Sosúa

Sosúa is more than just another perfect beach town, still in the early stages of development yet impossibly rich in wide sandy shores and coconut trees. Sure, there are scores of sunbathers there, taking advantage of the pleasant restaurant scene and lively nightlife, but many of them don't know this community's interesting history.

The entire area was owned by United Fruit until the late 1920s, when Dictator Rafael Trujillo bought the land up cheaply and sold it at a profit to Jewish organizations in the USA. These groups were trying to secure land for Jews fleeing an increasingly anti-Semitic central Europe. In 1940, some 350 Jewish families moved onto the land, and tried for several years to develop an agricultural product that could thrive in the tropical climate and survive long overland treks to Santo Domingo.

They raised livestock for milk, cheese, sausages and other products, and then used the profit to build a successful distribution system. Everything ran smoothly until the 1960s, when peasants began squatting on the farmland, rendering it useless for grazing. The police refused to help the Jewish community, and most eventually emigrated to the USA or Israel.

Though only a few Jewish families remain today, the Jewish Community Museum offers a peek at their fascinating history. Why not drop by, before or after sunning next to the clear, sparkling waters (where there are some fantastic diving opportunities, by the way).