Has anyone taken a drive west of SD along the coast and checked out the beaches between SD and say, Barahona? It seems everyone goes east to Boca Chica, Juan Dolio, La Romana, etc, but Ive never heard anything about the South-western shore. Anything going on that way? Development? Restaurants/hotels? Decent beaches?
- Thread starter DavidZ
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San Cristobal anyone?
hey
i am with you on this, i have gone down to Bani and it is LOVELY there, not sure about beaches though. the only one i do know of is the beaches of Najayo which arent that bad, very nice, not too many people so it is not overrun. i am headed there in december so i will be driving down that coast to check out what is there! - Jaime
i am with you on this, i have gone down to Bani and it is LOVELY there, not sure about beaches though. the only one i do know of is the beaches of Najayo which arent that bad, very nice, not too many people so it is not overrun. i am headed there in december so i will be driving down that coast to check out what is there! - Jaime
The Beach in Palenque, Najayo and Barahona are nice; Barahona is now being develop into a turist attration with the all included resort idea as well as short stay hotels and some restaurant.
I go there fairly often as have finca in mountains above Barahona. Beaches in Barahona - well on road to Pedernales are lovely - deserted, but mostly pebble on not sand. Very little evidence of major tourist development, but some OK small hotels. Best beaches are ones where rivers come down to the sea so you can bathe in rivers on the beach, and eat great fresh fish. Lots of other things to see too like Lake Enriquillo, magnetic point, sugar cane fields etc.
Playa Palenque
I wrote a trip report including Playa Palenque a few months ago. Just search "Palenque" or look under Trip Reports. I was back out there in September and I'll be adding to that trip report soon with an update. If you have any questions let me know and I'll do my best to help. I highly recomend the trip.
I wrote a trip report including Playa Palenque a few months ago. Just search "Palenque" or look under Trip Reports. I was back out there in September and I'll be adding to that trip report soon with an update. If you have any questions let me know and I'll do my best to help. I highly recomend the trip.
Salinas
Two weeks ago I went to Las Salinas (Bani) and it was really nice. No too much people, a very clean beach and a nice restaurant in a small hotel (dont remember the name) I often like to explore other places out of Juan Dolio, La Romana o Punta Cana (I live in Santo Domingo)
Two weeks ago I went to Las Salinas (Bani) and it was really nice. No too much people, a very clean beach and a nice restaurant in a small hotel (dont remember the name) I often like to explore other places out of Juan Dolio, La Romana o Punta Cana (I live in Santo Domingo)
As mentioned, there are some beaches along the way, but the best part is just past Barahona, going South, along the coast.
Different colour waters, you know, super Caribbean looking turquoise.
Well worth going to see.
Different colour waters, you know, super Caribbean looking turquoise.
Well worth going to see.
Najayo and Palenque are completely different than the beaches to the east. The sand is greyish, there is hardly any development apart from the beach restaurants, almost only Dominicans that go there, all in all a very different experience from the beaches in the east. San Cristobal itself is an interesting town, with the cathedral and Trujillo's 'palaces'. The fifties concrete palace Casa del Cerro has just been renovated and looks completely different from the crumbling hump of concrete it was half a year ago. If you're into that sort of thing there's a former mansion of Trujillo on top of the hill next to Palenque beach too, deserted and without any guards, and you can walk around in it and see how a Trujillo mansion looks like, after it has been stripped of everything of value of course and left to crumble away.
Based on info from here I went to Palenque and the Hotel Playa Palenque in September. I was disappointed and only stayed one night instead of the planned two.
When we arrived we were told the ocean was contaminated. Due to industrial runoff, I think. So we only walked on the sand the next day and didn't see anyone but a few local fishermen.
The hotel owner didn't seem to think electricity for a fan all night long was a right of a paying customer. Hotel was clean, pool was okay, food overpriced and in-room kitchens turned off. I would not recommend the Hotel Playa Palenque.
The beaches (much) further west, near Barahona, are clean and beautiful.
When we arrived we were told the ocean was contaminated. Due to industrial runoff, I think. So we only walked on the sand the next day and didn't see anyone but a few local fishermen.
The hotel owner didn't seem to think electricity for a fan all night long was a right of a paying customer. Hotel was clean, pool was okay, food overpriced and in-room kitchens turned off. I would not recommend the Hotel Playa Palenque.
The beaches (much) further west, near Barahona, are clean and beautiful.