Playa Macao is a mostly deserted beach on the remote north end of Bávaro-Punta Cana. A thirty-minute drive from the main resort areas, few people frequent this area except for local fisherman and a handful of tour operators. Some visitors use an offshore landing as a jump-off point for dive tours. High waves make for excellent [...]
A river descending from the mountain joins the ocean to form the freshwater pool Los Patos is known for. Most visitors chill out at the fish shacks set up along the water’s edge, foregoing the beach altogether. Photos by Marvin del Cid
A crescent-shaped bay and serene waters, placed against a frenetic backdrop of restaurants, bars, and a substantial dose of local flavor, characterize this neighborhood beach. The calm waters make this a safe option for families with children; offshore reefs provide spectacular underwater sightseeing. The pool and beach facilities at Casa Marina Reef (809.571.3535) offer a mellower [...]
The most spectacular swimming area on the north coast is a long stretch of mostly undeveloped shoreline with tall cliffs on all sides. A large international hotel chain once operated a resort here, but has since closed down. And aside from the few vendors selling fresh fish and cold beer from makeshift food stands at the [...]
The golden-sand beach serving the popular Playa Dorada resort complex is protected by a reef, creating perfect conditions for on-water recreational activities provided to guests. Even if you’re not a registered guest here, you can still enjoy the surroundings at most of the 14 resorts within the complex, which offer day passes that include lunch and [...]
Ideal wind conditions have turned this four-mile-long beach on the north coast into a windsurfer’s mecca, making it a magnet for professional athletes and beach bums alike. In the most developed zone are restaurant and bars that spill onto the sand in the evenings, creating a buoyant nightlife scene (patches on both ends are far more [...]
This three-mile long beach is one of the most tranquil in the Bávaro-Punta Cana region, protected by the environmentally aware developers of the ultra-exclusive Punta Cana Resort and Club and its adjacent Punta Cana Nature Reserve beginning at the beach shoreline. Guests of the resort enjoy the advantages of a quiet beach where the only distraction [...]
Secluded Playa Uvero Alto is largely unchartered territory; its seemingly endless strip of beach among the most idyllic in the country and with plenty of open space shared by a sprinkling of resorts cropping up along the shore. One in a triad of beach enclaves in this internationally celebrated corner of the Dominican Republic, up and [...]
A haven for resort guests along this nearly 30-mile strip of powdery white-sand coastline rimmed by crystal-clear blue waters, Playa Bávaro is ground zero among a succession of beach enclaves more commonly known around the world as Punta Cana. The highest concentration of the country’s finest luxury accommodations are located here (some 30,000 rooms and growing) [...]
Crystal-clear waters against a palm-lined idyllic backdrop make this 50-square-mile island off the coast of La Romana the single most popular day excursion in the region for visitors and residents. But to get here you’ll have to hitch a boat. Just about all the resorts offer all-inclusive packages including transportation and a pre-paid lunch; individual travelers [...]