Bavaro and its beaches

All you need to know about a vacation in Punta Cana, Dominican republic

I think this is a pretty good picture for the beginning of this blog post. If you head to Bavaro, you will find white sand beaches that are not swarmed with tourists. Which is my definition of a perfect beach vacation.

First of all, let me start by saying that the area I am talking about, is actually called Bavaro, but every single tourist (and most of the tourist brochures, for that matter), refers to it as Punta Cana. The two names actually define two different geographic areas, which are situated very close to each other, but are by no means the same thing. Geography lesson concluded, now let’s get to some more fun stuff.

A few years ago, I decided that winter in Europe is just too cold for me, and I wanted to spend a few weeks in a warmer place. I have been to the Caribbean a few times before, and I decided to visit a new island this time. And since I had three weeks of vacation, I did not want to spend them on a tiny island that I am able to see in a few days.

The three bigger islands that I decided to choose from, were Cuba, Dominican republic and Jamaica. I ruled Cuba out because the plane tickets there were too expensive during that time, so I had to decide between Jamaica and Dominican republic. There were some riots in the Jamaican capital, Kingston, at the time, so Dominican republic seemed like a very obvious choice. And this is where I went.

Dominican republic is situated on a fairly big Caribbean island, called Hispaniola, and it shares the other part of the island with Haiti. Shortly after booking the tickets there, one of my friends sent me a link to an article about twenty most dangerous cities in the world, and Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican republic was on that list! I have to say that I was quite alarmed, and upon reading different forum threads about the country, I noticed two types of opinions from travellers.

The ones who had a bad experience, or the country simply did not meet their expectations (they probably did not keep in mind that Dominican republic is a third world country), strongly advised not to travel there. And then there were travellers, telling others that Dominican republic is mostly safe, with beautiful beaches and friendly people.

I had no intentions on canceling my plane tickets, but I was still a little more nervous as usual before boarding the plane. But guess what, I was perfectly fine, and I never felt unsafe there. When I was planning my trip, I had to decide which parts of the island will I travel to, since the country is too big to see everything in three weeks.

Most tourists suggested to go to Punta Cana and stay in a resort, while real travellers said to avoid the area at all costs because it is too touristy and there is a constant resort feeling.

I am definitely not a person who would stay at a resort. I simply do not see a point in paying great amounts of money for laying next to the resort pool all day and possibly not even go into the water, when you have an amazing beach just a few steps away.

It is true that there is a lot of (expensive) resorts in the Bavaro area, but you can find some affordable accommodation there too, and still enjoy the area without being stuck in a resort. So I decided to write this entry to tell you everything you need to know about the area so you can have the best possible experience… Just like I did.

Where is Punta Cana.. err... Bavaro situated and how to get there?

When you look at a map of Dominican republic, Punta Cana is the area that usually stands out: it is situated at the eastern part of the country and bold letters indicate that this is one of the bigger cities, well, areas, in the country. And it is fairly easy to get there..., if you do not mind long bus rides.

Buses in Dominican republic are air conditioned, they have free Wi - Fi on board and the driver will ask you where you need to get off at the beginning of the bus ride, so he will call your stop when you get there. Their buses also have TV and they will play comedies all the time. In Spanish, of course, but hey, you can practice the language this way.

The bus line that will take you from the capital, Santo Domingo, to Punta Cana, is caled Expresso Bavaro, and the ride is less than four hours long. Even though this is considered an ‘express’ bus, you will have to change buses in a city approximately one hour away from Santo Domingo, called La Romana. Since you already paid at the beginning, just show the ticket to the bus driver and they will let you on the bus. So do not throw that ticket away until you reach Punta Cana!

You can board Expresso Bavaro bus at the main terminal in Santo Domingo. That bus terminal is usually crowded, so be aware of pickpockets and keep an eye on your belongings at all times. There are several departures throughout the day, and you usually do not have to book a ticket in advance. You can wait for the next one if there are no more available seats, but I would not take the very last bus. A one way ticket from Santo Domingo to Punta Cana will cost you less than fifteen dollars, which is a bargain.

If you do not feel like taking a bus and having to change to a different bus in La Romana, you can also hire a private shuttle, which will take you directly to Punta Cana, but that luxury will cost you several hundred dollars. If you are travelling in a small group, you can split the fare to make it cheaper, but it will still be much more expensive than the bus, and you will only save a couple of hours by taking a private shuttle.

