Playa Juan de Bolaños

Playa Juan de Bolaños is the town beach of Montecristi, a long strip of sand that runs along the Malecón, the seafront promenade on the north side of town. It is not the prettiest beach in the region and it does not try to be. What it offers is a working waterfront: fishing boats pulled up on the sand, open-air seafood shacks and bars along the promenade, a bust of José Martí, and some of the best sunset views in the north-west, with the sun dropping behind El Morro and Isla Cabra.

The water is shallow and generally calm, and you can wade a long way out before it gets deep. Clarity is the trade-off. Being on a bay fed by mangroves and the Río Yaque del Norte delta, the water here is often cloudy rather than the glassy turquoise you see in photos of Cayo Arena. It is fine for a dip and for kids splashing near shore, but it is not a snorkeling beach. The sand is ordinary and fairly narrow in places.

Most people use Juan de Bolaños as a base rather than a destination. Boat tours to El Morro, Isla Cabra and the outer cays leave from here, from the fishermen's boats on the sand, the small pier known as the Muellecito, and the area around the Club Náutico. The El Morro tour sold on Civitatis, for example, meets at the beach bungalows here. If you want to hire a boat directly, this is the place to ask, ideally the afternoon before so you can leave early in the morning when the sea is calmer.

Food is the other reason to come. The fishing boats supply the restaurants along the Malecón with snapper, grouper and lobster, and Montecristi is also known across the country for goat (chivo), usually stewed. Prices are local rather than resort level. Facilities are thin: visitors regularly mention the lack of public toilets, so plan on using a restaurant.

The promenade is good for walking or cycling, and weekend evenings are when the Malecón comes alive with families and music.

Best for: sunset, an evening walk, fresh fish, and organizing boat trips. Not for: a full day of sunbathing or clear-water swimming; for that, go to Playa El Morro or take a boat to Cayos Siete Hermanos. Hotel Marbella faces the beach; most visitors stay at the El Morro Eco Adventure Hotel or the Wyndham Garden El Morro and drive in. See the Montecristi & Punta Rucia travel guide for how to fit it into a weekend.