2024-01-12 16:30:00
The newspaper traveled to several cities in the Dominican Republic, to meet snowbirds, who have headed to this Caribbean island to escape the Quebec winter. Read our complete report on this new snowbird haunt, starting Saturday.
Illustration Journal de Montréal
Too expensive in Florida, he opts for the golf courses of Punta Cana
Renowned in particular for its numerous golf courses, Punta Cana attracts more and more snowbirds, who previously used to fly to Florida to practice this sport.
This is the case, among others, of Serge Demers, who recently sold his condo in West Palm Beach, to spend his winters under the Caribbean sun. A golf enthusiast, he said he was impressed by the quality of Punta Cana’s many courses, saying they are “very comparable” to those in Florida. What’s more, he has access to “good price” property.
“The prices, the cost of living, it’s much cheaper than in Florida, I would easily say half as much, and I’m able to compare with what I had in the United States”
– Serge Demers, Snowbird in the Dominican Republic
Photo PROVIDED BY SERGE DEMERS
Aged 65, semi-retired in the insurance brokerage field, Mr. Demers spent around ten winters in Florida before embarking on the Caribbean adventure. For the past year, he has been living in a condo in the Cocotal sector of Punta Cana, which he describes as “the future Miami.”
Retiree Serge Demers is happy to spend his winters in Punta Cana, in the Cocotal sector, for a second year. He calls the place “the future Miami.” Photo provided by Serge Demers
“I fell in love with the place. There is everything here, we lack nothing. The road infrastructure too, everything has changed a lot in recent years and we feel an excitement,” he describes.
Former Florida regulars, they introduce their friends to the Dominican Republic
After spending around fifteen winters in Florida, a couple from Drummondville will welcome their friends from Florida to Punta Cana this year.
“I have several friends who were going to Florida and who are now looking for the Republic, especially in Punta Cana, since it is very quiet, we have good service and it is very safe. In addition, we use American money, like in Florida”
– Julie Verreault and Pierre Dufort, Snowbirds in the Dominican Republic
Photo PROVIDED BY JULIE VERREAULT
“When we chat with friends, we tell them we’re coming to the Republic, we tell them the price and they say: tell me where!” says Mr. Dufort, laughing.
Mr. Dufort says the rent for their three-bedroom, two-bathroom Dominican apartment costs them at least US$1,000 less than in Florida, even though they are located a ten-minute walk from the beach. “We do everything on foot!” rejoices the couple.
Former golf superintendent and above all a fan of this sport, Mr. Dufort enjoys playing daily, at a better price and above all, without traffic. “Highway 95 in Florida to get to some beautiful terrain, it was terrible in the morning, it could take an hour and 15 minutes to get there,” he said.
- Listen to the interview with Elisa Cloutier, journalist at Journal de Québec and one of the recipients of the QMI Scholarship on Alexandre Dubé’s show via QUB radio :
In Punta Cana for the sea
For their part, Pierre Scullion and Marie-Josée Lavoie chose to spend the winter season in Punta Cana, to “avoid shoveling”.
The couple decided to leave their former sunny destination, Mexico, to settle in Punta Cana, because of the quality of the beaches. Lovers of the Dominican Republic, they also say they love the town of Las Terrenas, on the Samana peninsula, where they have already spent a few weeks.
“Here, the sea is more beautiful, the people are super nice and the Dominicans are helpful”
– Marie-Josée Lavoie and Pierre Scullion, Snowbirds in the Dominican Republic
Photo ELISA CLOUTIER
The couple from Lanaudière also greatly appreciate the security aspect of the Dominican Republic. “In the evening, we walk to restaurants. I even got lost once while going on errands by bus and I never felt threatened,” says Ms. Lavoie.
Under the charm of Cabarete
Attracted by the Quebec snowbird community of Cabarete, a couple from Saint-Jérôme, who initially planned to go camping in Florida during the winter, chose the Dominican Republic instead, to “save money”.