Before travelling to Dominican republic, I was considering renting a car and exploring the island on my own, because, you know, having your own car is the most convenient. But several people advised against it, and I am glad I listened to them. The roads in Dominican republic are not in the best condition (but still fairly good, considering that this is a third world country), and Dominican people usually are not the most cautious drivers. Yes, we had a few close calls with the bus, so I am glad I did not rent a car there. Plus, Dominican buses are better that first class buses in my country.

Where to stay?

Do. Not. Stay. In. A. Resort. Period. Not only you will miss on an authentic Dominican experience, you will also pay large amounts of money for..., what exactly? Having room service and the pool? No, thanks.

If you are going to Dominican republic outside the main season, there is no need to reserve all your accommodation in advance. In fact, you can only reserve it for the first few nights if you wish, but you have to have a proof to show at customs, so do not go there without booking at least a night.

But then, you can simply ask the locals if they know of any cheap rooms, or search the portals, such as booking.com, hostelworld.com and airbnb.com. Bavaro has a few hostels, but I chose to stay in an airbnb, and I am glad I did. My host was amazing, she even showed me around and cooked some traditional Dominican food for me!

For those of you who do not know what an Airbnb is: it is basically a platform where locals share their homes, rooms, or even tents, for the fraction of the price of a hotel. While many people dislike the concept, because it is killing the tourism (you do not have to pay tourist taxes or anything), I am still a big fan of staying with locals that way, and helping them with their bills. Because most people rent on airbnb to make ends meet, not because they want to make some big profit out of it.

I was pretty lucky with my friendly host, and the location was another great perk. There is a big area between different resorts with residential homes, and this is where my apartment was situated. It even had the pool! And the beach was only a few hundred feet away. The area was full of cool restaurants, there was a grocery store just a block away, and, my favourite thing, the smoothie stand, where you can pick your own ingredients for the smoothie.

How to get around?

People might tell you that you need a car to get around Punta Cana, but I found out that this is not necessarily true. Most places you need to go to, are a walking distance away (although some of those walks can be pretty long), and there are also the infamous moto-taxis, or, as Dominican people call them: motoconchos. This is basically just a motorcycle, and they can be unsafe if you do not tell the driver at the beginning of the ride to drive slowly. They are much cheaper than regular taxis, and they will get you anywhere you need to go.

Best beaches in the area

Contrary to what most people believe, the Punta Cana area does not have the best beaches on the island. You will find those in more remote areas, such as Bayahibe and Dominicus. I mean, beaches in Punta Cana are pretty, but they are not that typical turquoise colour, and the snorkeling in the area is basically non existent because constant waves there mean murky waters and poor visibility.

This photo was taken using a 'vivid' filter on my camera. In reality, the water is much darker.

There is also a lot of seaweed on beaches in Bavaro, and when the waves wash it on the shore and it sits on the hot sun for a few hours..., well, try to imagine that smell! The workers are constantly removing the big seaweed piles, but sometimes there is just too much of it for them to be able to remove it on time.

Sometimes, you will not be able to avoid walking on smelly seaweed. But I guess this is all a part of the experience.

The ocean in this area is warmer than in other parts of the island, and the waves make it perfect for body boarding, but swimming can be a challenge if you are not a strong swimmer. Also, if you are looking for these signature palm trees, you will have to look really hard in this area. I mean, there are a few, but the ones that you usually see on postcards, are found on different areas of this amazing Caribbean island. But still, I would say that beaches in Bavaro are decent, if for nothing else, for a loooong walk on the sand.

Most of the beaches in the area are easily accessible, and if you do not feel like walking under a hot Caribbean sun, you can always take a motoconcho. The most popular beach in the whole Punta Cana area is definitely Playa Bavaro (Bavaro beach), which is also known as the one with the most seaweed.

Playa Arena Gorda was my favourite beach in the area, simply because there was plenty of palm trees that offer some shade, there was not too much seaweed, and the waves were minimal, so I was actually able to swim pretty far offshore. Playa Cabeza del Toro is another nice beach, although it does not offer as much shade as Playa Arena Gorda. Both of them are not crowded at all, so if you want some quiet time, stay away from Playa Bavaro and head to one of these two beaches instead.

Palm trees at Playa Cabeza del Toro. They look... small!

