The Dominican Republic sits in the middle of the Caribbean, sharing the island of Hispaniola with Haiti in the West. This ever-popular and ridiculously beautiful country is home to one of the most varied environments of any Caribbean island, with beautiful sandy beaches, mountainsides stretching into the heavens, huge stretches of rainforest and desert plains sitting alongside the savannahs and mangrove swamps – it has more than enough for any kind of visitor to enjoy, regardless of their reasons for staying.

The island of Hispaniola has the honour of being the first of the Americas to be discovered by Columbus in 1492, where the land was claimed and the island of Santo Domingo was soon established. By 1697 the French occupied the Western part of Hispaniola and this dominion was recognised by Spain – this region became known as Haiti by 1804. It wasn’t until 22 years of occupation by invading Haitian forces and their subsequent defeat that Santo Domingo became known as the Dominican Republic, when independence was gained in 1844. After voluntarily returning to Spanish rule in 1861 and subsequently pursuing another war of independence just a few years later, the DR saw a period of unrest, corrupt government and US occupation until the dictatorship of General Rafael Trujillo came to an end with his assassination in 1961. The latter half of the 20^th Century saw a much more stable country, though the US were forced to intervene at one point and Joaquin Balaguer, who held power for nearly 30 years, was forced to stand down from his leadership in the face of domestic and international pressure. Nevertheless, the DR has seen stability and economic growth over the last decade, and the country looks set to continue on this path for a long time to come, with recent trade agreements with Central America only strengthening its position on the world stage.

The Dominican Republic is a popular country for both tourists and investors, and a potential off plan buyer looking for an exotic, luxury location can do little wrong with this country. With an economy that has changed its impetus from agriculture exports to tourism it’s easy to see that the Dominican Republic is an ideal nation for an off plan investor. The country is stunning and massively varied, the people are friendly and the way of life can be as hectic or as laid back as you like – the Dominican Republic is a fabulous holiday spot and an ideal investment location.

The standards of healthcare in the Dominican Republic are of a mixed standard, with some areas offering more than adequate services and others not so much – Santo Domingo itself is more than capable, however. Private health insurance is highly recommended, including emergency repatriation if necessary.

Mobile phone coverage stretches across the country, though quality of connection cannot be guaranteed in rural areas. Landlines are widely available in towns and cities and lines are of a decent standard. Internet cafes are available in most towns and cities and from a number of service providers.