“From January here, it’s just Quebecois here! There is no problem even getting served here, even if you don’t speak Spanish”
– Michel Tougas and Lucie Malenfant, Snowbirds in the Dominican Republic
Photo PROVIDED BY MICHEL TOUGAS
While they are experiencing their second winter there, Michel Tougas and Lucie Malenfant say they are “more than satisfied” with their retirement plan in Cabarete, a water sports paradise. “We fell in love with the place and all the restaurants on the beach,” says Mr. Tougas, recently retired and aged 60.
Do everything on foot
“What we like here is that we can do everything on foot, the grocery store, the ticket office, the restaurants, the beach, we don’t have to drive,” says Mr. Tougas.
Newly retired, Michel Tougas has long dreamed of spending his winters warm. After deciding to abandon his original plan to go to Florida, he is happy to live his second winter in Cabarete, Dominican Republic. Elisa Cloutier
For at least ten years, he and his partner had dreamed of warm sand in winter. “We’re not looking for anything complicated, we don’t really have anything planned for our days. We like to take long walks in the morning, then we go swimming or to the beach,” describes the sixty-year-old, happy to spend the winter in the sun.
There is a festive atmosphere in the evening on Cabarete beach, where there are several bars right on the beach. Elisa Cloutier
Originally from Granby, Serge Paquet has spent his winters in Cabarete for nearly 15 years. The 74-year-old man says he is witnessing the arrival of a wave of new Quebec snowbirds in the Dominican Republic.
“In my opinion, many are leaving Florida and Mexico because it has become too expensive. In Florida, if you want to do something, you get in the car. Here, we do everything on foot”
– Serge Paquet, Snowbird in the Dominican Republic
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Jacques Viens, originally from Marieville in Montégérie and aged 65, says he feels at home in Cabarete, where he bought a property to spend the winter there a few years ago.
“We lack for nothing and we eat so well. Plus, I have Quebec TV at home”
– Jacques Viens, Snowbird in the Dominican Republic
Photo ELISA CLOUTIER
The peace of mind of Puerto Plata
For a long time, Laurie Buzzell and Steven McDonald knew that once they retired, they would spend their winters warm.
After trying the experience in Mexico, then in Florida, they finally found what they wanted in Puerto Plata, where they will stay for six months this year for the first time.
Even though Florida was their “plan A,” they say they became disillusioned after hearing gunshots in the middle of the night at a campsite where they spent a few weeks in 2017.
“For me, Florida is over. With everything that’s going on with guns […] And, as long as Donald Trump is around, I’m not interested in going back.”
– Laurie Buzzell and Steven McDonald, Snowbirds in the Dominican Republic
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“Basically, I’m a little stressed. But if I feel safe here, then everyone should feel safe!” says the one who fell in love with the Pueblito sector, in Puerto Plata, last year.
Located “28 steps from the sea,” as Mr. McDonald likes to mention, the couple from Granby who are traveling with their dog, Kandy, say they have already reserved a condo for next winter.
Several Dominican families meet on Playa Dorada in Puerto Plata. A place also popular with many Quebec snowbirds. Elisa Cloutier
Driven from Mexico by the hurricane that swept Acapulco, they are seduced by the welcome of the people in Puerto Plata
It’s after the hurricane Otiswhich devastated at the end of October a part of the Acapulco region, in Mexico, including the apartment building where they were to spend the winter, that a couple from Sherbrooke set down their bags in Puerto Plata for the first times this year.
It was the tropical scenery and heat that led them to change their plane ticket to the Dominican Republic, they say.
Lots of Quebecers
“We knew there were a lot of Quebecers here, but this is crazy! I did not expect that!” says with astonishment Marcel Bélanger, aged 67, met on Playa Dorada in Puerto Plata, with his partner, Françoise Parent, aged 59.
A few days after their arrival last November, they were already thinking about coming back next year.
“We are better than in Acapulco, where we had to travel by bus to go to the sea. Here, we do it on foot and it takes us two minutes”
– Françoise Parent and Marcel Bélanger, Snowbirds in the Dominican Republic
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The couple is also happy with the affordable cost of living in the Dominican Republic, he says. “It costs us around CA$1,000 per month, it’s very clean and we are very happy with it!” says Mr. Bélanger.
This report was produced thanks to the International Reporting Grant from the QMI Agency
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