Help! Picking the Best Side of Island

kcgirl

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Planning a trip to DR, never been there. After many hours and days researching everything about the island, I am very confused which side of the island to stay at.
Looking for the area that offers great beaches with calm water, good snorkeling and not crowded- Like to play golf- Don't care about partying..too old-
I was looking at the north and east side, BUT a friend of ours just come back from DR last week and said they couldn't get on the beaches because most of them were private. ( because of villas and resorts) Is that true? Can you find beaches that are secluded and with very few people on them? And are they safe?
I need help... Which area should I be looking at?? North, East, Southeast, or Southwest..
 

sawsky

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we just came back from boca chica if white sand,s and snorkeling is you then go there i loved it my wife loved it and were in our late fifty,s hamaca coral i,d say if it,s your first time
 

Rocky

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we just came back from boca chica if white sand,s and snorkeling is you then go there i loved it my wife loved it and were in our late fifty,s hamaca coral i,d say if it,s your first time
I guess that nobody bothered to tell you how polluted BC waters are.
I wouldn't stick my big toe in there.
Even our government has been issuing warnings about BC waters for at least 7 years, mentioning, amongst other things, genital diseases, rashes, etc.
 

kcgirl

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Is the whole island polluted

Is just that area or is the whole island polluted? I have been to several islands in the Caribbean and DR property and rental are cheap compare to other island.
Is that why.. I do not want to waste my vacation time off and money on a hell hole!
So please anybody, please tell me is it a mistake to go to DR?
 

vince1956

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May 24, 2006
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Is just that area or is the whole island polluted? I have been to several islands in the Caribbean and DR property and rental are cheap compare to other island.
Is that why.. I do not want to waste my vacation time off and money on a hell hole!
So please anybody, please tell me is it a mistake to go to DR?

:bunny: the whole island polluted? :bunny: with sankie,s;) lol you have been warned
 

Rocky

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Is just that area or is the whole island polluted? I have been to several islands in the Caribbean and DR property and rental are cheap compare to other island.
Is that why.. I do not want to waste my vacation time off and money on a hell hole!
So please anybody, please tell me is it a mistake to go to DR?
Just that beach.
Basically the whole North coast is wall to wall beaches and you'll easily find one to suit your tastes.
 
Jun 5, 2004
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I think that you should go to the east/punta cana area. It is a rather calm part of the country where you can play golf and enjoy alot of what the dominican republic has to offer. Boca Chica is great but its a little more like a people/party beach so if you want to be alone in my opinion Punta Cana/ East Coast would be your best choice.
 

MommC

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I would like to recommend Juan Dolio......
Great beach, good scuba diving, trips to Catalina island for snorkeling in a coral garden, also Bayahibe for snorkeling. Calm, warm, clean water with good resorts at Costa Caribe, La Capella and Colonial Tropical.
The beach is beautiful, white sand, with lots of access points (and a public beach in old Juan Dolio) that is crowded only on Sat. and Sunday afternoons and even then not very (unless it's Semana Santa).

The area is relatively quiet and safe (big city precautions as usual anywhere in the world) and the locals (INCLUDING ME) are friendly and helpful.
Not much in the way of night life but some very good restaurants for dining and a few 'hot spots' with live music various nights of the week with a mainly older clientel. Nice piano bar for evening get togethers with conversation.......

Two good golf courses within 2 kms........
 
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qgrande

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Jul 27, 2005
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Planning a trip to DR, never been there. After many hours and days researching everything about the island, I am very confused which side of the island to stay at.
The DR is not an island, it's only part of an island. I wouldn't pick the western side of the island for a relaxing sun, beach and booz holiday, not yet...
 

Squat

Tropical geek in Las Terrenas
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Las Terrenas is simply the most beautifull area of the whole island... No contest !
 

qgrande

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I concur that Las Terrenas, Las Galeras and the whole Samana peninsula has beautiful secluded beaches, as well as a beautifull hilly interior. Not yet too many private beaches there. That would be 'the east-northeast'. Las Terrenas also has a bit of a 'French' focus, so imho better restaurants than elsewhere (if you like creative cuisine that is, if you prefer steaks, wiener schnitzels, tacos or overcooked spaghetti there might be better places). But I'm not too sure about snorkeling or golf there.
 

kcgirl

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Still do not know??

Thanks everybody for your responses..
One for the North-looked at Las Terrenas---so go father east is better than going west towards Puerto Plata- is the water calmer going east? and less crowded? Also Punta Cana is it NOT full of resorts that are taking all the good beach areas?
Two for the South- I did look at Juan Dolio but have concerns being so close to Boca Chica (especially after Rocky comment)
What about La Romana area? Is the reason we should go south the water and beaches are better?

