Why I Haven't Made Videos Outside Of The Dominican Republic?

A lot of people know me from my videos on Youtube about the Dominican Republic. I have made an extensive amount of top tier content about different cities in the DR such as Santo Domingo, Las Terrenas, Puerto Plata and especially Sosua. 

But a question I get often when I am doing a live video on Youtube or from my comments section is when I am going to do videos about another country. 

That makes sense because my channel is a travel channel, but I don't really travel outside of the Dominican Republic that much. (Even though I did make a video in Tijuana, Mexico not too long ago.) 

There are three main reasons why I haven't travelled outside of the DR to make content which are: still so much more to explore in the country, desire to invest in the DR, continue to create deeper relationships in the country. 

Dominican Republic Is So Much More Than Just Sosua  

A personal goal of mine is to show more than just Sosua or the popular places in the Dominican Republic. 

Even though the country is 202 times smaller than the United States as a whole and only 39.8% of the size of New York, there are enough beautiful places and intriguing cultural aspects of the DR that could last a lifetime of discovery. 

I'm not the type of videographer or Youtuber that hops from one country to the next making videos here there and everywhere. I really enjoy the DR as a place to live and also as a place to make content. 

Obviously the beautiful women of Sosua help draw views and subscribers to my channel, but I really want to show that there is beauty all over the country and not just in the northern province of Puerto Plata. 

Investing In The Dominican Republic  

If I could visit three countries in Latin America today it would probably be Colombia, Brazil and Costa Rica. Even though I have been to Costa Rica before, but there are some people there I want to see again. 

However one of the main reasons why I haven't gone to some of those places yet is because I have a goal to buy real estate in the Dominican Republic. 

Being able to own property in a country that is the most visited nation in the Caribbean and has an extremely high ceiling for growth in regards to business is a great opportunity. 

Relationships In The DR  

Outside of the beautiful beaches and different fun activities there are to do in the Dominican Republic, one of the main reasons I enjoy going back is because I have begun to build different type of relationships. 

With my style of content being able to work with a core group of people is everything and even more importantly, being able to trust those people to a certain extent is even more crucial. 

When people think of a travel channel, most will think of exploring many different countries. But also a part of travel is exploring the culture and the people in that culture. 

Fortunately I have been blessed to have enough time to get to know locals in the Dominican Republic in a way that I am able to share a part of their story and opinions on topics that other wise people may not see or hear. 

 

Apartment Hunting In Sosua, Dominican Republic

Recently I got back from my two week trip to the Dominican Republic. I was really happy to be able to make videos again and get into that mode. 

But what I'm even happier about that I was able to get done on the trip was checking out some apartments that I had previously been looking at online. 

I visited three different physical properties in Sosua  and one realtor who had two projects that would be completed in 2025 in Puerto Plata. 

During those visits there are a couple of noteworthy things that I learned and observed. 

African Americans Run Sosua 

The first property I visited was called Carnival Apartments located right across from Hotel Europa.  

I was attracted to that place because the prices were very low. They had apartments between USD $25,000 - $45,000. 

But when I saw the apartments I realized why they were that low. They weren't really bad necessarily, but it lacked a certain quality. They almost seemed like man caves, which is fine, but something about it I just know I wouldn't want to invite any chicas back to that spot.  

Something that I did take away from that visit though was a conversation with the real estate agent and the owner of the property. 

For whatever reason we were talking about the diversity of Sosua and the real estate agent commented that some 20 or 30 years ago there were more Europeans pumping money into Sosua, but that now it's the black Americans who are really keeping Sosua afloat. 

Having lived in Sosua for 7 months in 2022 that statement didn't really surprise me, but was reassuring in the sense that as a black man it is a great time to invest in Sosua and Puerto Plata, because it is becoming more of a haven for African Americans everyday. 

25k - 40k For A Nice One Is A Wobbler 

The second property I visited was Hotel Plaza Europa. When I met the real estate agent she informed me  that the apartment that she was going to show me just had been sold that day. 

The place she was going to show me was basically like a room more than a studio or apartment, but the asking price was USD $45,000. 

