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The 7 best beaches in Punta Cana that you should not miss!

Calm waters, or with many waves? Full of resorts, or more wild? Which are the best beaches in Punta Cana? With more than 40 km of coastline, Punta Cana offers beaches for all tastes and in this article, we are going to have a look at those that for me are the most beautiful and shouldn’t be missed on your trip to the Dominican Republic.

Many people consider that Punta Cana has the best beaches on the island, and it even always appears in the ranking of the best beaches in the Caribbean. Let’s see if that is so!.

Best beaches in Punta Cana Dominican Republic

Top 7 best beaches in Punta Cana you can’t miss!

Unlike what many believe, Punta Cana is not on the waters of the Caribbean Sea, but on the Atlantic Ocean, which is why the beaches tend to be with more waves or windy.

But there are exceptions, so let’s get to know the best beaches in Punta Cana!.

1. Bavaro Beach, the best beach in Punta Cana

Considered one of the best beaches in the world, this is the most famous in Punta Cana. There are plenty of reasons: white like flour sand, thousands of coconut trees, and crystal clear turquoise waters that dazzle.

Playa Bávaro Beach is my favorite beach in Punta Cana and the one that I strongly believe is a must, even if you stay in another area. The part that I like the most and that for me has the best beach, is in the surroundings of the Hotel Barceló Bavaro Palace (by the way, a spectacular hotel in which I stayed during my first trip), for two reasons: there are thousands of coconut trees and as it’s located in a kind of bay, in which the water is much calmer, with little waves. Really enjoyable!.

The typical postcard-like beach!.

Bavaro beach in Punta Cana

2. El Cortecito Beach

After Bavaro Beach, we find El Cortecito. If you are looking for a more local environment, then this is your best option.

It is the fishing area of the village, where there are handicraft markets, restaurants, bars, and cheaper accommodation. Besides, it is easier to access the public beach in Punta Cana from this area.

🚖 Do you need transfers in Punta Cana?

3. Cabeza de Toro Beach (Bull’s Head)

This beach is towards the south of Bávaro, where there is a nature reserve and a lagoon. What I love about this beach is the numerous coconut trees that reach the shore, and the fact that it’s much wilder than most typical beaches in Punta Cana.

The water is calm though usually there is quite a current, and in times of sargassum, it is more likely that you find algae (in that case, perhaps it is better to choose Bayahibe over Punta Cana). Anyway, sargassum cannot be predicted.

4. Juanillo Beach, Cap Cana: an incredible beach in Punta Cana

Juanillo Beach in the Cap Cana area is undoubtedly one of the best beaches in Punta Cana, where you will find the most luxurious accommodation options. It’s extensive and with quite calm waters, as incredible as Playa Bávaro Beach.

The area is truly exclusive. With restaurants, a casino, the Marina, and luxury hotels, such as the spectacular Cap Cana Sanctuary or the Hyatt. The beach is really beautiful and it’s worth visiting. You can either stay there or go for the day (there are regular excursions).

Towards the north of Juanillo Beach, passing the Cap Cana Marina is the Indigenous Eyes , an Ecological Reserve, which is very pleasant to visit, since it has natural wells in a spectacular environment.

🌴 Book your tour to Juanillo Beach.

5. Arena Gorda Beach

This wide beach tends to have more waves, which causes the water to be rougher and less transparent (because it removes the sand from the bottom). However, it depends on the time of year you travel, the wind, and so on.

Some of the best-known hotels in Punta Cana are located in Arena Gorda, such as Iberostar, Riu, or Bahía Príncipe, which makes it always very busy.

arena gorda beach punta cana

6. Macao Beach

I only got to know this beach on my second trip to the Dominican Republic, since it is on the outskirts of Punta Cana.

The beach is public, with a lot of waves and very windy, which is ideal for surfers (in fact there is a surf school). Some local restaurants set tables on the sand and the atmosphere is pretty relaxed.

What’s more, the environment is very little crowded compared to other beaches in Punta Cana, with only a few resorts, such as the Dreams Macao (and quite widely spaced, at least for the moment!).

If you like adventure, there are excursions around Macau beach by buggy.

7. Uvero Alto Beach

Towards the north of Macao, we find Uvero Alto, the furthest beach from the airport in Punta Cana and one of the quietest, in terms of the number of people and resorts. Although it’s a few kilometers from Macao, you won’t be able to walk along the beach from one to the other since the mouth of a river is located halfway there.

This is the case of The Sirenis resort in Uvero Alto, an ideal hotel for those traveling with children, as it has an amazing water park.

A beach near Punta Cana

Isla Saona (Saona island)

Isla Saona is not a beach in Punta Cana, but since it’s one of the best beaches in the Dominican Republic, and most of the tourists visit it from here, I decided to include it in this list as a nearby beach.

It is a wonderful island, just like paradise, and one of the outstanding Punta Cana excursions that you should not miss. And of course, don’t forget sunscreen and repellent!

🌴 Book Saona island day trip from Punta Cana.

Saona Dominican Republic
Saona Island

Summary of beaches in Punta Cana

[toggler title=”Beaches with calm waters” ]

  • Bávaro Beach
  • Juanillo Beach

[/toggler]

[toggler title=”Punta Cana beaches with great waves” ]

  • Arena Gorda Beach
  • Macao Beach
  • Uvero Alto Beach

[/toggler]

[toggler title=”Beaches with a more local atmosphere” ]

  • El Cortecito beach

[/toggler]

[toggler title=”Beaches that are more wild or natural” ]

  • Macao beach
  • Cabeza de Toro beach

[/toggler]

💯 Would you like a panoramic view of the Punta Cana beaches? How about this unforgettable helicopter ride?  You can choose 4 itineraries!.

Map – Best beaches in Punta Cana


And so far the ones that for me are the best beaches in Punta Cana. Would you add any other?. Or if you are about to travel, please tell us in the comments!.

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