I still have concerns about the beaches being polluted. I thought I read that the goverment spent 30 mil on cleaning up the beach up north (sewer problems) When you read something like that it is scary. The beaches can look great and be polluted at the same time. Example St Croix has nice beaches but some of them have so much trash- it takes away the beauty.
So if anybody has been on these beaches (north, northeast or south side).. give me a report what you saw.
 

Andy B

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If beaches and pure, natural beauty are your thing then you'll want to go to Las Galeras and the beaches at the northeastern tip of the Samana peninsula. Not only do we have one of the prettiest beaches in the world, Playa Rincon, we also have several more just as awesome. This end is less spoiled that the peninsula's north coast and is much more laid back and peaceful than Las Terrenas. And if you're American, you'll really want to avoid las Terrenas and it's French population (read this as: the dislike of the French for Americans-believe me you'll feel it there). BTW, Las Terrenas is rapidly becomming the Boca Chica of the north coast- if it hasn't already claimed that dubious distinction.
 

MommC

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Well....Juan Dolio is actually about 20 minutes from Boca Chica and in an entirely different 'bay'. No way to really compare the two unless you want to compare apples to oranges. Water currents flow from SPM towards the west so if there is any pollution in Juan Dolio it would come from SPM not BC. Also Rocky didn't mention that BC is an enclosed, artificial lagoon whereas Juan Dolio is open to the sea.
The reason to go south is that you will be on the Carribean sea (that is where you wanted to be isn't it?) and not on the Mon Passage (Punta Cana Bavaro) or on the Atlantic ( Samana, Las Terrenas).
The Carribean is calmer, warmer, clearer that either the Atlantic or Mona Passage (where the waters of both Carribean and Atlantic 'mix').
Hope this clarifies things for you....
 
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anneeoakland

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Juan Dolio is pretty. But there are lots of stinging sea urchins (long black points) in the water. Two years ago I was stung by one --- not fun.

I think Bayahibe (non the AI part) is great!!

Or south of Barahona (to the west).
 

MommC

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Annie...you must have just been in the wrong location and not paying careful attention (near one of the rocky areas perhaps?).
I've been bathing at the beach in JD for 17 years and never stepped on a sea urching, have only seen two ppl in all that time who encountered them and they were wading in the shallow rocky areas near the reef looking for seashells and starfish without paying attention to the sea urchins and without wearing watershoes for wading in rocky areas.
Stick to the sandy bathing areas and you won't have any problem......in other words...do what you would at home and avoid the rocks!
 
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Rocky

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The bottom line is that the North coast has 10 times as many beaches and a lot more sandy areas, so although someone might like a particular beach on the South coast, they are few and far between, and if someone is coming to the DR for good beaches, they should come to the North coast.
 

Squat

Tropical geek in Las Terrenas
Jan 1, 2002
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As you read in this thread, Las Terrenas has the MOST BEAUTIFUL BEACHES in the whole island (Haiti included).
It has also many of the best restaurants of the island. It's a fact.
There's some beautiful snorkeling, and the water in most beaches is very calm.
You can always have a day-trip to Saman?/Rinc?n/Las Galeras, but as a base, LT is your BEST OPTION.

As of the gringo population, indeed, there are many french & italian. That is why food is way better. However, the english speaking population is rapidly growing, and very active. You won't be on your own.

It is not crowded. You can easily get away.

It's your best bet !
 

Andy B

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Fact: Las Galeras has Playa Rincon, the ONLY world-class beach not only on the peninsula, but of all the Dominican Republic and much of the Caribbean. It's not me that proclaimed this but Conde-Nast Travel Magazine when they ranked it #2 in the world. We also have some 8 other WHITE, sandy beaches, each prettier than the last, whereas the further one passes west on the north coast of the peninsula, the more brown the sand gets.

Las Terrenas DOES have a longer beach, it stretches some 8 miles, but that is nothing to brag about especially when the north wind blows in the winter and the roiled water becomes almost muddy. Las Terrenas ALSO has a busy road winding along right beside the beach, with constant traffic and lots of motorcycle noise; nothing like a little carbon monoxide mixed in with your sea air to make your day at the beach complete. Mix that with uncontrolled growth of hotel after hotel interspersed with Dominican shacks along the beach and you get the picture.
 

Squat

Tropical geek in Las Terrenas
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-Hey, Andy, honestly, when was the last time you visited Las Terrenas ?

When I am posting about LT, I don't want to put down any other destination. Las Galeras is a fine place. I just give the best advice to the OP...

I am not into a "pi$$ing contest" with other beach-town, what's the point ?

I am being honest, but you are not being fair about Las Terrenas...
 
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