Not so long ago the sea air was prescribed by doctors as a catch-all treatment. Improvements in science and medical care have made many remedies and recommendations obsolete, but this one contained a kernel of truth. A study made by the University of Exeter has found time spent by the ocean to have health benefits. Numerous health benefits.
Census data found that people in England who lived near the coast reported better health than anywhere else in the country. Despite what the tourist board might have you believe, England’s beaches can (often) be cold, wet, and windswept. If life in a gray English beach town can significantly improve your health, what improvements can you get from life in the Caribbean?
Anywhere with a more relaxed pace of life is going to reduce your stress levels. Eating fresh, local produce more often, as is necessary on an island, is also going to benefit you. Seeing beautiful scenery and spending time in nature has been proven to lower the heart rate. All reasons to consider a life overseas by the sea.
The Dominican Republic especially is becoming an increasingly popular destination. Not only for tourists who are waking up to its charms but also to retirees and investors. House prices here are currently undervalued and the demand for rental property is expected to remain strong. The Dominican Republic also has some of the best residency options offered by any country in the world.
Expats Come Here For The Beaches
One of the main reasons people move to the Dominican Republic is for the amazing beaches. Beaches in the Dominican Republic are amongst the best in the world. Travel guides and newspaper articles frequently include at least one Dominican Republic beach in their lists of “World’s Greatest Beaches.”
Check out:We’ve Found The World’s Best Beach… And It’s In Las Terrenas
This article looks at some of the best beaches in the Dominican Republic. The country has nearly 800 miles of coastline made up of scenic and spectacular beaches. These have their own charms and are popular with visitors for different reasons. Some are family beaches with calm waters and plenty of activities. Others are a magnet for explorers, tranquil outposts only accessible to those willing to put in the hard yards. The Dominican Republic has surfing beaches and beaches for relaxing and sipping on a cold drink.
Bávaro Beach
Bávaro Beach Location:
The beach is in the far east of the Dominican Republic. The nearest big town is Punta Cana.
Bávaro Beach is the ideal beach to take a long stroll. As you walk, the beach seems to go on forever. It’s very easy to walk for miles, stopping off for a paddle if your feet get too warm.
Currently undeveloped, the area is free from high-rise hotels dominating the skyline and reducing views. The beach covers miles of coastline and you can easily walk for hours taking in the natural beauty on display.
Along the way, small shops entice you to visit and browse the local produce. If you require food or drink, you can make a pit stop in one of the many bars that line Bávaro Beach.
Bávaro Beach faces the Atlantic Ocean so it can be rougher than some of the other beaches and also a little colder. This is Caribbean-cold water though. You can comfortably swim here all year.
Cayo Levantado
Cayo Levantado Location:
A tiny island off the southeast coast of the Dominican Republic’s Samaná Peninsula. The best way to access the island is by boat, and if you are lucky, you might see a whale along the way.
Cayo Levantado is used by lots of advertising companies to sell the tropical beach or tropical island ideal. The island has sheltered areas where you can lounge on deck chairs as well as open beaches where you can swim and snorkel in the clear waters.
In other places, you find the beach becomes more exposed. Here the wind and surf can hit the island hard and remind you why the Caribbean has so many shipwrecks.
Ferry companies offer a timetable of day trips to Cayo Levantado. Another option is to negotiate a trip over with a smaller boat. This allows you to spend as much time as you want here and not have to leave at a scheduled time.
Playa Dorada
Playa Dorada Location:
Located on the Dominican Republic’s north shore, in the Puerto Plata region.
Playa Dorada is sometimes called the golden beach and is a well-maintained beach. Some of the beaches in the Dominican Republic have piles of garbage and debris on the shore, especially after storms or heavy rains. Playa Dorada is in a prime tourist location and any rubbish that washes up soon gets cleared.
Playa Dorada is a clean and spacious beach with free lounge chairs—a welcomed rarity in the Dominican Republic. This is one of the island’s busiest beaches due to its proximity to all-inclusive resorts.
The beach has plenty to do with kayaks for rent and Catamaran cruises available. The trade winds mean conditions are nearly always suitable for sailing and windsurfing. You can also take introductory scuba lessons here or go waterskiing.
Off the water, you can go horseback riding along the sand. Heading inland you’ll find shops, restaurants, and bars nearby along with golf courses and go-kart racing.
La Playita
La Playita Beach Location:
You can find this beach near to Las Galeras, located on the northeastern side of the Dominican Republic. Unlike a lot of beaches, it has some shelter from the Atlantic Ocean.
This beach is one of the hidden gems of the Dominican Republic. The quiet beach has a view of the bay and of the mountains. Being in a sheltered location, the waves are almost non-existent. The beach is also very shallow, meaning you can wade out a long way into the sea. This makes it very safe for children and popular with families.
