Playa Grande: Fantastic snorkeling, empty beach, but a bit dangerous swimming.

This is another one of The Dominican Republics incredible idyllic beaches with that emerald water and perfect sandy beaches that literally everyone loves.

There aren't a lot of places to stay nearby so mostly this less touristy beach ends up having some buses of day trippers coming in for a lunch that I presume was included in a tour package. There's not shame in doing that and it is certainly the easiest way to arrive here.

If you rented a car or motorbike, there is plenty of parking in their very nicely maintained and secure car park. You do need to tip the guy a tiny bit of money to mind the vehicles but this was relatively insignificant like 20 pesos for cars

The reason why I say that the snorkeling is a bit dangerous is because there are some relatively strong currents here that could be a bit daunting for weaker swimmers. Therefore, use a life jacket if you aren't really confident in your swimming capabilities.

out there near the breaks is where I found the most impressive stuff and well, that is where you are most likely to get pushed around a bit by the waves. I didn't notice any lifeguards so again, exercise caution and turn back if you are uncomfortable. If you can handle the swim the visibility here was pretty spectacular and my apologies for not having any underwater pictures.

There is much more to this beach that simply snorkeling, a bit further down from the carpark is where the main sandy beach is, and this is where swimmers and sunbathers tend to gather. At the west end of the beach on a ridge there are a bunch of restaurants serving cheap(ish) food and drinks, and the tables stay in the shade all day long. It is a fantastic place to get away from the crowded beaches of nearby Cabarete. It is around 60km away, but the feeling of having the place to yourself made the trip worth it in my opinion.

Snorkeling gear, fins, as well as rafts and various "floaty bits" are available for rent and there is a relative "no pressure" vibe going on here, which is kind of rare for the Dominican Republic. You could easily spend the entire day here, but for most people, a couple of hours would probably suffice.

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