Bávaro Beach is the reason most people come to Punta Cana, and it is the place you will spend the most time. The official tourism board describes it as part of one of the longest runs of continuous white sand in the Caribbean, and it is the most developed section of the coast, lined with resorts, restaurants and gift shops. Coral reefs offshore keep the water calm and clear, so swimming is easy on most days, and the sand is soft and pale. The beach is made for walking: you can stroll for an hour along the waterline, passing resort after resort, fishing boats, vendors and beach bars. The liveliest stretches are El Cortecito and Los Corales, where small hotels, local restaurants and bars line the sand and give a taste of life outside the all-inclusives. Activities are everywhere, from parasailing and speedboat rides to catamaran sails that pick up right from the beach. Beaches in the Dominican Republic are public, so even if your hotel is elsewhere you can spend a day here, and several resort beachfronts carry the Blue Flag for clean water and good management.
How to visit: if you are staying in Bávaro you are already here. From elsewhere, take a taxi to El Cortecito or Los Corales, where public access is easiest and there are places to eat and rent a sunbed. Resorts reserve their sunbeds and facilities for guests, so non-guests should bring a towel or rent a chair from a beach bar.
What to expect: the water is generally calm, but conditions change with the wind, so watch for flags and swim near others. Vendors offering excursions, massages and souvenirs are part of the scene; a polite no thank you is enough. Sargassum seaweed can wash up in some months, and resorts usually rake it away early in the day.
Making the most of it: walk the beach at sunrise or late afternoon, when the light is soft and the sand is cool, eat fresh fish at a beach shack in Los Corales and use reef-safe sunscreen to protect the coral that keeps the water so calm.
What to expect
The experience
A long, free public beach of soft white sand and calm water, lined with resorts, beach bars and water sports.
Best time
Sunrise or late afternoon for walks, and the drier months from December to April for the calmest seas.
How long
As long as you like; a beach walk takes an hour or two, a beach day the whole afternoon.
Tips
Head to El Cortecito or Los Corales for easy access and food, bring a towel and use reef-safe sunscreen.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Everyone; it is the heart of a Punta Cana holiday.
- Families
- Calm, shallow water on most days makes it easy for children, with lifeguards at many resorts.
- Couples
- A long barefoot walk at sunset along the water is the classic Punta Cana moment.
- Pair with
- The catamaran cruise, which picks up from the beach area, or dinner in Los Corales.
- Time needed
- A few hours, or as many days as you have.
Good questions
Is Bávaro Beach public?+
Yes, beaches in the Dominican Republic are public, so anyone can walk and swim along Bávaro Beach. Resort sunbeds and facilities are for hotel guests only.
Is the water calm at Bávaro Beach?+
Coral reefs offshore keep the water calm and clear on most days. Conditions can change with the wind, so watch the flags.
Where is the best access to Bávaro Beach?+
El Cortecito and Los Corales are the easiest places to reach the sand without staying at a resort. Both have beach bars, restaurants and chair rentals.
What can you do at Bávaro Beach?+
Parasailing, speedboat rides, catamaran trips and snorkeling are all on offer, along with long walks. Many excursions pick up right from the beach.
Does Bávaro Beach have seaweed?+
Sargassum seaweed can wash ashore in some months, especially in the warmer season. Resorts usually clear it from their stretch of beach early each day.