The beach is easily accessible by road and has a few local-style restaurants serving freshly caught fish. Try a fresh pineapple cocktail as an accompaniment!
La Playita gets very crowded on days that cruise ships are in Samaná Bay. For the rest of the time, it is fairly quiet and secluded.
Kite Beach
Kite Beach Location:
Kite Beach is located on the Dominican Republic’s north shore in the Punta Goleta region.
It is the Dominican Republic’s home of kitesurfing. The beach and nearby town of Cabarete cater to the kite surfers who visit in vast numbers every year. Kite Beach picks up the strong trade winds and is protected from the swells by a reef 300 meters offshore.
Although the mornings are often calm, by midday the breeze will have picked up and will last for the rest of the day. This makes it a perfect spot for beginners to learn how to kitesurf.
More advanced kite surfers have the option to go beyond the reefs and enjoy the open waters. The different kitesurf schools along the beach claim they can teach anyone to kitesurf, and the bars in this area come to life during the night.
Playa Frontón
Playa Frontón Beach Location:
Playa Frontón is located in the easternmost tip of the Las Galeras region.
It is most easily accessible by boat, and the trip over can get a bit rough at times. If you suffer from seasickness, you might want to give this one a miss.
The beach has a secluded feel enhanced by the lack of noise pollution: Apart from vacationers and boats, only the sound of the breeze, ocean, and birds can be heard.
Climbers come here to scale the cliffs that surround the beach. The cliffs contain bat caves to explore, although not of the Gotham City variety. Pirates of the Caribbean was shot on location in Playa Frontón.
If you are feeling adventurous you can get here by trekking through the jungle. The route is thirsty work, but the jungle landscape is mesmerizing. Online rumors claim the jungle trail can be dangerous and that people have been mugged along it. I couldn’t find any evidence of this online but thought it worth mentioning.
Playa Encuentro
Playa Encuentro Beach Location:
Playa Encuentro is located near to Kite Beach on the north shore of the Dominican Republic.
It is one of the Dominican Republic’s top surf beaches. Paddleboards are only allowed in certain areas, and surf schools cater to all levels of ability. If you are a beginner, be sure to stay in the designated area as the reefs are shallow and very sharp.
You will need to bring water shoes to avoid stepping on the reef. If you are surfing, the advice is to paddle straight out into deeper water, which protects the reef and your feet from damage. Despite this, the beach itself is sandy.
The surf is consistent here, although as the wind picks up in the afternoon, the wave quality worsens. The beach benefits from easy access by car and also has lots of parking spaces.
Further back, beach huts painted an array of colors line the edge of the sand. If you are not into surfing, consider the walking trails nearby. These cut through the countryside and take in the mountains and reefs.
Macao Beach
Macao Beach Location:
Macao Bach is located in eastern Dominican Republic.
Nearby Bávaro Beach has become overexposed and most days is too crowded to enjoy. Macao Beach is an excellent alternative. This is a versatile beach where you can surf, swim, or simply relax and do nothing.
Lifeguards patrol here, and on days when the current is strong, it’s recommended to stay within their zones. If you want to enjoy some food by the beach, Macao Beach has restaurants and vendors serving fresh fish and local dishes.
The ends of the beach are given over to dune buggies and other off-road vehicles. From here you can take tours along the beach and off-road through the countryside.
The locals bring tame animals to the beach and will sometimes harass you into taking a photo with the animals. They often ask for a ridiculous amount of money, so check the price before you agree to the photo. Other locals bring cold drinks to your sunbed, which is a welcome alternative to the hassling.
Check out:56 Fun And Interesting Facts About The Dominican Republic
Playa Rincón
Playa Rincón Beach Location:
One of the Caribbean’s most remote beaches, Playa Rincón is located in the Samaná area of the Dominican Republic.
The isolated Playa Rincón is only accessible with a four-by-four vehicle or by boat. The road here is in such a terrible condition that boat is the preferred option of many. Consider the journey to be a trial, keeping the profane from the higher beauty of this beach.
Indeed the lack of easy access means the beach is never crowded and has not been overdeveloped. Playa Rincón is one of the most famous beaches in the Dominican Republic and has won awards and recognition. That it still remains uncrowded is a testament to how difficult it is to get here.
When you finally get there and take in the four-mile-long beach surrounded by tree-lined mountains on the horizon and palm trees on the sand, you are grateful that few bother to make the trip. The beach is free from nearly all amenities aside from a couple of restaurants that serve fresh seafood and chicken.
On the left-hand side of the beach, you will find a freshwater stream. This is cooler than the sea and a refreshing escape when the temperatures are at their highest.
Parts of the beach can get rough when the waves are up, but keep walking and you’ll come across sheltered parts that are safe for swimming.
Oliver Lovett
