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TABLE OF CONTENTPlaya Dorada (Golden Beach).................................................................................. 4

Playa Chaparral or Pueblito....................................................................................... 4

Long Beach, Puerto Plata........................................................................................... 5

Costambar Beach.............................................................................................................. 6

Maimon Beach..................................................................................................................... 7

Cayo Arena/Paradise Island and Ensenada Beach.............................. 8

Cabarete Beaches............................................................................................................. 8

Encuentro or Hideaway Beach............................................................................... 8

Kite Beach................................................................................................................................ 9

Punta Goleta........................................................................................................................ 10

Cabarete Downtown Beach.................................................................................... 10

La Boca.................................................................................................................................... 10

Playa Grande and Playa Preciosa...................................................................... 11

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he North Coast of the Dominican Republic remains an unexplored land for mass tourism, compared to busy and crowded Punta Cana. Nevertheless, the beaches and natural landscapes of the North Coast can compete in beauty and authenticity with the best locations in Punta Cana. The region has seen some major positive changes in recent years.

The government and private investors are turning to the North Coast which promises to become a next tourism boom destination. We’ve made a detailed analysis of the North Coast’s investment attractiveness that you can fi nd in our previous eBook.

And the present eBook we would like to dedicate to the natural beauty and beaches of the North Coast. They represent the major asset and tourist attraction of the region. Curiously enough, each beach is unique and special in its own way.

We can even affi rm there are no two equal beaches on the North Coast. So this eBook will explain the peculiarities of the main North Coast beaches

and reveal what beach is better for kitesurfi ng, surfi ng, souvenir shopping, diving or tasting the best Dominican deep fried fi sh or most exotic Dominican fruits.

Before we start, let us make a small note. The North Coast in the Dominican Republic is normally considered the area between Puerto Plata and Rio San Juan, sometimes including Cabrera. However, if you check the map, geographically speaking, the North Coast also includes Luperon and Montecristi areas to the west of Puerto Plata and Samana peninsula to the east of Cabrera.

In our guide we will stick to the non-geographical defi nition of the North Coast and concentrate on beaches within that area. The overview of the 5 best Sosua beaches is published in our blog article.

Check it to learn which Sosua beach is considered a local art gallery and what beach is directly connected with the Dominican history and Jewish heritage.

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PLAYA DORADA (GOLDEN BEACH)

Activities: kitesurfi ng, jet ski, snorkeling, catamaran, deep sea fi shing, banana boating, windsurfi ng, kayaking, beach volleyball.

This name should be familiar to you if you have heard of Playa Dorada all-inclusive hotels. This complex includes not only about 10 diff erent resorts but also a commercial center, movie theatre, casino, several restaurants, tennis courts and golf courses. Access to the complex as well as to its 13-mile long beach is open to the general public.

The curious fact about this beach is that its sand is golden on the one side (as the name suggests) and whiter on the other side. In other words, if you would like to take iconic Caribbean style photos with white sand and blue water, just head to the western side of the Playa Dorada beach. Whether you stay in one of the resorts or come from the outside, you can stroll freely along the whole beach. But if you’re not a hotel client, you may not be allowed to use the hotel’s beach chairs, bars and other amenities. The exception is beach side restaurants, such as Green Jack Tar Beach Club, that offer services to general customers.

Moreover, Playa Dorada is remarkable because of numerous trees of sea grape. This fruit is rich in vitamins A, E, K, B2, biotin, calcium and many other elements. You can check when the sea grape season starts in our blog postabout 8 most exotic Dominican fruits.

PLAYA CHAPARRAL OR PUEBLITO

Activities: beach volleyball, kitesurfi ng, souvenir shopping, cross fi t.

Strictly speaking, it’s not a separate beach but a prolongation of the Playa Dorada beach. But we prefer to review it separately because of its distinct character and name. The beach can boast white clean sand and chaise longs available for anyone. However, this beach is mostly visited by locals rather than by foreign tourists. Thus, the whole ambiance changes. There are more street vendors of ice cream, sweets and coconuts as well as small local shops of all kinds of Dominican souvenirs. Customers from the Playa Dorada hotels often visit Pueblito to shop for local arts and handmade crafts. Needless to say, the menu at small local restaurants also varies from the Playa Dorada establishments in dishes, sizes and prices.

