If you're looking for stunning, drop dead gorgeous, positively breathtaking beaches, go to Las Terrenas, Playa Fronton, Las Aguilas, and dozens and dozens of very small, very hard to reach beaches that are often--but not always--at the foot of very tall cliffs around Cabrera, Rio San Juan, Las Galeras, etc--but to find these places you need to know where to go and you need your own transportation.
Unfortunately, you went to a public beach on a holiday weekend, and of course, you encountered bus loads of dominicans that unfortunately do not neccessarily always respect the beaches and just leave their trash wherever they sit. It's unfortunate, and it happens at the rivers on holiday weekends as well. we got a long way to go here. we need somethng like we had in the USA during the 70's when there was a massive push to clean up america and its highways and public areas, and huge fines were imposed and enforced for anyone who littered. it could be done in two generations of education and lots of tv commercials and millions of dollars spent in campagning and increased education. Sadly, that won't be happening in my lifetime. But maybe the next generation will be able to see it through.
Nevertheless, you hit the nail on the head when you mentioned something about getting a motorcycle and exploring on your own. Here's one suggestion, only a 50 minute ride from Sosua that only a handful of people know about it. the beach has no name and is inaccessible during high tide. It's located about 200 meter east of Playa Grande. Th entrance starts across from the police station that sits on the far east entrance of Playa Grande. there is an empty, over-grown parking lot directly across from this police station. the parking lot has a gate locked down at the entrance. it's quite a large parking lot...sometimes there are horses inside eating the overgrown grass. it's been closed for over a decade because, at the end of the parking lot, there is a 60 foot cliff that drops off straight down into rocks and crystal blue ocean. they closed the parking lot after several people fell off the cliff and became fish food. there are no bannisters, rope, rails, or anything else at the end of the parking lot to prevent someone from walking directly off the end and into the sea.
park outside the parking lot, next to the fence--across from the police station. duck underneath the gate and walk directly to the end of the parking lot: do not continue walking over the edge unless you know how to fly. Batman or superman cape will not work.
At the end of the parking lot, there is a trail--easily visible, to the right of the parking lot. turn right, stay on the trail, the trail snakes along the edge of the cliff--there are several breathtaking picture opportunities along the cliff--bring a good camera! keep walking, following the trail. you will feel like you are in a scence of Lord of The Rings. the trail will dead-end into a large ravine. surfers have carved out small steps that lead down into the mouth of the ravine. at this point, you will feel like your in a horror film or a scene out of the Tom Hanks film where he is marooned on an island. using very precise baby steps, and some very good shoes or better yet--barefoot, start climbing down the walls of the ravine until you are in the mouth of it. then follow it north to the ocean--only about 20 meters away. if it is low tide, you will be able to turn left, and head west along the bottom of the cliff until you get to a large mound of rocks and dirt. go around this large mound--to the right--along the ocean--do not try to scale the mound--it will take you no where but doom! simply go around the mound to the right--you will have to enter the ocean slightly and get wet--but if the tide is low, you can walk from rock to rock until you get around it. once around the mound, you will be on your own personal, private beach, with 60 foot ovehanging cliffs above you. you will be able to swim in crystal clear, shallow water, and the over hanging cliff will offer you protection from the sun and rain and give you the opportunity to have a romantic interlude where no one can see you but the crabs. It's stunning, it's beautiful, and it's within an hour drive of Sosua and Cabarete.
A word of caution. the climb down the walls of the ravine is not for the faint hearted. the're slippery, their steep, and if their wet, their extremely dangerous. one slip will see you with several broken bones, lost teeth, and possibly death. Yes, it's that steep--but only in certain areas. still, the walk along the cliff to the ravine is worth the trip several times over and will give you some of the ery best picture opportunities that you will ever get on the north coast.
love Frank
Unfortunately, you went to a public beach on a holiday weekend, and of course, you encountered bus loads of dominicans that unfortunately do not neccessarily always respect the beaches and just leave their trash wherever they sit. It's unfortunate, and it happens at the rivers on holiday weekends as well. we got a long way to go here. we need somethng like we had in the USA during the 70's when there was a massive push to clean up america and its highways and public areas, and huge fines were imposed and enforced for anyone who littered. it could be done in two generations of education and lots of tv commercials and millions of dollars spent in campagning and increased education. Sadly, that won't be happening in my lifetime. But maybe the next generation will be able to see it through.
Nevertheless, you hit the nail on the head when you mentioned something about getting a motorcycle and exploring on your own. Here's one suggestion, only a 50 minute ride from Sosua that only a handful of people know about it. the beach has no name and is inaccessible during high tide. It's located about 200 meter east of Playa Grande. Th entrance starts across from the police station that sits on the far east entrance of Playa Grande. there is an empty, over-grown parking lot directly across from this police station. the parking lot has a gate locked down at the entrance. it's quite a large parking lot...sometimes there are horses inside eating the overgrown grass. it's been closed for over a decade because, at the end of the parking lot, there is a 60 foot cliff that drops off straight down into rocks and crystal blue ocean. they closed the parking lot after several people fell off the cliff and became fish food. there are no bannisters, rope, rails, or anything else at the end of the parking lot to prevent someone from walking directly off the end and into the sea.
park outside the parking lot, next to the fence--across from the police station. duck underneath the gate and walk directly to the end of the parking lot: do not continue walking over the edge unless you know how to fly. Batman or superman cape will not work.
At the end of the parking lot, there is a trail--easily visible, to the right of the parking lot. turn right, stay on the trail, the trail snakes along the edge of the cliff--there are several breathtaking picture opportunities along the cliff--bring a good camera! keep walking, following the trail. you will feel like you are in a scence of Lord of The Rings. the trail will dead-end into a large ravine. surfers have carved out small steps that lead down into the mouth of the ravine. at this point, you will feel like your in a horror film or a scene out of the Tom Hanks film where he is marooned on an island. using very precise baby steps, and some very good shoes or better yet--barefoot, start climbing down the walls of the ravine until you are in the mouth of it. then follow it north to the ocean--only about 20 meters away. if it is low tide, you will be able to turn left, and head west along the bottom of the cliff until you get to a large mound of rocks and dirt. go around this large mound--to the right--along the ocean--do not try to scale the mound--it will take you no where but doom! simply go around the mound to the right--you will have to enter the ocean slightly and get wet--but if the tide is low, you can walk from rock to rock until you get around it. once around the mound, you will be on your own personal, private beach, with 60 foot ovehanging cliffs above you. you will be able to swim in crystal clear, shallow water, and the over hanging cliff will offer you protection from the sun and rain and give you the opportunity to have a romantic interlude where no one can see you but the crabs. It's stunning, it's beautiful, and it's within an hour drive of Sosua and Cabarete.
A word of caution. the climb down the walls of the ravine is not for the faint hearted. the're slippery, their steep, and if their wet, their extremely dangerous. one slip will see you with several broken bones, lost teeth, and possibly death. Yes, it's that steep--but only in certain areas. still, the walk along the cliff to the ravine is worth the trip several times over and will give you some of the ery best picture opportunities that you will ever get on the north coast.
love Frank
