This small beach town east of Puerto Plata was founded by German Jewish refugees in the late 1930s who were fleeing Nazi persecution (Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo oversaw their settlement, hoping to gain favor with the U.S.) The town's Jewish Museum chronicles the experience of the 700 refugees, who established a dairy and a sausage-manufacturing facility. Parts of the original settlement are interesting, especially the businesses run by the descendants of the Jewish immigrants. The town has become popular with Dominicans and Europeans because of its lovely beaches and dive sites. Sosua has lost much of its charm, however, because of its popularity for sex tourism. The wild scene of a decade ago has been partially tamed, but at night the bar-lined main drag is notoriously salacious. It's also falling prey to random development and a flood of tourist shops. A 10-minute drive east of Sosua is Cabarete, a premier spot for windsurfing. Sosua is 90 mi/145 km northwest of Santo Domingo.
