Costa Esmeralda

Costa Esmeralda is the name used for the coast east of Miches town, from Carlyle Cove through Playa Esmeralda toward Punta Hicaco and the Laguna Redonda reserve. It is where almost all of the region's resort building has happened, and it is the place people mean when they call Miches "the next Punta Cana".

Until late 2024 there was essentially one big resort here: Club Med Michès Playa Esmeralda, open since November 2019. Then the wave came. Viva Miches by Wyndham opened in December 2024, Zemi Miches (Hilton's Curio Collection) in mid-2025, Secrets Playa Esmeralda in August 2025 and Dreams Playa Esmeralda a few weeks later. More are announced, including a Paradisus by Meliá, a JW Marriott and a Four Seasons at the Tropicalia project, but none of those had opened as of 2026.

There is no town here. The resorts sit along the coast road with countryside and palm groves between them, so this is a stay-on-property kind of place. Off-resort options mean a taxi back to Miches town, 10 to 20 minutes away, or a tour. That isolation is the point for most visitors: big beaches, low density compared with Bávaro, mountains behind you and noticeably less sargassum because the coast faces north into Samaná Bay.

The trade-offs: the airport is 1.5 to 2 hours away, the resorts are new and some are still settling in, and there is little to do outside them except nature trips. Easy excursions from here include Montaña Redonda, a kayak on Laguna Limón and horseback rides on Playa Limón. Boats to Los Haitises National Park leave from Sabana de la Mar, about an hour west.

Who it is for: couples, honeymooners and families who want a newer, quieter all-inclusive than Punta Cana offers. Who it is not for: travelers who want nightlife, golf or a short airport transfer.