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Suggestions for Island Style living in Caribbean?

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readytoescape
  7/5/2017 20:50 EST

My wife and I are searching for places to retire in the Caribbean. We have a few requirements. We need somewhere with a reasonably flat topography because I am a paraplegic who is a full time wheelchair user so the less hills the better. We like the water and would like to live on a sea or ocean that has few waves, lots of fish, and coral reefs close to the shore so that we can simply flop into the water and go snorkeling. We have been to the east end Grand Bahama twice (Pelican Point) and we like it there but Grand Bahama seems a bit run down and there are not many expats there. We are going to Abaco in September and I think we might like it better there but I have noticed the prices and cost of living is high in the Bahamas and this is something to consider if retiring. After doing some research online I think my next adventure might be to the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico on the Caribbean side. Also the island called Utilla in Honduras looks interesting.

Does anyone have any recommendations for a place to retire either in the Bahamas or elsewhere in the Caribbean? Remember we are looking for flat topography so this rules out some of the volcanic islands. And if the people speak English that is a plus as I do not know Spanish although I am not against learning it if I found a perfect place that was less expensive that the Bahamas...? I like the thought of an island... The Bay Islands in Honduras look interesting. Are there many or any Expats there? What about Antigua? I just found a place called Culebra and Vieques Puerto Rico that looks nice but the people all speak only Spanish there it seems.. Any suggestions? Oh we are American by the way. If there were at least a few American Expats there I know my wife would enjoy that... But I do not want to live in an expat "community" and certainly not a condo. We are not a big fan of tourists so I really do not want to live where a bunch of people are coming and going such as a cruise ship port. One last thing to consider is taxes? I plan to still run my business in the USA from afar so a favorable tax situation would be nice. Thank You for your help and have a good day!! Cody and Kate

PlayaMax
  10/6/2017 06:04 EST

Hi,

With over twenty miles of white-sand, crystal-clear, unpolluted, stunning virgin beaches, Las Terrenas has developed from a small fishing village into a cosmopolitan town where you will find the treasures of an unspoiled and precious nature in a wonderful tropical paradise.

Las Terrenas is emerging rapidly into an active, lively town-resort offering a great mixture of old and new and a great place to immerse oneself into a developing cosmopolitan community. Las Terrenas and the Samana Peninsula are the new travel and investment destination in the Dominican Republic and the Caribbean today.

Whether you are interested in learning Spanish while in the area, dining in the finest international restaurants, scuba diving or snorkeling, visiting our natural attractions, such as El Limon Waterfalls, or even running a 10k, Las Terrenas is the place to be.

With two wonderful but unalike shores, stunning hills and valleys, and exuberant and abundant tropical vegetation, this region is one of the most beautiful areas in the world.

The Juan Bosch International Airport or El Catey International (AZS) has flights coming in from Canada.

The Dominican government has also invested heavily in a new highway infrastructure which goes entirely around the Peninsula and gets us closer to the rest of the country and the world. The new Juan Pablo II Highway, better known as the "Autopista a Samana," from the city of Santo Domingo's Las Americas Airport to the Samana Peninsula was completed two years ago. This excellent toll highway takes you through beautiful country-side sceneries of rice fields and coconut groves making your trip to or from the capital an easily accessible pleasure.

The modern El Catey-Las Terrenas Highway, which starts at the new international airport, with spectacular views of the Atlantic Ocean, shortens the distance from this airport to Las Terrenas to twenty minutes, and makes the trip to Santo Domingo only a one-and-a half-hour drive. This road is part of the new Boulevard del Atlántico, the highway ring around the Samana province and which the government is using to promote the area.

Las Terrenas has been recognized internationally as one of the best places to visit and to invest in. The New York Times has featured Las Terrenas in "Affordable Caribbean: Dominican Republic" reflecting Las Terrenas' advantages for tourists and "The 45 Places to Go in 2012" ranking our town as number 35 in that list.

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randycain2013
  10/9/2017 10:15 EST

you are asking allot. but that is good. do not come to the Dominican republic. it is dangerous, and the corruption is out of control. if you are a American you are targeted by the police, the locals and all else to extort money. the lawyers, judges and police along with the locals all work together once they find new fresh meat to feast on. they will create unbelievable problems to extort money. the crime rate posted is not what it is here. they do not post that for the simple reason they want the fresh meat to keep coming to rob. this sounds terrible and it is. if I did not have so much invested here I would be out of here in a second.

