Playa Grande Beach is a Caribbean Postcard

A fun day trip from the Sosua/Cabarete area is a picturesque 1 hour drive east to an incredible beach called Playa Grande. Literally translated to “big beach” this 1.5 km long tropical playground features soft powdery sand fringed by coconut palms and blue, blue ocean. This beach is knows for its waves and kids love going there to boogie board and body surf. Playa Grande is a mecca for surfers who like to a catch a session of big waves. The country’s highest ranked surfers are from the nearby towns and own and operate the Playa Grande Surf Shack that offers daily lessons for all experience levels. Snorkeling on Playa Grande beach offers you the opportunity to search out sunken ships and cannons. The backdrop to the beach are high cliffs which were formed from corals. The area is also an expansive nature preserve.

Playa Grande is part of an area called Cabrera which boasts seven local beaches, but without a doubt, Playa Grande is the best known and certainly the biggest! It was voted as one of the world’s ten best beaches by Conde Nast Travel Magazine.

We’ve been travelling to Playa Grande for years. It’s had a bit of a “dress up” with new bathrooms, parking, and better looking beach restaurants in the past few years, but we love that it still has that rustic, local Dominican feel. We’ve had the same guy, at the same restaurant, provide a white plastic table and chairs on the beach and serve up fish, lobster, chicken, salad, rice, and plantains for ten years. He also brings us beach loungers and whatever tropical drink you like the best. Like any DR beach, you have the choice of full service or you can bring a cooler and have your own picnic.

Seriously?

Back before the spruced up parking, you could literally drive from the dirt parking lot right onto the sand. One of our favourite memories (not) is when Mel decided to fulfill some sort of life long dream and do just that. Unfortunately, he sunk up to the wheel wheels and became completely stuck. Luckily all the restaurant guys, and I think a few beach vendors, kindly dug us out and helped get the trapped vehicle back on solid ground. Ever since we’ve been favourites at Playa Grande!

Last week we took some friends and new buyers to the big beach and had a perfect day of sunshine, ocean breezes, great food and company. There is nothing like a day of relaxation, soaking up some vitamin D, and being amazed at the wonders of nature.

Recently Playa Grande has had some new development. Aman Resorts has purchased and renovated the adjacent Robert Trent Jones golf course and has constructed a 30-suite hotel. Over the next few years they will construct over 400 villas on mountainside and beachside land.