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Another outstanding feature of Playa Pueblito is a small estuary where a river meets the Atlantic Ocean. In its turn, the ocean sometimes (mostly in winter) brings sargassum seaweed to the shore. As there are no hotels in El Pueblito and no special service to clean the beach, you may fi nd it not so attractive in some seasons.

However, it’s worth visiting because in just few meters from the beach you can fi nd a small semi-abandoned town. Pueblito actually means a small town in Spanish.

In the 90s, this town was a busy place promising to become a copy of the Puerto Plata historical center with its own central square and colonial style buildings. But the decline of the tourism industry in Playa Dorada led to an outfl ow of residents.

Nowadays, El Pueblito represents a curious mix that includes small tour companies’ offi ces neighboring empty buildings with faded peeling paint. Moreover, the most equipped and professional cross fi t gym on the North Coast is situated in El Pueblito.

LONG BEACH, PUERTO PLATA

Activities: surfi ng, kitesurfi ng, snorkeling.

Though Puerto Plata is a coastal town, there are no many options for ocean swimming in town. After all, Puerto Plata is mostly a port town rather than a resort area. Most of big hotels and resorts are situated in Costa Dorada and Playa Dorada outside the town. That’s why Long Beach, situated east of Malecon, is the only place within the town to practice water sports and swim. Regardless of the name, the beach isn’t really long. The length is estimated around 1 mile.

Long Beach is very popular with local families, especially at the end of the day and over the weekend. Numerous snack bars and discos dispersed every hundred meters along the beach create a lively and relaxing atmosphere. The typical Dominican music such as merengue and bachata sets the cheerful mood. By the way, if you’re looking for a place where you can learn Latin dances on the North Coast, don’t forget to check our guide. Many local events are organized at Long Beach during the year due to its central location and easy accessibility.

Unfortunately, the same factors are also reasons for garbage accumulation on the beach. Besides, algae are regular gifts that the ocean brings to the shore. That’s why instead of getting into the water, people prefer strolling

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and walking along the beach or sitting under the trees to enjoy the view. Nevertheless, there is one surf school that off ers surf classes and provides stand up paddles, kayaks and snorkeling equipment.

To summarize, Long Beach is more a place for social gathering and night life, rather than for usual water related activities.

COSTAMBAR BEACH

Activities: kitesurfi ng, snorkeling, fi shing, beach volleyball.

Costambar beach is situated inside the Costambar community on the western end of the Puerto Plata town. This community can be even considered a small town inside Puerto Plara. It has its own supermarket, school, hairdresser salons, golf-course, restaurants and all other amenities necessary for living.

It’s mostly populated by expats and foreign visitors. The big diff erence between the Playa Dorada and Costambar communities is that the latter is more adapted for vacation rentals (condos, villas) and long-term visitors. Whereas Playa Dorada is a hotel and resort complex with all-inclusive model. Moreover, Costambar is cheaper than Playa Dorada.

Understanding this essential diff erence will help you perceive the distinctive features of the Costambar beach. First of all, the public is very international composed mostly of Canadian and North American retirees. Secondly, there are less bars, noise and garbage than at Long Beach. Thirdly, much fewer beach chairs can be observed on the Costambar beach than on the Playa Dorada beach. It’s preferable if you take your own towel and chair from home. Furthermore, the name Costambar comes from Spanish ‘Costa Ambar’ which means amber coast.

So as you may guess, the sand is not white but rather yellow-brownish resembling the color of an amber stone. Just like a stone, the sand is harder and coarser than in the other reviewed beaches.

Moreover, the beach’s waters are shallow which makes it a safe place for children. There are many reefs and numerous opportunities for snorkeling. Whereas the surrounding almond and palm trees form a perfect shady escape for fans of relaxation and reading.

The hill views serve as an amazing backdrop for this paradise scenery.

