family
Arena Gorda Beach
The northern Bávaro stretch where the Hard Rock and Riu Palace properties sit, with the same iconic sand and shorter crowds than central Bávaro
Dominican Republic Beaches
Beach by beach: calm water or surf, crowds, sargassum and how to get there.
iconic
Bahía de las Águilas
Eight kilometers of empty white sand inside Parque Nacional Jaragua, reached by a short boat ride from La Cueva
family
Bávaro Beach
The 30-kilometer stretch of white sand and reef-protected water that put Punta Cana on the map
swimming
Bayahíbe Beach
The old fishing village's public beach and the pier where most Saona and Catalina boats leave
family
Boca Chica Beach
The capital's beach: a shallow, reef-protected lagoon 10 minutes from Las Américas airport
water sports
Cabarete Beach
The town's long, social bay, with tables on the sand at night and windsurfers and kiters in the afternoon
family
Cabeza de Toro Beach
The transitional stretch between central Bávaro and Cap Cana, with calmer water and a quieter feel
island
Canto de la Playa
Saona's quieter south-east beach, where the tour crowds thin out
quiet
Carlyle Cove
A smaller, greener stretch between Miches town and Playa Esmeralda
sandbar
Cayo Arena (Cayo Paraíso)
A tiny sandbar ringed by coral off Punta Rucia, reached by speedboat through the mangroves
family
Cayo Levantado
A small island in Samaná Bay with a public beach section, calm clear water and a luxury resort on the rest of the key
islands
Cayos Siete Hermanos
Seven uninhabited sand cays off Montecristi, a wildlife refuge with shallow snorkeling and nesting seabirds
family
Cofresí Beach
A small bay west of Puerto Plata, framed by timeshare resorts and next door to Ocean World
surfing
Encuentro Beach
The north coast's main surf beach, with reef breaks for experienced surfers and whitewater for beginners
island
Isla Catalina
A small island off La Romana with clear water, a calm beach and the region's best-known snorkel wall
island
Isla Catalinita
A tiny uninhabited islet at the park's eastern edge, stopped at by Saona snorkel and dive trips
family
Juan Dolio Beach
A long, quieter strip of golden sand east of Boca Chica, lined with condos, beach bars and a few all-inclusives
family
Juanillo Beach
The naturally sheltered crescent in Cap Cana, widely considered the most beautiful beach in the Dominican Republic
kitesurfing
Kite Beach
The stretch west of Cabarete where the kite schools set up and the afternoon wind does the rest
family
La Playita (Las Galeras)
A small, calm beach on the west side of Las Galeras village, against the forest and popular in the afternoon
local scene
Long Beach
Puerto Plata's city beach, more for an evening walk and a local scene than a swim
surfing
Macao Beach
Wild, dramatic, and surfable, the Atlantic-facing alternative to Punta Cana's calm resort beaches
resort
Minitas Beach (Casa de Campo)
Casa de Campo's own sheltered beach club, calm and groomed, with access mainly for resort guests
quiet
Playa Alicia
Sosúa's young, quiet beach, built by the sea itself, with calm water and sunset tables
town beach
Playa Arriba (Miches town beach)
The everyday town beach of Miches, where fishing boats and local life share the sand
family
Playa Blanca
The three-mile stretch of white sand inside Puntacana Resort & Club, accessible to non-resort guests via a $50 day pass that doubles as a food and drink credit
surf
Playa Bonita
A small-hotel beach just west of Las Terrenas, with surf on one end and a short trail to Playa Escondida
kitesurfing
Playa Buen Hombre
A remote fishing village and flat-water kite spot on the Montecristi coast
scenic
Playa Cabo Rojo
White sand under red bauxite cliffs, next to the new cruise port and the road to Bahía de las Águilas
family
Playa Caletón
A small, shaded cove near Río San Juan with calm water, the safe swim of this stretch of coast
surf
Playa Caribe
A half-moon surf cove between Boca Chica and Juan Dolio where the capital's surfers and bodyboarders go on weekends
long walks
Playa Cosón
