Dominican Republic / Beach Life

Food, music, rum and beaches seem to be joined by an umbilical cord in the Dominican Republic. Comedores (family snack-bars) are legion, planting an army of plastic tables, parasols and chairs firmly in the sand. At weekend lunch time, the latest bachata and merengue hits blast from rival loudspeakers while Dominican families gather to eat, drink and enjoy the afternoon. Rum and Presidente beer flow, leaving a trail of plastic beakers like confetti. Litter and garbage are a blight on practically every beach. Luckily some beaches are also used by fishermen so their boats add a more scenic touch. Buy their catch directly if you are self-catering.

At tourist resort beaches where decibel levels are generally lower, countless activities and watersports are on offer, as well as a constant flow of itinerant vendors trying to flog their wares. Wind and kitesurfing is tops at hip Cabarete, while Puna Cana’s sands and sea offer every possible activity from sailing to snorkelling, sport fishing, dune-buggying, jet-skiing, parasailing or merely sunbathing. Much depends on which hotel you are in. Most large resorts cordon off areas of the beach for their guests, and armed guards are a common sight. On some public beaches, bars take over sections of the beach with sunloungers which you can use if ordering from them. Basic WCs are usually available.

All is not lost for romantics, as quintessential white sand beaches edged by coconut palms and nothing else are still plentiful on Samana and along the north coast. Here, at the most you will be sold a freshly opened coconut – or maybe a grilled lobster.

South coast beaches are very different. Proximity to the capital makes Boca Chica and Juan Dolio highly developed and packed at weekends. If you have travelled far to get to the Dominican Republic, then look elsewhere for better quality beaches and facilities.

West of the capital, one or two local beaches are worth seeking out for a genuine taste of Dominican life without the crowds or condos. Playa Monte Rio, near Azua, is one, with a good line-up of comedores facing mountains across the calm bay, while Playa Salinas, beyond the sand dunes of Bani, has scenic salt pans, windsurfing and basic services. In the Baoruco peninsula of the far south-west, the top place to head for is the dazzling Bahia de las Aguilas, an 8 km long strand edged by calm, unpolluted waters.