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MAIMON BEACH

Maimon Beach is situated right next to the famous cruise ship terminal Amber Cove. To arrive to the beach, you need to get to small bars and souvenir shops that represent a good reference point. On days when a cruise ship arrives, the place gets really crowded. But on other days, it’s very calm and peaceful.

Moreover, the beach also receives guests staying at the adjacent Senator hotels. Though there is another beach on the hotel side as you can see from the image above, some clients also like to come to the Amber Cove side too.

Unfortunately, you may not be allowed to cross to the other side because you will have to enter the hotel property. However, you may walk till that beautiful blue and white gazebo at the foreland. The incredible views from this point will take your breath away. This is probably the most remarkable about Maimon beach.

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CAYO ARENA/PARADISE ISLAND ANDENSENADA BEACH

Activities: jet-ski, snorkeling, kitesurfi ng, kayaking

Our North Cost beach guide wouldn’t be complete without Paradise Island. This really small islet is situated in about one-hour drive northwest from Puerto Plata. Once you arrive to Punta Rucia village, you can get a boat to take you to Cayo Arena, another name of the place. When you step onto this tiny sandbank, you will feel like in a real paradise.

Schools of tropical fi sh can easily be seen in shallow turquoise waters, making this spot a dreamy place for snorkeling fans. This area also boasts some of the most abundant marine life in the Dominican Republic, with corals and sponges that surround the island, where octopuses, crabs, schools of surgeonfi sh, sergeant majors, damselfi sh, angelfi sh, and yellowtail snappers all swim around your feet.

If you decide to travel to Paradise Island, you can’t miss visiting Ensenada Beach on your way to Punta Rucia. This beach is especially popular with Dominicans living in the central regions who fl ock to the coast at the weekend. There are no big hotels, resorts or tourist developments around. Therefore, the prices are relatively low.

You can get a royal meal with huge crabs and prawns for a few dollars. And the waters are so calm and crystalline that you can easily think you’re in a swimming pool rather than in an open ocean.

CABARETE BEACHES

First of all, Cabarete can be considered the Dominican capital of water sports. Thousands of surfers, kiters, windsurfers and other athletes from all over the world travel to Cabarete each year to tame the local waves. That’s why Cabarete beaches are best adapted for water sports activities rather than just swimming and sunbathing but let’s explore them one by one.

ENCUENTRO OR HIDEAWAY BEACH

Activities: surfi ng

The famous Encuentro Beach is situated between Sosua and Cabarete. This is a local spot with the highest concentration of surfers. The Encuentro vibe is really contagious so even if you go there just to watch other people ride the waves, you will end up trying it yourself too.

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The best time of the year to visit the Encuentro beach is winter when waves are bigger and thus better for trying diff erent surfi ng tricks. The crest of the season is marked by the annual international competition Master of The Ocean in February. It’s an event for true athletes where they compete in four disciplines which are surfi ng, kitesurfi ng, windsurfi ng and paddle boarding or SUP.

The competition lasts a whole week and gets together water sports professionals of all nationalities and ages. They turn the whole event into a big joyous celebration of strength, life and international friendship. Probably this is one of the reasons why the beach has got its name. Encuentro in Spanish means “meeting” or “encounter”. To conclude, it isn’t recommended to go swimming or snorkeling in the Encuentro waters. There are no beach chairs or special service that would get you cold beer and fried chips. But there is one small bar/cafeteria where you can enjoy true Venezuelan arepas and fresh cocktails or eventually a bottle of beer;)

KITE BEACH

Activities: kitesurfi ng, SUP

Kite Beach, situated about 2 km from Cabarete, is a world-famous Dominican kiting oasis. Its location, reefs, wind and water characteristics

create perfect conditions both for directional and strapless riders. Unlike the Encuentro Beach, Kite Beach gets really busy in summer. It’s the best time of the year to watch an incredible show of numerous colorful kites fl ying in the air.

Beach bars and restaurants like Mesa Taina are a great place to sip a pina colada while enjoying this free performance. If you want to be part of this show, one of the local kite schools or instructors will be happy to introduce you to the kitesurfi ng art.

