Playa Grande Beach Improvements Now Open!!

Those course changes begin Jan 8.
Back nine to close for one year, close front nine for the next year.

All new traps, grasses, drainage and irrigation.

The website tries to keep current .

Not sure how much I like the beach changes, time will tell.
Reduced accessibility is the big concern.

Certainly looks 'cute'.... a bit reminiscent of the Samana storefronts.

BTW, the golf course is a separate project, unrelated to the beach project.

Progress I guess but I think I would have preferred it to stay the way it was, more isolated.

I didn't look.... how much beach to the west is the public allowed to access?

I saw the beach being fenced off to the west where the old shacks stood

I think it's wonderfull, certainly cleaning of the beache. When I went this year after samana santa and workers day (forgot the exact holiday name) the beach was so dirty and no one was cleaning up, we brought two full garbage bags back home, and that was just the area we where in. This is the same thing for playa diamente and la entrada was horrible this year, garbage everywhere, did not stay long, preferred going to caleton de cabrera, where there is people cleaning the beach. About the people selling stuff on the beach, they have to make a living, at least they are not robbing your house,selling drug or prostatution. They are doing it for a reason, not to bother people. This is what i think, I have been living and going there for over 22 yrs,.. there is a guy, still there with his guitar, not a great singer but, he tries and we always say hi or talk, never asked me for a handout. But everyday he is there trying tomake a living. Thanks for your time

the big worry is if they are closing off part of the beach and herding us daytrippers into the (imo) less interesting eastern end.
the ability to walk all the way down this fantastic beach is its greatest asset....really hope that isnt going to change.

And yes, the new huts are very 'pueblo del pescadores' in las terrenas...a little bit too nice for my liking

Fotos? Anyone have any of these improvements?

I think that for most of the above reasons the local population may feel their noses a bit out of joint..

The reaction will be interesting.

I have been enjoying Playa Grande for 20 plus years. I live 15 minutes away from P Grande. I would have preferred a million times over to keep it as it was, as opposed to what it is going to be. But the new format is what we call "progress". The developers have known from day one that beach access to the public was the number one issue of concern for the local community, the one issue that could create a massive problem. When they presented their plan to the public at the city hall of Cabrera, the place was jammed- about 200 people in attendance. To their credit, and their own self-interest, the plan proposed and now implemented does grant the public fairly easy access to the beach, The public will be allowed to walk and enjoy the entire beach as well as Playa Preciosa also.
The next phase of development will be a small hotel and restaurant on the beach (for members of the development ) and then villas, one after another, all along the beach. Hey, they bought it and they can develop it. I don't have an issue with that. Furthermore, it appears as though the beach access given to us, the public, is better than most developments. They were smart. They knew minimizing access would create an instant popular uprising, But lets be clear about this- the beautiful, unspoiled Playa Grande is going to be gone forever, at some point in the not too distant future. It will evolve into a community of millionaire foreigners visiting their second (or third or fourth) homes.
Clean bathrooms and less loud music is a miniscule gain compared to what we are losing. Anyone wanting to avoid Dominicans playing Dominican music on a Dominican beach could simply walk down the beach away from the people and enjoy tranquility. The name of the beach is Playa Grande for a reason. For those foreigners unhappy with men taking a pee behind the trees, you will be happy to know this will come to an end. The watchmen guarding the villas where the trees used to be will not permit such a disgusting act. K

Well said K... I'm glad you chimed in.
I already knew your position

I always respect tenure.

Here's a person with 10 yrs attendance here on DR1 and just 143 posts.

This one is cogent.

Well..............

I dropped by y'day..... I know most of the vendors and all of the chefs.
Many of whom grumbled loudly about being displaced.

To a person they were all happy with the new set-up.
They said business was up, more people were coming, they had lights in their shacks, more room to work.

What we think is not as important as what they think.

I was surprised by their reaction.
The first fellow to meet/greet me was the one who, 2 weeks ago, proclaimed loudly that they would not move without a fight.
He shook my hand as we left too.

He was very happy.

They know it's still early, but the early signs are good.

Time will tell.

OK, sounds good. I shall be there myself next week to see how it is.
As long as we continue to have full access to the beach, i shall be happy

Yes, full access but a more narrow entrance....beach is free to walk the full length

Meals still served on the sand and now, up above

I'll miss riding through on the bypass for the fantastic views.

We went down there last week but didn't go on the beach, just drove the turnaround.

You really can't see the beach from there.

I suppose it's the best compromise available but a major change for sure.

As my friend says, the 30 yr veteran.

As a business proposition it makes sense, but it has cost us the soul of the beach

the outlaw josey wales said:

The 5 best things about the new Playa grande;#1 no more fat Dominican and European men in speedos pi***** in public(a national pastime)on your beach blanket,#2 no more very bad Dominican music blasting and pulsating from eight track stereo boombox's,#3 no more cars and trucks parked near the sand blasting very bad dominican music,#4 no more trash strewn all over the place (a national pastime) and #5 sanitary cooking facilities (they are even washing their vegetables in a bleach wash. All in all Playa grande can now live up to its reputation as a destination beach worthy of the most discriminating beach bum....well done

Click to expand...

yummy...berenjena de cloro?

william webster said:

beach is free to walk the full length

Click to expand...

for now...

Going to Dom Rep in 3 weeks and husband would like to play Playa Grande. Is the course open and playable now ?

My husband and friends will be golfing, but I would like to spend the day on a nearby beach. Can anyone suggest a beach that I will be able to get onto (without being a hotel guest, condo renter, etc) ?? I know they are all public, but sometime the hotels block entrances and won't let you on their property without being a guest. If I remember correctly, you can't get to the beach from the golf course because of the cliffs. Or can you....?

Please be specific on directions where the access point is as I am not very familiar with the area. SO looking forward to it!

Thanks for your advice in advance !

Good day to all,

I've been coming to Playa Grande for the last 10 years, loved it even with the music blasting, it was nice and untouched. But this year i am verry disapointed with what they did to that beach it's terrible all for the good of new condo and hotel. They have destroyed that beach for the sake of $ . what i saw yesterday when i went there was terrible.
Steel fence, diggings near the beach for sanitary pits...
unbeleivable what money can do to a beautifull place.