Developers Eye Samana as the Caribbean Version of St. Tropez

The beach town of Las Terrenas, already home to a community of European expatriates, is part of the Samaná peninsula, which some developers view as the country’s next hot spot, the Caribbean version of St. Tropez

In July the government imposed a ban on new building permits, citing the need to stem the sprawl. But the ban was lifted earlier this month, after new infrastructure guidelines were imposed.

“The time has come for Las Terrenas to radically change and become a model tourism resort,” new tourism minister Francisco Javier Garcia told the local press. The more vigorous planning effort could be good news for the area, developers say.

“The government really wants to turn Las Terrenas into a more organized resort development,” said Greg Breitbart, who is helping to market Terrazas de Coson, a collection of 72 villas on a pristine hillside outside the town.

Although relatively undeveloped compared to the fast-growing Cap Cana region, Samaná is expected to get a boost from a new highway cutting the travel time from Santa Domingo from five hours to two. And last year the El Catey International Airport opened, offering the promise of direct flights to the peninsula.