Las Terrenas, sleepy fishing village no more?

[crenshore]

I went to Las Terrenas last year for the first time and was very surprised by what I saw. All the guidebooks and much of the stuff online speak of it as a sleepy fishing village, and that's what I was expecting. So, all the motoconchos, and beachfront bars, and sunburned Europeans wandering through town in sarongs came as a shock. I ended up only spending a few hours there (planned to stay, but wasn't impressed for what I saw) but now I have a nagging feeling that I missed out on a great destination. So, my questions are:

1. When did it change from a fishing village to a place that reminded me of Cabarete?
2. Are there any good places to stay in the town, somewhere quiet, maybe away from all the noise and hubbub. I don't mind paying a little more for a nice place. I heard of somewhere called Peninsula House, though I think even that is out of my price range. Anyone know anything about it?
3. Is Las Terrenas still growing, or has the development pretty much peaked. I always thought the Samana Peninsula was never going to get very developed?
4. What do most of you think of Las Terrenas. Authentic experience, tourist trap, or somewhere in between?

Thanks in advance to all.

[bryan1258]

You mean you don't like motoconchos and quads roaring around kicking up the dust in an overly crowded town that's half under construction while the Euro crowd chainsmokes trying to be cool at every overpriced venue you could possibly visit.

[jrhartley]

errrrm its a tourist town - you didnt expect to see europeans ? what was your guide book source - las terranas is known as having a large population of French and Italians according to my guide book

[ben jammin]

i like las terrenas. i only was there for 8 days but it seems in my opinion to be a tourist attaction as opposed to a tourist trap. i think it is the right size( i prefer smaller places but still like big city folks) plenty of good foods to eat, the local vendors are not pushy there as in other places and i enjoyed sharing my vacation with the europeans i was not there during the peak season so that may have some bearing on my view but of the places i've visited so far i will take LT/samana peninsula and jarabacoa for fun and relaxation over the big resort areas.

[susan77]

The incredible variety of great Euro-owned AND tipica restaurants is one reason why we bought our rental house here in Las Terrenas- And our friend Danny's new "American" cafe at Plaza Mango has become a daily destination-

Bryan wrote:

Euro crowd chainsmokes trying to be cool

I'm curious, Bryan: How do you KNOW what other people are "trying to be"? Are you a mind reader?

We've met mostly super-friendly French and Italians here, and a few not-so-friendly people; but, ....so what?

We LOVE the time we get to spend each year in Las Terrenas AND the people! --- And I'm here right now buzzing around on the moto-conchos you hate so much!

[LaMoreniita]

I've been going to Cabarete, but I went to Las Terrenas on a day trip just last week. It was on a Monday, so surely not the busiest day, what made it seem quieter than Cabarete at night is probably the fact that all the discos are indoor and not on the beach! Since I didn't stay for long, I can't really judge if it's a tourist trap or what. One thing I can say though, I liked the little time I got to spend there, it's a nice place beautiful beach.
As for hotels, I stayed at one called "Las Palmeras", barely a 10minutes walk from the beach, just far enough from the noise, clean, and 1300pesos (37$) per night, per room. It also has a restaurant.

[Squat]

Originally Posted by crenshore

I went to Las Terrenas last year for the first time and was very surprised by what I saw. All the guidebooks and much of the stuff online speak of it as a sleepy fishing village, and that's what I was expecting.

Don't blindly believe the guidebooks

Originally Posted by crenshore

So, all the motoconchos, and beachfront bars, and sunburned Europeans wandering through town in sarongs came as a shock. I ended up only spending a few hours there (planned to stay, but wasn't impressed for what I saw) but now I have a nagging feeling that I missed out on a great destination.

A few hours hangin'around El Paseo are just like judging Paris after a few hours walking around the Eiffel Tower... Frankly, what do you expect ???

Originally Posted by crenshore

So, my questions are:

1. When did it change from a fishing village to a place that reminded me of Cabarete?

Somewhere in the late 90's...

Originally Posted by crenshore

2. Are there any good places to stay in the town, somewhere quiet, maybe away from all the noise and hubbub. I don't mind paying a little more for a nice place. I heard of somewhere called Peninsula House, though I think even that is out of my price range. Anyone know anything about it?

Peninsula is the very best of this island, but I am quite sure it is way outside your budget... That said, there are plenty of good offers in LT... Don't be a fool and judge everything after a few hours... Grow up, maybe you will see what you're looking for if you are not so judgmental...

Originally Posted by crenshore

3. Is Las Terrenas still growing, or has the development pretty much peaked. I always thought the Samana Peninsula was never going to get very developed?

Of course it stills grow... This is the wild wild west down here Who told you the Samaná Peninsula wasn't gonna developed ??? This is so untrue !!!

Originally Posted by crenshore

4. What do most of you think of Las Terrenas. Authentic experience, tourist trap, or somewhere in between?

Thanks in advance to all.

Why don't you build your own opinion instead on relying on guidebooks & forums ??? And by that I don't mean spending 2 hours around the touristy part of town

[RonS]

I've been spending my vacations in Las Terrenas for eight years now and try to stay there at least a week at a time. It has grown a lot during that time and there has been a lot of development. It certainly is no longer the sleepy fishing village I first visited but I would hardly call it a tourist trap. I suggest that you should arrange your trips there during the times of the year when there are not many tourists in town. Clearly, if you go from January to March when the whales are in Samana Bay you are going to encounter a lot of people from both North America and Europe. But if you plan a trip at other times you'll find LT to be a tranquil holiday destination with one of the most wonderful beaches in the DR.

[London_Calling]

Known the place on and off since the early 90s and it has certainly changed since the late 90's. Building the new road towards El Portillo certainly changed the feel of the place and resulted in the construction of more new hotels though I am sure the road was needed – just I prefer that quite fishing village ambiance!

IMO I can't say I find it a very attractive place with far too many places run by your typical Eurotrash - the local Dominican community appear to be very much on the periphery and I suspect there is quite a bit of resentment towards the expat crowd.

Certainly not an authentic experience but then few tourist places are. If you are looking for a bit of peace and quiet try Playa Bonita or Las Galeras at the end of the peninsular.