In the mornings and no-wind days, Kite Beach transforms into a stand-up-paddle boarding heaven. Its fl at blue water even allows to combine a morning yoga routine with a paddle boarding session. Moreover, Kite Beach is a preferred by many tourists spot for sunrise and sunset walks.

You may also like Kite Beach for its monthly Full Moon parties. The Kite Club Café and Beach Bar invites international DJs and organizes a crazy party on the beach with a bon fi re, dance and fi re performances.

They have even organized the Burning Man festival inspired themed parties. If you’re looking for a real fun in Cabarete, these events are not to be missed.

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PUNTA GOLETA

Activities: skimboarding

Punta Goleta is situated between Kite Beach and the main Cabarete downtown beach. The main reference point here is the condo development by the same name Punta Goleta and beach restaurant Tuva. This part of the beach is not really attractive for kitesurfers because of its shallow waters. But fans of skimboarding fi nd it fantastic for “wraps”, “spins” and “180s”. The basic diff erence between skim and surf boards is that the former is smaller and without fi ns. It is used to glide the water’s surface starting from the thin wash of previous waves close to the beach. Skimboarding is also similar to skateboarding from which it has adopted some tricks based on “fl atland” without catching shore breaks.

If you’re not familiar with this water sport, Punta Goleta is an ideal place to get an introduction. This beach is also good for strolling and enjoying every moment of the relaxed problem-free Dominican lifestyle.

CABARETE DOWNTOWN BEACH

Activities: kitesurfi ng, windsurfi ng, SUP, regatta, beach volleyball.

When you get closer to the town center, the beach starts to get more

crowded. There are a lot of small shops, beach bars and restaurants, among which Mojito Bar and Casita de Papi where you can enjoy a great food accompanied with the best fresh drinks and ocean views. The nonchalant atmosphere reigning over the Cabarete center captivates most travelers.

It isn’t surprising because there are so many activities going on at the same time in the same place.

LA BOCA

Activities: kitesurfi ng, kayaking, SUP.

Though it’s not a beach, we’ve decided to mention la Boca in our guide for two reasons. First of all, it’s another favorite place of kitesurfers who often come to the Yasica River estuary to take a downwinder back to town enjoying a lush green backdrop on the way. Moreover, the Yasica River forms a nice lagoon behind Cabarete on its way to the La Boca estuary where it meets the ocean. This lagoon is a perfect hideaway for kayak or SUP lovers.

A kayak or SUP adventure starting in the Cabarete center and ending in La Boca will allow you to admire the best tropical landscapes of this town. The second reason is Wilson’s La Boca Bar and Restaurant.

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PLAYA GRANDE AND PLAYA PRECIOSA

Activities: surfi ng.

Playa Grande, or Big Beach in English, is situated 120 km (75 miles) northeast of Puerto Plata, between Rio San Juan and Cabrera. Its swells during winter attract a lot of local surfers. Whereas during summer the beach gets absolutely unrecognizable. The sand is washed off by waves coming during the summer months and the beach gets rocky.

One of the huge advantages of Playa Grande is that it never gets crowded. You can even feel like an adventurer walking along the empty golden beach surrounded by virgin rainforest and lush hills. If you need some refreshment or quick meal, you can get one of the best fried fi sh on the North Coast. Several small restaurants at the beach entrance off er

fresh seafood at very reasonable prices. Moreover, you can buy creative Dominican souvenirs at lower prices than in other more touristy prices.

Playa Preciosa is situated just a few meters away from Playa Grande. They even share the same parking space. You just need to take right from the parking in order to arrive to the hidden beauty of Playa Preciosa. The word “preciosa” means “precious” in Eglish so you can imagine how gorgeous it is. It’s an absolutely virgin and pristine corner that will be a perfect setting for your photos. If you’re lucky, you can also get access to a newly opened zipline.

We say lucky because it’s normally open for the members of the special VIP Beach Club.

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For more information: Visit www.dreamcityresort.com

Email us at info@dreamcityresort.com Or call one of our representatives at +1 809-571-4096.