Las Terrenas yesterday..

It was a small village of fishermen and farmers amidst the largest coconut plantations in the country and bordered by 18 km of beaches, known to only very few tourists. There was no infrastructure, only one path over the hills, no electricity, no telephone, no running water.

...And today

You can drive over an asphalted road from Sánchez to Las Terrenas. A private company supplies 24 hours a day electricity (110 and 220 v) to the entire community.

The telecom operator Verizon settled in Las Terrenas and subsequently everyone can benefit from trouble-free local and international communication, such as telephone, fax, mobile, call-back and internet.

The major part of the village is connected to water net. There is a new hospital with an operating room, three national banks have opened a branch, and - thanks to the cable - you can receive more than 30 international television canals.

In the slipstream of this development, today's 20.000 inhabitants of who an important part is of European origin, saw their village change with the opening of many hotels, restaurants, bars and all kinds of tourist services, such as a variety of many new sports activities and renting possibilities (diving, horseback riding, quad, jet-ski, kite surf, wind surf) and a structured organization of excursions that covers Samaná and a major part of the country. Also they witnessed the opening of commercial centers and air-conditioned supermarkets.

THE EL CATEY AIRPORT -

Today, an international airport is located at 45 minutes of Las Terrenas, on the road of Nagua.

El Catey was brought into service in November 2006.

It allows the traffic of large transport aircrafts of many international companies.

Track of 3000 m X 45 m.

Volume of reception 9000 m2.

This International airport is located at 12 km from las Terrenas.

It will be connected directly to this locality at the end of 2007, by the prolongation of the coastal road Las Terrenas - La Isabella. The budget was voted and the funds are now at disposal. The beginning of work is envisaged in January 2007.

SANTO DOMINGO -SAMANÁ HIGHWAY

The works of the highway which will connect us to the capital are progressing. The highway will reduce at two hours the way between Samaná and Santo Domingo. The 106 kms of the motorway connecting Las Américas to Samaná will be the shortest way to cross the island. The foreseen budget is of 162 millions US$. The manufacturers announced that the highway could be finished in December 2007. While waiting, the government opened the first section of the highway.

News projects for the development of Las Terrenas are also in realization.

Projects under development in the Peninsula of Samaná:

At the end of 2006, a line of luxury hotels was open:

Gran Bahia Principe in Cayo Levantado, Gran Bahia Principe Cayacoa in Samaná, Gran Bahia Principe Samaná on the road of Las Galeras, Gran Bahia Principe El Portillo in Las Terrenas.

All this was justified by the opening in November 2006 of the El Catey international airport. The marketing of these new hotels continues its course in Europe. The total investment for this hotel group was 60 million dollars US$.