We are looking to move to Dom Rep, and wonder what are the safest places to live, we prefer Sosua or Cabarete, but want a gated community with security
Any ideads?

Hi Denise
yes depending on your budget there are a couple of choices.
Sea-horse Ranch - considered very secure but expensive
Perla Marina - fairly secure
Hispaniola - fairly secure
Casa Linda - fairly secure
Lomas Mironas - fairly secure

then if you like condos which are even more secure, Ocean One/Dream (Cabarete), Infiniti-Blue (Sosua) and quite a few others which I can't recall.

hI DENISE BE PREPared for a rash of errors if you do not know some good people who have lived here quite awhile .FRESH FISH (LIKE IN SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION MOVIE)UNLESS YOU come here very low profile in the sense of not looking too innocent you are going to have some experiences that are very UNPLEASANT unless you sadle up to a couple of good people that have lived here for some years and have common sense. dr1.com has in its living section has some good advice for everyday safety.I live in a gated community .however theft is regular ,so you need to take extra precautions in this finacial climate as you would back homw where you live .BE prepareded to learn NEW RULES.Its a wonderful country when you add a littlepreparation and wisdom good luck

I'm afraid its the sharks on DR1 that keep all the good people away!

Denise - there are plenty of good people here, but unfortunately there are also a lot of scaremongers here that frequent forums such as DR1 dishing out what they purport to be helpful advice. Many of them have agendas.

There is no need as winbleton wrongly advised that you will have unpleasant experiences, unless you get shafted by some of the sharks who purport to be helpful.
Just use common sense when you arrive and use the usual methods of getting to know people. You do not need to 'saddle' up to people. The people who will likely offer to be your new best friends are more likely to take advantage of you.
There is crime everywhere and the DR has its own share of problems.
We know plenty of people who don't live in gated communities who have not been victims of crime yet. We also know people in 'safe' gated communities who have been robbed - so there is no guarantee.
A couple of dogs seen to be the best deterrent.

well said. I rent in santiago and have brought in a few people to d.r. Be careful yes. read what you can and decipher all. they come to my house and stay a month or three and travel and visit and strike out on their own. Not all do well.
a dog is the best. imo. as a woman you have to be very careful w/ dom men. that is what i have heard. this is their island and they knoe the way . they will sleep w/you and then slap the --- out of you and take all your cash. not saying this will happen but it is common here. not where you are fom im sure. me i dont care for the beach anymore. pleasent place to visit once in awhile. actually too much temptation for me in sosua female type. semi pro or broke or pro. thieves, .. try to align yourself for a few months somewhere w/ someone. get to look about. read, and plan, furn. t.v. phone. alot to do. be good.

I also agree -- I have been here on the north coast since 1984 and don't have ANY nightmare stories to tell. Lots of small glitches and LOTS of good times.

Just make sure to remember there are cultural differences -- things like "money back guaranteed" is something you might take for granted -- don't do that here. This is a "buyer beware" society where you need to take the time to make wise choices -- like check things over before you pay the money.

There are lots of helpful people and lots of good advice is available.

To find a good place to live I suggest you contact a few realtors to get their input -- but again just take your time. It would be nice for you to visit the various communities available and get a feel for yourself -- a good realtor would glady help you.

Hello Denise,

I have been here for two years. Been robbed 3 times (once while I was in the house). Why would you want to move to a country where crime is the #1 profession, and prostitution is the 2nd!

Here is an example of someone not having a good experience. Let's look at the statement logically.

The poster IS trying to dispense advice, but it has been muddled by sour feelings and comes out very one-sided.
Robert, while I sympathise with your bad experiences I must also stress to you that crime is in no way the number one profession here and you know it. Prostitution may be up there, but in no way could it be number two, although it could be in the top twenty.
In reality there is unemployment, low incomes, poverty and huge gaps in education, but I think the feeling is that we are going in a good direction here, not the opposite. Things do seem to be getting better.
On the negative side, there is a general problem with the average Dominican not being too worried about repeat tourist business and simply getting what they can while you're here.
Knowing the prices and being firm are paramount, so is doing your research beforehand and thinking decisions through before taking the plunge. Any plunge.
Getting robbed or scammed is never fun, but can easily be avoided if you arm yourself with information relevant to your particular situation.
Where to live.
The friends you have.
Whom to trust.
Think of it from the native perspective;
Here come endless planeloads of tourists not knowing the language, prices, directions, money, value of things.
Mostly all wanting to blow all that money while not knowing correct prices, party 'til dawn, get as drunk as they can, etc...etc...
WE the foreigners are giving the impression we don't know any better and furthermore, don't seem to even care because we have a seemingly endless supply of money that we can just party away.
This impression DID NOT come from the minds of the Dominican people, it was put there by our collective bahaviours, by US.
We have the power to change that.

YES THIS IS ALL TRUE.One other point worth noting .If by chance you are robbed where you live ,and they get some goods .THEY WILL BE BACK.THEY KEEP COMING BACK UNTIL THERE IS NO POSSIBILITY TO ENTER .a few people react too slowly replace what was stolen and have it taken again because they DONT TAKE EXTREME ACTION TO SECURE ALL POSSIBLE ENTRANCES.BETTER YET DO IT BEFORE YOU MAY HAVE A SEMI PERMANENT GUEST.Holidays are extremely vulnerable to theft One note also the top goods are laptops,CAMERAS,IPODS,AND CASH.ALL THESE SHOULD BE REALLY secured indoorsand made a tough to find as possible.freedom takes good preparation

Denise said: "We are looking to move to Dom Rep, and wonder what are the safest places to live, we prefer Sosua or Cabarete, but want a gated community with security. Any ideads?"
You seem to know that the DR is a dangerous country, according to statistics on violent deaths one of the most dangerous ones in fact.
What forces you to come here (especially Sosúa /Cabarete)?
If you do want to come do it on a trial basis and decide anew after a year.
All the best.
mosquito