We routinely post short videos to answer common questions, to show you the sights and sounds of the Cabrera Dominican Republic area and to interview expats and locals that can give you a better understanding of what it might be like to live in Cabrera.   (NOTE: If you do not see the video icons on this page, just refresh your screen)

This is just a sampling of our many videos… check out the DRescapes Youtube Channel for many more videos.

Thank You For Visiting

Interviews With Expats

 

In these 3 videos we meet a Florida expat that made the move to set up a sport fishing business and bed and breakfast in Cabrera.

Not a bad way to spend your days.  After all, what could be better than fishing off your own boat just offshore where the Dorado and Tuna are so plentiful.

In these videos we meet a young Tennessee family that made the move to Cabrera after several years of missionary service in other parts of the Dominican Republic.  The tell us why the settled in Cabrera.  There is plenty to do to make a difference in the lives of people if you are so inclined.

 

In these three videos you will meet a Canadian expat family that has one of the most interesting commutes we have ever seen.  Half the year Claude serves as a 24/7 flight nurse in the north pole and then spends 6 months a year in tropical Cabrera.

Next in these two videos we will meet a French Canadian attorney and her entrepreneur husband that not only moved to Cabrera, but also opened their own open air restaurant in Cabrera… all with about six months.

In these two videos we meet a California expat that not only discovered Cabrera but also had the opportunity to experience why living in Cabrera provided the best solution for the eldercare of her mother.

Visit To A Local Market

In the next couple videos we visit a local market in the town of Cabrera.  There are a number of similar local family markets in each little town on the north coast of the Dominican Republic.

In this first video several expats take a short tour of a local market, admiring the wide selection of the freshest organic fruits and vegetables you will find.  They introduce you to the market owner and her family and show you a small sample of what is awaiting on the shelves in this typical local market.

In this second segment the expats get the market owner to tell them the current prices for many of the freshest items.  When you realize that these items are all locally grown organically and are fresh off the farm I think you will agree that the prices are pretty impressive.

Tour of Nearby Beaches

In the area surrounding Cabrera, you will find 7 of the most beautiful and unique unspoiled and uncrowded beaches in the Dominican Republic.  Several of these beaches are ranked among the most beautiful in the world.  Rarely will you have to fight the crowds or work very hard to claim your own deserted part of the palm-lined white sand beaches.

The first beach we will visit is several miles to the east of Cabrera.  It is called Boca Beach in the little town of La Entrada.  This is an especially long stretch of beach lined with palms and almond trees.  This beach is rarely crowded and is equipped with a number of small local snack shacks offering a good variety of fresh seafood and other local treats.

The next beach along the path  from the east is Playa Diamante.  This is an unusual beach nestled in a natural cove along the north coast.  The beach runs shallowly out for a long distance making it’s calm waters perfect for younger kids.

The next beach we will visit is several miles west of Cabrera.  Playa Preciosa is one of those perfect deserted beaches that will make you think you are Christopher Columbus and you may swear you are the first one to discover this jewel of a beach.  No crowds here.

The next beach along the trail, next to Playa Preciosa is one of the most famous beaches on the north coast.  Playa Grande has been lauded as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.  It is a huge, unspoiled and uncrowded crescent shaped beach.  Expats and locals alike enjoy going to Playa Grande to enjoy a fresh seafood dinner right on the beach under their favorite palm or almond tree.

The next beach along the trail to the west of Cabrera is Playa Caleton.  This is a popular beach for locals and expats alike.  The crescent shaped beach rests in a partially protected inlet.  The surrounding cliffs are home to an exlectic group of sculptures and plaster heads created by local artists.

Next along the trail of beaches near Cabrera, to the west are the beaches in the town of Rio San Juan.  There are several beaches along this part of the coast and a very unique mangrove lined natural lagoon called Laguna Gri Gri.  These beaches and Laguna Gri Gri offer several unique experiences you will not find anywhere else in the Dominican.

Where Do Cabrera Expats Shop

If you have never been to our little village of Cabrera, you might have some misconceptions about how “primitive” this place really is.  Have no fear.  You will find most of what you need in the town of Cabrera or in the nearby towns of Nagua and Rio San Juan.  For some of your bigger purchases of imported items and for purchases of bulk staples you will probably take an occasional trip down to either Santiago or Santo Domingo to stock up.  In the next series of videos you can check out some of the shopping alternatives.

In this short video we give you a small overview of where many area expats shop and prepare for a shopping trip into Santiago.  In the next four videos we take you on a shopping trip with us as we make a day-trip out of it and head over the mountain to Santiago.

Heading out of Cabrera.

Heading over the mountain to Santiago with a lunch stop

Checking out the “Chinese Gardens” on the way to Santiago

Checking out the supermarkets and big box stores

 

In the next videos we check out a few of our local Cabrera shopping spots just to give you an idea about what is available right at our doorsteps.

And a local hardware store.

Area Activities

The Cabrera area of the north coast of the Dominican Republic offers a wide variety of “non-touristy” activities that are sure to keep you active no matter what your age.  Some of the nearby activities include golf, fishing, hiking, sightseeing, gold panning, relic hunting, mountain climbing, scuba diving, horseback riding, cave diving, snorkeling, wind surfing, surfing, beach activities, kiteboarding, fossil and mineral hunting, gardening, orchards and farming, landscaping….. just to name a few.  In this section we will include a few videos from time to time.