You will notice that some of the beaches have beach umbrellas and chairs for rent, and you can rent them even if you are not a resort guest, but to be honest, I prefer to put my towel down in the sand and not on a beach chair.

You will not get much shade under this palm tree - you will be better off by renting or bringing your own beach umbrella.

Activities and side trips

Since this is mainly a resort area, you will find tons of activities nearby, if you would like to take a break from the beach. Several local tour operators offer day and half day trips to nearby areas, including some pretty cool waterfalls and a swimming hole.

One of the very popular activities in the area, which always sparks controversy among animal rights activists, is swimming with dolphins and snorkelling with nurse sharks and manta rays. I actually did a research in one of the dolphin swimming facilities for my graduation thesis, and their animals appeared well taken care of, but that still does not excuse keeping them in captivity so close to their real home, the ocean.

Food and drinks

Food and drinks are pretty cheap all around Dominican republic, and the Bavaro area is no exception, even though there is a lot of high end hotels around there. When you are strolling along the beach, there will be at least one beachside bar at each one, and you can order from there even if you are not a resort guest. The drinks at every bar I tried, were very big, and had a lot of alcohol in it, so you definitely are getting your money’s worth there.

My favourite restaurant in the area is the bright yellow coloured shack, called Posada de Gladys. Their menu is extensive, a meal will cost you around five dollars, and they have the best chicken mofongo I have ever tried. Chicken mofongo is one of the traditional dishes in the Dominican Republic. Just give it a try and thank me later. And try it at Posada de Gladys if you have a chance.

The Bavaro area is full of small, locally owned restaurants, so wherever in the area you are, you will be able to find a cool place to eat near you. The restaurants usually display menu with prices outside, so you can check it before sitting down to determine whether you really want to eat there or not.

Beach vendors and safety

The Punta Cana area is filled with souvenir shops. My favourite place to shop for souvenirs there, was the Palma Real shopping village, which is situated a walking distance from the centre of Bavaro. The souvenirs there are fairly cheap, and you will not have to deal with pushy and annoying beach vendors.

They are everywhere - on every beach, and as soon as they sense that you looked in their direction (even if you did not actually look at them), they will approach you. Remember my blog post about vendors in Bayahibe? Well, I never thought I will say that, but the beach vendors in Punta Cana are even more pushy than the ones in Bayahibe.

One particularly bad experience that I had, was on my first day in Bavaro. Once I got settled in my apartment, I decided to take a stroll on the beach and stretch my legs from a long bus ride. So I get to the beach, and start walking. I just wanted to walk from one resort to the other, which is about one kilometer long walk. Soon after I started to walk, I noticed a group of beach vendors, sitting in the sand, and as I walked past, one of them got up and started to follow me. And I saw another one do the same to two girls behind me.

At first, I thought that if I just keep walking, he will eventually lose interest and leave me alone, but it was unfortunately not that easy. Then the guy started to whistle and call me names, so I looked back and politely asked him (in Spanish andin English) to please leave me alone.

He started telling me how pretty I am (in a pretty good English) and that I would be even prettier with one of the bracelets that he makes. I told him I do not want to buy anything and kept walking. He followed me.

I once again turned back and asked what he wants, and he said he just wants to show me his store. I asked him whether he will leave me alone if I take a look at the shop, and he said yes, so I followed him to the shop.

As soon as we get through the door, he said that his friend will take care of me, and he left. The guy behind the counter started offering me some expensive souvenirs, and when I turned and started to leave, he grabbed my hand, so I very rudely said that I will report him to the police, which luckily stopped him and he apologized.

I am actually surprised that my tactic worked, because the Dominican police is, from what I heard, very corrupt, but I am happy it did. Once I got out, I lost interest in walking, so I decided to head back home. Luckily, the annoying beach vendor was not there anymore. In this case I have to agree with many people: safety is in groups! I am a big fan of travelling alone, but this experience is less likely to happen if you are not on your own - you will be much less vulnerable that way.

A few words for the end...

Bavaro is definitely one of the most interesting areas in the Dominican republic. Since this is a resort area, there is an array of different activities you can choose from, and the area is full of interesting locations for a half day side trips. Or, you can simply lay down in the warm sand (just make sure you use plenty of sunscreen) and sip a cocktail or fresh coconut water, and watch time go by.