After a recent trip to the island of Nevis and an excellent ?beach shack? meal there on Pinneys Beach of grilled Mahi Mahi (Dorado) fillet with salad and sides, I was motivated on my return To DR to ?go do that? and eat seafood on the beach Dominican style yet again. I have fond memories of excellent simply prepared fresh seafood by locals on many beaches throughout the country.
Now that I reside in the city, I wanted to try somewhere close but different to where I had visited before. And these days my interest lies to the west of the city.
Our DR1 Super Moderator, AE, has posted several times in the not so distant past of her and her husband?s fondness for a beach local to where they live. Playa Palenque.
I have visited a beach closer to San Cristobel, Playa Najayo and have good memories of a couple of beery seafood afternoons there, so Playa Palenque was a natural progression a bit further away.
This was to be a ?recce? rather than a full day out for future reference.
I dropped AE a PM for best route to get there, because nothing bounced out at you looking at maps. I received very detailed perfect instructions which proved a great help and made my journey from Miramar to Playa Palenque 50 minutes if that.
The Autopista out of Santo Domingo going west after the ring road has been resurfaced up to San Cristobel and the white lining is almost complete, so the drive to the intended turning off point was as good as it gets. We took the turning instructed without seeing the sugar mill, but that came quickly into view as soon as we went under the dual carriageway so we were on the right route towards the coast over the hills.
We were warned the road was a little rough. On the contrary. It is excellent and has just been paved and the white lies are up to the top of the first incline??where the views looking back are absolutely fantastic. On we went through a few small villages with plenty of Edesur trucks around installing new overhead power lines and soon we hit the road running parallel to the coast and turned right. Again a road in excellent condition - almost newly surfaced. The scenery all around was very appealing and relaxing?.and so close to that busy city. Lovely green campo!
Very quickly we had passed through Sabana Grande de Palenque on onwards to the beach with our explicit instructions.
We found a very quiet calm beach and settled down at the beach front on a simple table with chairs and palm covering serviced by the small simple restaurant of Eledanias. I am used to enjoying local fare from simple establishments on the beach so I was comfortable with what I saw.
The beach was clean with a darker sand than you find on the North Coast and fairly typical of what I have seen west of Bani. It is palm fringed and the sea was very calm and it looked in inviting??..not a perfect blue tropical beach but as blue as you see in may a resort perhaps down to the sand color. To the west the beach curved around and was quite empty and invited a long beach stroll?but not today. On the distant headland you could see what look like a jetty and crane. The backdrop was undiluted untouched greenery. Looking east the beach curved to another headland but nearer with a few fishing boats parked on the shore. There was a reef at this headland suggesting the beach is well protected from the prevailing waves for most of the year. On the way home we did drive in that direction and there are more beach restaurants with dance floors facing what beach exists on that side. We did not check.
The food on offer was to be as expected and fish was the choice of the day and selected from what was on offer. A few bottles of cold Presidente Light were consumed and a refreshing swim in the sea ensued before out food was served up. And what a fine spread??..grilled fish cooked to perfection, tostones, a salsa and a large fresh salad with avocado. Too much in the end to finish.
I was not the only expat on a rather quiet beach today. There were a few others around. I can imagine that at weekends the place is full and full of life??a must to enjoy another time.
A few more swims and another beer and it was time to head back to beat any traffic in the city at the end of the day. Incidentally the beach slopes gently away from the shoreline and at about chest height sand was replaced by a few large pebbles where I swam.
Always lovely to see those mountains north of Bani and San Cristobel as you head home!
Well worth the trip and it adds to my personal varied and wide experiences of this lovely land called Dominican Republic which is always throwing up new vistas and memories which I will be able to cherish and recall in days ahead.
Thanks AE for introducing me to another special part of the nearby campo and Playa Palenque. We will be back!
Now that I reside in the city, I wanted to try somewhere close but different to where I had visited before. And these days my interest lies to the west of the city.
Our DR1 Super Moderator, AE, has posted several times in the not so distant past of her and her husband?s fondness for a beach local to where they live. Playa Palenque.
I have visited a beach closer to San Cristobel, Playa Najayo and have good memories of a couple of beery seafood afternoons there, so Playa Palenque was a natural progression a bit further away.
This was to be a ?recce? rather than a full day out for future reference.
I dropped AE a PM for best route to get there, because nothing bounced out at you looking at maps. I received very detailed perfect instructions which proved a great help and made my journey from Miramar to Playa Palenque 50 minutes if that.
The Autopista out of Santo Domingo going west after the ring road has been resurfaced up to San Cristobel and the white lining is almost complete, so the drive to the intended turning off point was as good as it gets. We took the turning instructed without seeing the sugar mill, but that came quickly into view as soon as we went under the dual carriageway so we were on the right route towards the coast over the hills.
We were warned the road was a little rough. On the contrary. It is excellent and has just been paved and the white lies are up to the top of the first incline??where the views looking back are absolutely fantastic. On we went through a few small villages with plenty of Edesur trucks around installing new overhead power lines and soon we hit the road running parallel to the coast and turned right. Again a road in excellent condition - almost newly surfaced. The scenery all around was very appealing and relaxing?.and so close to that busy city. Lovely green campo!
Very quickly we had passed through Sabana Grande de Palenque on onwards to the beach with our explicit instructions.
We found a very quiet calm beach and settled down at the beach front on a simple table with chairs and palm covering serviced by the small simple restaurant of Eledanias. I am used to enjoying local fare from simple establishments on the beach so I was comfortable with what I saw.
The beach was clean with a darker sand than you find on the North Coast and fairly typical of what I have seen west of Bani. It is palm fringed and the sea was very calm and it looked in inviting??..not a perfect blue tropical beach but as blue as you see in may a resort perhaps down to the sand color. To the west the beach curved around and was quite empty and invited a long beach stroll?but not today. On the distant headland you could see what look like a jetty and crane. The backdrop was undiluted untouched greenery. Looking east the beach curved to another headland but nearer with a few fishing boats parked on the shore. There was a reef at this headland suggesting the beach is well protected from the prevailing waves for most of the year. On the way home we did drive in that direction and there are more beach restaurants with dance floors facing what beach exists on that side. We did not check.
The food on offer was to be as expected and fish was the choice of the day and selected from what was on offer. A few bottles of cold Presidente Light were consumed and a refreshing swim in the sea ensued before out food was served up. And what a fine spread??..grilled fish cooked to perfection, tostones, a salsa and a large fresh salad with avocado. Too much in the end to finish.
I was not the only expat on a rather quiet beach today. There were a few others around. I can imagine that at weekends the place is full and full of life??a must to enjoy another time.
A few more swims and another beer and it was time to head back to beat any traffic in the city at the end of the day. Incidentally the beach slopes gently away from the shoreline and at about chest height sand was replaced by a few large pebbles where I swam.
Always lovely to see those mountains north of Bani and San Cristobel as you head home!
Well worth the trip and it adds to my personal varied and wide experiences of this lovely land called Dominican Republic which is always throwing up new vistas and memories which I will be able to cherish and recall in days ahead.
Thanks AE for introducing me to another special part of the nearby campo and Playa Palenque. We will be back!