MrMister
  10/9/2017 10:48 EST

I read your post about Americans being targets. That's disappointing. Does it matter what race that's targeted? Are black American target more than white american. I'm curious to know. Maybe it's just all American expat being targeted. Can you please explain or ask around? I was really interested in retiring in DR. That's sucks ass to hear.

randycain2013
  10/9/2017 17:43 EST

I know my post is disappointing to the new comer with visions of retiring in the Caribbean as I had the same great visions. I wish I was given the same honest advise. as your question to race that does not appear here. black or white, Japanese or what ever, there is not the prejudice on race or color here as in the us. I am white and feel like most black people feel in the us. the friends, Dominican, I do have do ask allot of questions about that issue in the us especially blacks being shot more frequently by police than white. that part of our culture they do not understand. and I will give the Dominicans some credit. remember, desperate people do desperate things. there are allot of desperate people here and it would be natural to target the foreigners to get what ever they can by any means.

another thing. do not come here without knowing Spanish or your target on your back just gets bigger.

ask away, I am willing to help.

mchrismsw
  10/10/2017 14:16 EST

I am sorry for your bad experiences, I have been in the DR for 5 years and I still love it. Yes, there is crime but honestly less than in major cities in America. Yes people will take advantage if you let them, but you have your opportunist in the USA also but you just have to say "NO", Hey your not BANK OF AMERICA. Curruption? That is also every where. In the USA people are being poisoned (Flint Michigan) and the government knew about it, we are under constant surveillance (without a warrent), People lost their pensions and life savings but because the government was in bed with the banks they got bailed out. I can go on and on...

All I am trying to say is that you can find your slice of paradise in the Dominican Republic, I have made many friends, go to a great gym, enjoy an amazing church, fresh food, a beautiful woman etc.

And as far as real estate? I am from Silicon Valley, where the American Dream of owning a home is dead (as with many other areas in the USA) but the Dominican Republic you can buy a beautiful apartment or home for 100,000 or under. and if you want to spend about 200-250 you will be living in your dream home in a very good neighborhood here in Santo Domingo. Where I am from ha ha, you priced out and even in the GHETTO of WEST or EAST Oakland where guns shots and people die everyday you can't break in to the market unless you have at least half a million.

The only other thing I can say is be happy, if it's not in the DR, there are beautiful tropical places all over the world, Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, Veitnam, Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Costa Rica, Mexico etc

The one knock i have on the DR is the medical marijuana is illegal.....or else I can't complain. BTW yes i do have bad days and there are things that irritate me at times but I had those days in the USA also.

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Scooter2
  10/10/2017 16:10 EST

My husband and I live in the Dominican Republic. We visited here about 7 years ago, on our own boat while cruising the Caribbean. We decided it was time to settled down . Out of all the islands in the Caribbean we chose the Dominican Republic.
We love it here and have made wonderful friends Gringos and Dominicans.
Don't be put off by someones bad experiences. Come and visit it is such a large island you hardly know you are on one. There is so much here - mountains, oceans, lakes, rivers.
Santiago is about 45 minutes from us. There we have found specialists in every field and English speaking. The cost of a cardiac specialist was 60 USD for exam and counsel. About a 45 minute appointment. That is only one example. People come from around the world for dental work that is excellent.
My husband and I are on fixed incomes and live so much better than in the US. We can go out to dinner, have internet, a car, live in a lovely home, entertain friends
without constant worries of how to pay for things.
Again come visit and you will be very surprised

randycain2013
  10/10/2017 17:34 EST

very nice reply. I probably am more down on the us than here. I guess I am just a grouchy old man now. like the old man on your block when you were a kid and you better not go on his lawn. now I am that person. lots of negative but that does not change the facts in the world today. if we want to expand the conversation outside of dr and us, wow, the world is a mess. you are correct on all your points and so am I so that makes this world a pretty scary place these days. I do live very well here and I took on a family that was so poor that I could not stand to watch. I changed all the kids lives and am teaching them a new way of life other than what is taught here. they are content and so am I. so I do not want you to think I am miserable, I am not. just finishing my years and giving back. I have been very fortunate in my years. the only thing I do not have is a blood family. I am the last one standing. all in all when you get old you pick your fights, get more patient, more sensitive and just smarter.

boater
  10/10/2017 20:06 EST

I have more than a decade of experience here in the DR, mostly living on the North Coast in Luperon. I've found retired life here congenial. It fits my needs and wants well and I find the necessary tradeoffs worthwhile. The Dominican Republic is not perfect - no place is. Every comment here has some truth to it and some of how you experience life here depends on how you generally approach life. I find it takes solid common sense and realistic expectations combined with a basically positive and optimistic, but not starry-eyed, attitude. People who have that do well.

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