In this video we stop by the local fishing beach where the locals head offshore less than a mile to pull in abundant catches of  mahi mahi, tuna, grouper, occasional marlin and various other tasty local fish.

The Dominican Republic is internationally known for the quality of its hand rolled cigars.  When in Cabrera you definitely need to find the off-the-beaten-path home of the Babunuco cigars.  In addition to watching a master hand roll a great tasting cigar, you will see one of the most unique and quirky local little restaurants and bars.  Try the fresh conch civiche if you enjoy a seafood treat.

A favorite of some our our guests is to go to the local waterfalls and watch the local kids jump from the top of the waterfalls to the natural pool of water about 70 feet below.  It is amazing how quickly these young people scurry back up the side of the rock walls of the waterfall to get ready to jump again.

The most famous golf course in the Dominican Republic is Playa Grande Golf Club, which is only a few miles from Cabrera.  Many traveled golfers say that Playa Grande is like the Pebble Beach of the Caribbean….. without the high fees of Pebble Beach.  In this first flyover we show the general layout of the course and the nearby beaches.

In this video we grab a golf cart and take a look at a few of the holes.  Eleven of the holes on this course hug the cliffs overlooking the Atlantic, and the views are stunning.  I apologize for the jittery handheld video as we rode on and off the cart path.

Sometimes we just like to drive around our little village of Cabrera to see what has changed.  In the last several years many of the in-town roads have been paved and guttered, a new malecon has been paved by the ocean and many of the roads up into the mountain have been paved.  Progress is everywhere.

In this video we check out my favorite crab shack and see where the main highway used to end at the river before the bridge was built.

Starting a Business in the Dominican Republic

We receive dozens of questions about the job situation in the Dominican Republic and whether an expat can earn a living.  My advise is always the same, start a business.  It is the best way to earn income on the north coast.  In the following videos I will interview several expats that have done exactly that.  They found a niche and need and started or bought a business serving both the locals and the expats in the region.

In this video we interview John Steven, an expat from England (and America) that found a niche and opened an English School specializing in teaching locals to speak English.  That business has expanded now to teach expats how to speak Spanish.

In this video we interview the expat owner of Hotel La Catalina, which is one of the best family run hotels on the north coast.  The grounds are immaculately landscaped and the views from the  cliffside overlooking the town and Cabrera and the Atlantic Ocean are great.

In this next set of videos other expats share their ideas about other businesses and services an expat might want to explore if they should decide to expatriate to Cabrera.

Sustainable Organic Farming Popular In Cabrera

As you will discover as you shop the local comados and supermarkets, many, if not most, of the fruits and vegetables are organically grown in small family farms within 5 miles of Cabrera.  Don’t be surprised if the items you buy this afternoon were picked this morning and trucked in.  Same for the fish, poultry and meats.  The chicken are free ranging, many of the eggs are the freshest free range eggs, the cattle are grass fed right in the fields surrounding the town.  In this next series of videos we visit a few small family farms to see how tons of fresh organic foods are produced without fancy machinery and with minimal impact on the environment.

Cabrera International School

We are very proud of the fact that students from our local international school have been recognized in national math competitions.  The Academia International de Cabrera was founded by a local family and is supported by the whole community and through the generosity of donors.  The students are multinational and the curriculum is multi-lingual.

In this video we interview the founder of Academia International de Cabrera and learn about her vision for the school and some of the accomplishments the faculty and staff have achieved.

Next we interview several of the expat teachers that work at Academia International de Cabrera.  They share their perspective of the quality of education and their pride in the accomplishments of their students.

Interview of the Assistant Mayor of Cabrera

The Assistant Mayor of Cabrera was kind enough to sit down with us and share what his administration and the local leaders are doing to support expats and other citizens.

In this first video the Assistant Mayor describes several recent infrastructure projects and gives us an overview of what the city and its leaders are doing to support expats and citizens.

In this next interview segment we discuss safety and what the city leaders are doing to promote investment and development in the area and the Assistant Mayor expresses the commitment of the leaders to work actively with expats.

Attorney Interviews

We work with and recommend one major law firm in the Dominican Republic to handle all real estate transactions and residency, naturalization and 2nd Passports for our expat friends.  In these two interviews our attorney gives us a good overview of two of the most important areas of law…. real estate and residency.

In this first interview, Dr. Julio Brea of the Guzman Ariza Law Firm explains what is involved for expats in purchasing real estate and explains why owning real estate is now a very safe proposition for expats if done properly.

In our next interview, Dr. Brea describes the immigration process and what steps a new expat must follow to insure he acquires resident status and the opportunity for citizenship and a 2nd passport in the most efficient manner.

Frequently Asked Questions

Through our website and our free Discovery Tours we get hundreds of questions, but several of them rise to the top because they are asked repeatedly.  We took a few minutes to do a few quick videos to try to answer some of the most common questions.

You will find those FAQ Videos by clicking on the link.