Samaná, Dominican Republic

The lack of infrastructure that greeted the intrepid expats that first found Las Terrenas is a thing of the past.

The most significant change to the region came in 2009 with the Samaná-Santo Domingo highway.

It used to take anywhere from four to six hours to drive to Las Terrenas from the capital, depending on the condition of the meandering dirt road.

Now though, the drive is a pleasant two hours on a smooth four-lane highway.

With improved access, costs came down in Las Terrenas as goods were easier to bring into town.

In the five years since the advent of the Samaná-Santo Domingo highway, new businesses offering varied services and products have come to Las Terrenas, giving residents more choice and more competitive prices.

The easy trip to capital city Santo Domingo means you’re never too far from a real city and its shopping, museums, theaters, and stadiums.

Santo Domingo used to be home to the only nearby international airport. The opening of El Catey airport in Las Terrenas changed that with regular flights to Canada and the U.S. East Coast, offering plenty of national flights too.

Another of the most recent First World improvements for Las Terrenas was the opening of its brand new hospital Centro Galeno Integral—full service and complete with ICU. This place does it all.