People ask me all the time: Cabarete, Sosúa, or Cabrera? Which one should I buy in? And my honest answer is that it depends less on the price tag and more on the life you actually want to live. I have been on this coast since 2010, so let me give you the real, opinionated version, the good and the bad of each.
Cabarete: the sports town
Cabarete is a sports town. It is for healthy people who like to move, kite, surf, do yoga, be outside. It is a very small town but a very lively one, with a really nice mix of locals, expats, and tourists all in the same spots. World-famous for kitesurfing and windsurfing, a real surf scene out at Encuentro, and a beach strip full of restaurants where your feet are literally in the sand.
The honest downside: the beaches in town are not as swimmable as Sosúa’s. If you want to swim, you just drive 10 minutes to Sosúa and you are in calm water, no problem. But if your dream is stepping out your door onto a calm swimming beach, know that going in.
Sosúa: the baby city
Sosúa feels a little more like a baby city. Better grocery shopping, more swimmable beaches, and a more walkable town than Cabarete. The bay is one of the prettiest on the whole coast, calm and clear, which makes it great for families and for snorkeling. There is a real town behind it with proper amenities, and the prices often make a lot of sense compared to Cabarete.
It leans a little more local than Cabarete, though it still has a solid community of retirees and expats. For a lot of families, Sosúa is the practical, comfortable choice.
Cabrera: for people who want peace
Cabrera is for the people who want peace and space. Dramatic cliffs, quieter beaches, the golf out at Playa Grande, and a slower pace than the other two. It is more tranquil, mostly because it has been less developed. If you are after privacy and big nature, this is your stretch of coast.
Here is what I am watching: Cabrera is up-and-coming. Right now it is probably a bit more affordable per square meter than Cabarete or Sosúa, and I am seeing more houses come up for sale there. I think that changes over the next five to ten years. Whether that is a reason to buy now or a reason it is not built out enough for you yet depends on what you want.
So which one?
There is no right answer, only the right answer for you. Come out, spend a few days, and let me drive you through all three so you can feel the difference. I will tell you honestly which one fits the way you actually want to live, not just which one is cheapest or which one I have a listing in. Buy for return on happiness first, and the rest tends to follow.
Real talk. No bulto. When you are ready to see them in person, message me on WhatsApp at +1 829 252 3417 and we will map out your trip.
Tracy Shayhorn is a real estate agent on the north coast of the Dominican Republic and the founder of Real Talk Realty RD, with The Crest Group Dominicana. She has lived on Kite Beach in Cabarete since 2010, owns property here herself, and runs a kite school and cafe in town, so she walks buyers and sellers through the real process, the good and the bad. Real talk, no bulto. WhatsApp +1 829 252 3417, tracy@realtalkrealtyrd.com.