However there was another studio available in the same building for $55,000. So I checked it out and it was way better than the first property mostly just because it was cleaner, put together better, and I'd definitely feel okay having a chica or two come over.  

Now the price of 55k in the Dominican Republic is high for a studio apartment. You can definitely find a two or three bedroom place for that price, but that's more of in the real local areas. 

Overall just from what I learned from the real estate agents I talked to the cheaper apartments for purchase in the Puerto Plata and Sosua area are going to be around the price range of 45 - 70k. 

 You can find some great places under that price range, but those properties will probably be in more local areas. 

Personally, if I was looking to buy a place because I want to live in that property for a long time it wouldn't really matter if it was in a local spot or near more foreigners. 

But right now I am looking for a spot that can eventually build some passive income so location is everything. 

Playa Dorada 

The last bit of noteworthy information that I gleamed from one of the real estate agents is that Playa Dorada is definitely the place to buy in Puerto Plata. 

She told me the market was kind of stagnant two or three years ago, but that right now properties are selling like hot cakes. 

I didn't exactly ask her why that was the case, but I imagine with other real estate markets around the world and particularly in the US not looking so great, there are more people looking to purchase quality property for a cheaper price abroad. 

Playa Dorada is a great spot, because it's its own great and gated community in one of the best cities to live in in the Dominican Republic. 

Airbnb in the Malecon of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

This Airbnb definitely feels very exclusive as it all the way up on the 28th floor of a 30 floor apartment building. The view of the Malecon definitely makes the room worth it if you are into photography. 

In general everything functioned properly in the apartment. The water was very hot and the internet worked fast. The only negative I can think of is that there is no AC in the apartment. In the bedroom there were two fans available to turn on. 

Overall I would recommend this place for short or longs stays. Another important aspect of my stay was that I was able to bring in at least two chicas into the apartment as long as they had the cedula numbers. So that is definitely a plus. 

If you are interested in staying at this airbnb you can check the listing out here: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/53654480?source_impression_id=p3_1679834495_8R0NE8gmOZmpF9oE

Should You Take Your Vacation in Santo Domingo or Sosua?

We all know that Dominican Republic is a great choice for a vacation destination. But if you only have a weekend or a week to be there where should you go? 

I get this question a lot from guys who are strongly considering visiting the country.  And it's not an easy answer, because it really just depends on what you want to accomplish during your trip. 

Obviously guys who know me from social media know about my adventures in Sosua and ask me about that city, but also with Santo Domingo being the capital and the biggest city in the country I also get asked if it's better to visit Santo Domingo or Sosua for vacation. 

I could talk about Sosua vs Santo Domingo for days, but I am just going to break down the basic of what you need to know.  

Santo Domingo is the biggest city in the Dominican Republic so if you want to catch a sporting event you can do that in Santo Domingo, if you want to see something theatrical you can do that in Santo Domingo, if you want to explore many museums you can do that in Santo Domingo and so much more. 

The amount of options are really endless in the capital juxtaposed to that of Sosua. In the small town in the state of Puerto Plata there are some really beautiful beaches, nice restaurants and that's really about it. The amount of entertainment in Sosua is much smaller, so if you are a type of a person that likes to do a lot of different activities then Sosua may not be the best option. 

Now it would be ignorant of me not to mention that a big draw of Sosua are the chicas. If you are about that action then Sosua could be better than Santo Domingo. 

Not to say that there aren't beautiful women in Santo Domingo, but because it is bigger and a lot more traffic it can be much more difficult to link up compared with Sosua, where everything is in a walkable distance. 

Fortunately I have the opportunity to go to Dominican Republic for about a week and actually live out this question that I get so often. 

I will say I am not going just for pleasure, but to discuss investment opportunities in some apartments in Sosua. 

So I will be splitting my time for three days in Puerto Plata and 4 or 5 days  in Santo Domingo. 

Going from Puerto Plata to Santo Domingo is a cross country trip, but fortunately cross country in the Dominican Republic is only 4 hours in a bus unlike going from LA to New York.  

I am happy I am able to split my time between the two cities, because to be honest I know a lot of ladies in Puerto Plata that I want to see and also in Santo Domingo. 

