Morning starts with the birds, sometimes soft cooing, other times rambunctious chatter. Giant stands of bamboo creak like an old woman’s joints. Cows moo. A donkey brays. The sweet songs of nature gently announce the day, one element at a time. Drinking coffee outside on the terrace, we glance at the mountains in the distance. Will there be a rainbow this morning? Maybe a double? It is beautiful and peaceful here.
‘Here’ is New Cambium, a 70-hectare (approximately 173-acre) Naturist community located on the north coast of the Dominican Republic. In 2010 a community was founded here where people could “Live, play, and work naked year-round,” in a sustainable and holistic environment. With that goal, Naturists from around the world bought plots and many have built homes, some of which are available for holiday rental. New Cambium represents the best of many worlds with a central recreational area at Palm Gardens surrounded by farmland and ancient cacao forests. Against the background of the mountains, residents take nature walks along three kilometres of trails and they gather at the pool. Beautiful, secluded beaches are minutes away by car.
Over the years, the vision has evolved to one of being a financially sustainable residential and rental community that is aligned with the Naturist philosophy of living in harmony with nature, each other, and ourselves. Where the original vision promoted social nudity and the benefits of living clothes free, we’ve expanded to include respect for the land, the water, the plants and animals who live among us - including the human ones!. You can experience the Dominican Republic in a way not remotely related to the big resort towns that replace local charm with homogenised hotel life. Here, when you drop your clothes, you can also drop hectic everyday living.
In the local village of Magante, you will find small colmados (convenience stores), a dairy with fresh yogurt and cheese, a grocery store, some small eateries, a liquor store, a wood carving studio and two hardware stores. It is a humble and friendly town. A short walk from the village takes you to Playa Rogelio, our local beach, well equipped with food kiosks, sun beds, and vast areas for seaside walks. Although there are no nudists beaches, many of us swim and sunbathe naked in secluded areas; the beaches here are stunning.
What we lack in convenience (ATM machines and petrol stations are 20 minutes away), we make up for in being part of a community made up of kind, funny, warm, and helpful locals. Got a flat tyre? Give it a few minutes and a guy on a motor bike will show up to change it for a few pesos. Want some fresh fish? Head to the beach. Fresh fish, fries, tostones (fried plantains), salad, rice and a beer cost around £12. For finer fare, head to any of the towns along the coast for more European-style dining.
Today there are twelve-full time residents at New Cambium. Sharon from Colorado writes, “Kenneth and I had been leaseholders since 2010 and became full-time residents living in a home we built in 2022. This simple, off-grid-life, surrounded by beauty, with tropical beaches so close, is a dream life for us. The Dominican Republic is a treasure. With incredible natural and cultural diversity, we are always discovering something new and different to explore. This lifestyle isn’t for everyone, but we are grateful it’s such a wonderful match for us.”
From October through March, our community number swells to close to thirty as people flee the cold winters of North America and Europe for our warm weather and simple living.
“We’re natural Naturists and we love living a simple life in a tiny wooden home with a thatched roof and a spectacular view of the mountains. Living close to nature is not only possible here at New Cambium, but we also feel that it’s the best place to experience it.” says Cat, who flees the UK every fall for the winter here with her partner Diarmid. “We love our Adam and Eve lifestyle, walking in the sunshine, swimming in the river or the pool, and scrumping for mangoes when they’re in season.”
Not exactly off-grid – more like off the beaten path – solar-powered electricity takes advantage of the abundant sunshine, although spells of rain and clouds can challenge even the best system. Most of us believe it is better to light a candle than curse the darkness, but perhaps we enjoy being unplugged for a little while.
For most of the last fourteen years, the organisation’s sustainability and growth has focused on home and lot sales and vacation rentals. In the last few months, we’ve expanded our agricultural products, with a current emphasis on cacao.
Jim, president of the board of directors, says “Our ancient cacao trees grow in 10 hectares of towering forest. This year's harvest yielded about 4,100 kg of cacao beans. Some is being produced for retail sale, under the Bonita Cacao brand, with a New Cambium origin designation. We have spoken with our cacao farmers about expanding the crop, replacing some of our grazing land with not just cacao but other crops. Vanilla is native to the region. It's not just another crop for income, and a lovely flavouring, but has antibiotic properties useful for infections with multi-drug resistant bacteria, according to a study last year in the European Journal of Microbiology and Immunology. The fermented vanilla can be so aromatic. We have agreed to allow an organic vanilla growing company to grow it on our property, and get organic designation for our land. It'll be exciting to watch from its inception.”
We believe New Cambium is like no other place. Sit by the pool with a Presidente beer. Walk our trails. Pick bananas for breakfast … but don’t take our word for it, come see for yourself. See you soon!
Debra Nelson-Hogan