A long, uncrowded Atlantic beach west of Las Terrenas, lined with palms and a few upscale hotels
swimming
Playa Dominicus
A long Blue Flag beach of pale sand and flat Caribbean water, lined with all-inclusives
family
Playa Dorada
Puerto Plata's resort beach: a long golden strip in front of a gated hotel complex and golf course
scenic
Playa El Morro
The beach at the foot of El Morro, Montecristi's flat-topped mesa, with Cayo Zapato just offshore
swimming
Playa El Quemaito
A stone-and-pebble cove 15 to 20 minutes south of Barahona, with some of the calmer water on the coast road
wild
Playa El Valle
A wild, cliff-framed bay on the north coast reached by a winding road from Samaná town
quiet
Playa Esmeralda
The long, palm-backed beach east of Miches town that gave the Costa Esmeralda its name
secluded
Playa Frontón
A remote strip of sand under limestone cliffs east of Las Galeras, reached by boat or a long forest hike
scenic
Playa Grande
A wide, wild curve of golden sand below the cliffs east of Río San Juan, with big surf and real currents
local
Playa Guayacanes
The local, palm-shaded beach just west of Juan Dolio, known for fried fish and yaniqueques
city beach
Güibia & Montesinos (City Beaches)
Santo Domingo's Malecón beaches: fine for a sunset walk, not for swimming
town beach
Playa Juan de Bolaños
Montecristi's town beach on the Malecón, with seafood shacks, fishing boats and sunsets behind El Morro
family
Playa La Ensenada
Calm, clear, shallow water near Punta Rucia and the launch point for Cayo Arena boats
family
Playa Las Ballenas
The broad, palm-lined beach on the west side of Las Terrenas, named for the small islets offshore
wild
Playa Limón
Three wild kilometers of sand near El Cedro, best for horseback rides and sunsets rather than swimming
river beach
Playa Los Patos
A pebble beach at the mouth of one of the world's shortest rivers, with an icy freshwater lagoon in the shade
secluded
Playa Madama
A small, sheltered cove in the forest east of Las Galeras, reached by a short hike or a boat
wild
Playa Morón
A wild, mostly local beach near El Limón with cliffs, strong waves and a rough access road
local
Playa Najayo
San Cristóbal's local seafood beach west of the capital, with stronger waves and a weekend crowd
family
Playa Palenque
A palm-lined, family beach in San Cristóbal with calmer water and fresh fish, about an hour west of the city
local
Playa Paraíso
The quiet village beach of Paraíso, with river stones, turquoise water and simple fish restaurants
local
Playa Pedernales
The wide, nearly empty town beach of Pedernales, with sunsets and a small malecón where locals gather
surfing
Playa Preciosa
Playa Grande's wilder little neighbor, a surfers' beach with no facilities and powerful water
natural
Playa Rincón
Roughly 3 to 4 km of undeveloped, palm-backed sand near Las Galeras, with a cold river swimming hole at the west end
river beach
Playa San Rafael
Where a cold mountain river tumbles through stepped pools into the Caribbean, the busiest stop on the Barahona coast
kitesurfing
Punta Popy
The breezy east end of the Las Terrenas beach, home to the town's kitesurfing scene and long palm-shaded sand
village beach
Punta Rucia Beach
A low-key fishing-village beach with small hotels, boat captains and access to Cayo Arena
island
Isla Saona
The country's most famous day-trip island: palm-lined beaches inside a national park
sandbar
Saona Natural Pool (Playa Palmilla Sandbar)
A waist-deep sandbar in open water off Punta Palmilla, the standard stop on Saona trips
snorkeling
Sosúa Beach
A sheltered horseshoe bay with calm, clear water and reef snorkeling straight from the sand
quiet
Uvero Alto Beach
The quietest stretch of Punta Cana's coast, with luxury resorts and far fewer crowds than Bávaro
Looking for one region? Punta Cana & Bávaro · La Romana & Bayahíbe · Samaná Peninsula · Puerto Plata, Sosúa & Cabarete · Santo Domingo, Boca Chica & Juan Dolio · Miches & Costa Esmeralda · Barahona & Pedernales · Montecristi & Punta Rucia