Outside of the ladies, it will be fun to enjoy Playa Pueblito which is a lesser known beach in the province of Puerto Plata and also get to experience the riveting heartbeat of the nightlife in Santo Domingo. 

When I was 19 years old I went to a bar called Onno's. I believe it is still there so I am definitely going to check it out again. 

So in general you can have a great time in either Sosua or Santo Domingo, you just have to know what your priorities are for your vacation because the two spots are definitely very different. 

Airbnb in Playa Pueblito, Puerto Plata

 I really liked this Airbnb in the secluded community of Playa Pueblito. The internet worked very well and the location is amazing. You are literally right in front of the beach. 

One important thing to note though is that Playa Pueblito doesn't have any supermarkets that are in a reasonable walking distance or even bodegas that are really well stocked. So it's nice to stay in the area for a short time, but I can't recommend it  for long stays. 

Overall, if you are planning a quick vacation and want some peace then I'd definitely recommend this spot. Here you can find the link to check out on Airbnb: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/54207575?source_impression_id=p3_1679164342_%2BXyVxWlh1Hoc%2F5E0 

Three Reasons Why Investing In The Dominican Republic Is A Good Idea

Soon I will be visiting the Dominican Republic again. I'm really excited to be going back even though it will just be for a short time. 

The reason for the trip is just to visit some real estate agents to check out some small properties as a possible investment opportunity.  

Also I want to go back just to see if I have been banned from the country or not. I know the content creator Kurt Caz was banned from the Dominican Republic and also Auston Holleman was banned from Brazil not too long ago. 

So I hope I haven't been banned. I know when content becomes popular there will be people who really like it and also people who have an issue with it. So when I get to the airport I'll know if I am good or not. 

But if I am allowed in the country I will definitely be making some video content which is something that I really miss. 

Now I know some people might question Giamo why would you want to invest in a foreign country. 

In my opinion there are  three major reasons why investing in real estate in the Dominican Republic is a great idea. 

1. Tourism 

The Dominican Republic is literally the most visited country in the Caribbean. With millions of tourists visiting the beaches, the cities, and even more natural wonders there are so many opportunities to start a successful business in the DR.  

Another important factor is that the government of Dominican Republic wants foreigners to invest in the country. As I've been researching about investment properties I've come across a lot of laws that the DR has in order to encourage foreigners in investing in the country. 

Also unlike other countries , where people are not so open to foreigners and see it as an intrusion, most Dominicians I have spoken with seem very happy with foreigners investing in the Dominican Republic.   

2. Easy Sell 

The beauty of the country is that it sells itself and as long as you can get a decent camera and put together a social media plan reaching clients shouldn't be that difficult. 

As long as you find a good location for your investment property and set an appropriate price then I don't see how anyone would fail.  

And with Youtube's algorithm and other social media platforms as long as you appropriately title your content then I believe you would be bound to start getting a return on your investment which is the whole point. 

3. Affordability

The last reason why investing in the DR is a great idea is because unlike investing in the United States it's a lower risk involved. 

Even though the DR is growing at a rapid rate it is still a developing nation which means that prices on housing will be much cheaper than in the US. 

So for a young regular guy like myself that is exciting because it allows me to get into the investing game now rather than later. 

Life In Sosua: Visiting Rio Bella Vista, Sosua, Dominican Republic

 

 

I would highly recommend visiting Rio Bella Vista which is near Sosua. In the video above you can see how fresh the water looks, the beauty of the scenery and how tranquil the vibes are. 

When I went with Nikol and Rosa there was no one else there, because it was during the week. If you want to see the river when it is more lively then it's better to come during the weekend. 

If you are coming from Sosua all you have to do is tell a taxi that you want to go to the Rio Bella Vista and he should know where it is. The cost of the taxi ride was about 1500 pesos going there and coming back.  

Overall, I think it is a great experience because you get a chance to see Sosua Abajo. This area is where a lot of the locals live and people who work in El Batey, which is the area that tourists think of when they think of Sosua.  

Follow me on my instagram @giamo_khan .