta Cana.Options are to fly into Puerto Plata or Punta Cana and charter a flight or drive from there.  Drive time from Puerto Plata is almost four hours; eight hours from Punta Cana.Options are to fly into Puerto Plata or Punta Cana and charter a flight or drive from there.  Drive time from Puerto Plata is almost four hours; eight hours from Punta Cana.

A new international airport is being built at nearby El Catey, and a new highway from Santo Domingo to Las Terrenas, slated for completion in early 2008, will reportedly reduce the drive time to an hour.  The airport, which is supposed to open later this year, will bring in the tourists.  Then this sleepy place will change for the better—or for the worse, depending on your perspective.

The beaches along the peninsula’s 90-mile shoreline are mostly uninhabited.  According to a friend who lives here, that’s because the locals don’t want to live near the beaches, but prefer to live close together in towns inland, away from the wear and tear of salt and sea. 

The beaches are solitary.  There are lots of large, sheltered U-shaped bays with long stretches of honey-colored sand, ringed by gorgeous, tall coconut palms.  The blue water is gentle and warm.  And because this area is harder to get to than other parts of the island, prices here are lower than you’ll find further west along the north coast or near Punta Cana. 

What cost property here?
Across the road from the beach in Las Terrenas, a new apartment complex called Don Cesar is being built.  A luxurious two-bedroom, 1,000-square-foot (not including the ample terrace) apartment here, with an ocean view, can be had for $320,000.   Some older apartments are just down the road.  These are built of wood in the typical Caribbean style, with big balconies overlooking a landscaped common area and with ocean views. Two large condo units are for sale here, with two levels and three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a huge balcony.  They come fully furnished.  One is priced at $230,000 and the other at $255,000.

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What about raw land? We went to see some lots on Barbacoa and Limon Bays. One lot in particular stood out, as it is situated on an expansive bay, offering stunning views in both directions.  Nearly 2.4 acres in size, it was selling for $500,000.

The infrastructure will need to be installed, but both electricity and water are nearby.  Construction costs here for a 1,200- to 1,500-square-foot house average $40,000 to $50,000 ($35 to $40 per square foot). In comparison, we were told that construction costs in the more developed Puerto Plata area are close to $70 per square foot. 

This place is poised to boom. The beaches are too pretty and the property prices too reasonable—and increased accessibility will make it even more attractive.  New signature golf courses and an ambitious marina project are being planned.  Conde Nast Traveler has called the Samana Peninsula one of the 25 best locations in the world, and named one of its beaches (Playa Rincon) as one of the 10 best in the world. I don’t disagree. 

For more property information on the Samana Peninsula, contact: Samana Group (Christian Francis), e-mail: ckfrancis@samanagroup.com; or Bruce Pierson, e-mail: bruce.pierson@verizon.net.do.

Sidebars

A straightforward property purchase
In 1998, a law was written allowing foreigners to buy property in the Dominica Republic with the same rights and obligations as Dominican citizens. The only requirement is that the Title Registry Offices keep a record, for statistical purposes, of all purchases made by foreigners. Buying property here is straightforward, especially when you rely on the services of reputable real estate brokers and notarios (real estate attorneys). 
Annual property taxes here are low. It is commonplace to declare a value for the property that is actually much less than what it is worth. I heard of one man who paid a small “fee” to the tax assessor in order to “adjust” his valuation and vastly reduce his annual tax. This is the way it’s done here. But, most real estate and legal professionals will tell you that this is not the way things should be done. Property taxes, even on the full value of a property, are so low that it should not be a burden to pay your fair share. If you decide to buy property in the Dominican Republic, be sure you are satisfied with the advice you are given in this regard.

You should know…
According to the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS, the Caribbean is the second most affected region in the world, and HIV/AIDS is currently the leading cause of death for women of reproductive age in the Dominican Republic. About 61,000 women are living with HIV or AIDS in the D.R., constituting a little over half the total population with HIV/AIDS. 

Ten fast facts about the Dominican Republic
Size: 18,800 square miles. 
Location: Near the center of the West Indies. To its north is the Atlantic Ocean, to its south is the Caribbean Sea, to the east is Puerto Rico, and to the west is Cuba.

Geography: Eight mountain ranges divide Hispaniola, the largest of which is the Cordillera Central, extending from Santo Domingo northwest to Haiti. In the D.R. you will find the island’s longest river, the Río Yaque, and both lowest and highest points in the Caribbean, Lago Enriquillo, at 470 feet below sea level, and Pico Duarte, which rises to 10,414 feet and is blanketed by pine forest at it uppermost elevations.

Climate: Average annual temperature is 78° F. Highs and lows vary with altitude rather than seasons. At sea level, expect temperatures of 68° F to 86° F, while in the mountains, you may experience temperatures from 48° F to 75° F. On the north coast, the rainy season is October to May. On the southern coast, the rainy season is May to October. Northern and eastern towns generally receive more rain than southern towns.

Hurricanes: Hurricane season is June to September. The last major hurricane to affect the island was Hurricane Georges in 1998, which killed several thousand people.

Population: 8.4 million, more than two thirds of which live in urban centers.

Major cities: The capital is Santo Domingo, with more than three million inhabitants. Other urban centers include Santiago, San Pedro, La Romana, Puerto Plata, and Barahona.

Ethnicity: Seventy percent  of the population is of mixed ancestry (Indian, European, and African), 15% are Caucasian (usually of Spanish origin), and 15% are of African origin. 

Government: Democratic, but ruled by the wealthy elite. The D.R. has been a wholly independent republic since 1865. More than a dozen political parties vie for attention.

Economy: Five percent of the population is considered wealthy elite, 35% belongs to the middle sector and more than 60% are at poverty level. Unemployment ranges from 15% to 20%.