You guys tired of hearing about beaching in the D.R. yet? Well too bad because that is what I am here to do.
So my tour of the north coast of the Dominican Republic took me to a beach that I had actually been to before. However, it was 10 years since I last saw the place. Playa Grande (which means big beach for those that don't hablo espanol - and i don't) has undergone a lot of changes since I was last here because a golf resort went and bought up all the land. However, a condition of their purchase was that they create and build a public beach access and i'll be damned, they did a really good job.
it aint exactly the Mediterranean, but it is pretty nice
This beach is kind of for a special type of person though, because the sea is pretty rough. This is definitely not for kids unless you want to be super stressed out as a parent. I am a dive instructor and do 2km swims in triathlons, I think the current is a bit dangerous here.
However, if you are comfortable with some snorkeling gear, you can have some pretty sweet views right off the shore, which is rare for snorkeling. I found some pretty cool shells and basically was entertained face down for quite some time in the sea here. One you are finished swimming, there are a number of decent restaurants (no need to call Gordon Ramsey) right on the coast as well as some cheap beers and cocktails.
service is a bit slow, but well, it is really cheap
This might seem silly to mention to some people, but the parking was nice, free, and attended by security guards (you really should tip them 10 pesos or something) and the bathrooms were clean and also had showers for swimmers (this is not normal for the D.R. and i suspect it has something to do with the resort building this for public access.)
People that were here 10 years ago might bitch and moan about the fact that this used to be a quaint beach that only a few people knew about and now it has become a tourist destination.... well folks, that is the way the world is. If there is something beautiful, people are going to find out about it. Personally, i think that Playa Grade was handled well and it still one of the best beaches on the North Coast.