The Dutch seriously know how to start businesses abroad.

Ever since a trip to Central America two summers ago when we were introduced to our first favorite Dutch-pat enterprise, Via Via, we've sought out other DOBs (Dutch Owned Businesses).

Some Favorites:

Via Via, Copán, Honduras: A hostel and restaurant, this place is a hip travelers oasis. Our favorite was the great fresh food with plenty of our favorite Dutch options, which is to say flavorful food inspired by the cuisine of Dutch colonies Suriname and Indonesia.

Cafe Sol y Luna, La Paz, Bolivia: While in La Paz we were looking for a cafe or bar with internet and varied food options, and happened upon Cafe Sol y Luna which was one of the best establishments of our time in South America. The place is cozy, with dark wood and great lighting while also being hip and interesting. I enjoyed a Bolivian Mojito (replace mint with coca leaves) and the food was great, with spice and curry I hadn't had in months.

Hotel Niños, Cusco, Peru: This is the best place to stay in Cusco, Peru as far as I'm concerned. The price was US$40 per night (which is a bit of a splurge for Peru) but was an amazing value. The rooms were minimalist (think upscale Ikea) yet chic, with incredibly comfortable beds, bright colors, and nice bathrooms. Being Dutch-owned, the hotel is of course spotless. The rooms are set up around a beautiful courtyard where there are tables set up for breakfast or an afternoon snack or tea. The food is all delicious and fresh with options like pancakes and eggs, which is a step up if you've been having toast and coffee for breakfast the last few months. The best part of the place is that they've set up a foundation to help orphans in the area, using their profits to help improve the community. There are nice black and white photos of the kids around the hotel and each of the rooms are named after one of the kids the foundation has helped.

After experiencing some of the successful expat business on our travels, it seems like a good addition to the Peace Corps would be a business consulting service. If PC volunteers could help local businesses better appeal to foreigners and their whimsical likes and dislikes, perhaps they could rival some of the wildly successful expat businesses.