Samaná

The Samaná Peninsula managed to stay undiscovered throughout the boom years of the resort towns until 2006. Finally, cruise ships found the small harbor town of Samaná on the tip of the peninsula. The development that inevitably followed this huge influx of tourism spread inward from the coast until it finally reached Las Terrenas. 

Now Samaná is a shell of a town that only comes alive when a ship is in port. Las Terrenas, on the other hand, is still ahead of the development curve, managing to take advantage of the benefits of development without succumbing to short-cuts like Samaná town did. The once-village Las Terrenas has just this year really come into its own, now boasting a trifecta of recent improvements that make it the best choice for retirement in the region.