The long beach
Kilometres to walk.
Oleg Yunakov — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Oleg Yunakov — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Oleg Yunakov — CC BY-SA 4.0
The heart of the east's resort area, a long beach of soft white sand on the so-called Coconut Coast, which runs some sixty kilometres along the island's eastern tip, lined with leaning palms over clear turquoise water sheltered by reefs along much of its length. Bávaro began as a town for resort workers and grew into the service centre for the whole area, with markets, restaurants and shops. Big resorts line the beach itself, but the beach is public by law, so visitors can walk for kilometres along the sand. Bávaro is the base for catamaran and snorkelling trips over the reefs, day trips to Saona Island and the countryside, and parasailing boats work the beach. Sargassum, a brown seaweed, sometimes washes up in large amounts in summer, and resorts clear it in the mornings. Beaches are public by law, and currents can be strong, so swim where others swim and heed the flags. Pork is common in local dishes, so ask about ingredients. The sun is strong all year, so carry water, a hat and sunscreen.
Kilometres to walk.
Snorkelling.
To Saona Island.
Bávaro, Punta Cana, La Altagracia province
Yes, beaches in the Dominican Republic are public by law, so you can walk the sand in front of the resorts.