El Valle Community, Dominican Republic
28. Dezember 2025
My Personal Experience with the El Valle Community, Samaná, DR:
El Valle is a vibrant community in the Dominican Republic, a small fishing village isolated from civilization. I first came to El Valle in December twenty twenty-two, but spent most of my time there from January to May twenty twenty-four.
El Valle is not an ordinary intentional community; it is a small place cut off from the outside world, where time seems to have stood still for many years. About twenty years ago, the first foreigners arrived here, particularly from South America, Argentina, and Chile.
El Valle view from on of the Eco Hotels
These foreigners fortunately built a very good and close relationship with the local population, collaborating and supporting each other in many ways. This laid the foundation for the culture found in El Valle today. The village elder Federico, a ninety-two-year-old cacao farmer, is affectionately called the heart of El Valle.
Cacao fruit from one of the thousands of cacao trees growing in El Valle
The early foreigners acquired large tracts of land in the region. This might sound daunting, but on the other hand, it gave them conscious control over which other foreigners could buy land and what projects they could implement locally.
In my opinion, this is not a sustainable solution for having the right people in the community. However, I see that it has worked well so far, and I recognize the willingness of those in control today to increasingly transfer this control to a collective community body.
Today, there are several sustainable hotel concepts like the Ecolodge and the Treehouse, which were all built very carefully, respecting nature. This has attracted like-minded people who have gradually started their own projects, resulting in fifteen to twenty different projects and communities in the development phase in El Valle.
Leysis Garcia, in her newest project in El Valle, a farm-to-table concept with accommodations
One such project is the Gaya Community, a women-only community. Another is Karaya, which will build one hundred houses on a fourteen-hectare site. The founder places great importance on cooperation with nature and everything around him, offering great potential. Then there's Leysis Garden, run by its founder Leisys, an influencer, fitness coach, and nutritionist, who operates a farm-to-table concept with accommodation. The founder is further introduced in the interview below.
There are also cross-project meetings like Men's Circles where common problems are addressed and wishes expressed. For me, this is the bright spot and hope for El Valle, to build a collective consciousness and a common community body. This, to me, is the sustainable success of a community that is truly free from the whims of an individual and united by a shared vision, which holds together even in difficult times. It's about strengthening the sense of belonging and shedding the privileges of a few, especially in a colonial-influenced country like the Dominican Republic, acting with the awareness that no one is free until everyone is free, fighting for common freedom, and supporting each other.
Men Circel, hold by Austin Owen ( Founder of the Karaya Community)
Today, I estimate around fifty foreigners and two hundred locals live in El Valle. But these ratios could change within a few years, posing an even greater challenge for El Valle: maintaining the good relationship with the local community, as every new resident must integrate.
I identified two foundations. One is "Turtles for the Future," created by a charming woman, aiming to create community spaces where all El Valle residents can meet, exchange, and connect to build community.
A second foundation is dedicated entirely to sea turtles, which lay about thirty nests of eggs on El Valle's beach each year.
Other projects under development include a village school, a dental clinic that also treats the local population for free, a cooperative with local farmers to consume more locally grown products in El Valle, a distillery that successfully exports its trendy passion fruit alcohol to the USA, and a local carpentry shop.
Nightlife, electronic music El Valle
El Valle also has a noteworthy party scene for its size, attracting top DJs from around the world. El Valle has the potential, with its breathtaking locations, to attract people who enjoy places like Tulum or Ibiza. I hope El Valle maintains its positive party vibe and builds a collective consciousness for joy, love, and peace.
Therefore, a swift collective organization of the entire community seems crucial to develop and pursue a common vision. This can protect the community sustainably from the capitalist approach that often steers such wonderful communities in a different direction due to financial investors.
Dear El Valle Community,
From the bottom of my heart, I wish you all the best. May you, with open hearts and great curiosity, find the way to establish yourselves as a sustainable community and achieve great things together, for together we are strong 🫶🏾🍀🕊️