Despite the name, there is nothing to scare children; on the contrary, because forty kilometers of beach are presented as a paradise for children who especially enjoy the summer among sand castles and baths in the sea. Of course, this paradisiacal concept can be extended to all ages, whether they are lovers of taking a nap in the sun, practicing windsurfing, playing golf, sailing or diving, among many other possibilities. We are talking about the Costa del Coco, the southeastern tip of the Dominican Republic.
The setting is typically Caribbean, despite already overlooking the Atlantic Ocean: very long stretches of white sand and crystal clear turquoise waters separated from the interior by a line of coconut palms that, in addition to giving the place its name, give it its own image, almost exclusive, forming a setting so perfect and exemplary that it would even raise suspicions of imposture… were it not for the testimony of the millions of visitors who have been enjoying it for years.
And it is that, since the Costa del Coco became a reference vacation destination in the eighties, which was when resorts, hotel complexes and theme parks began to sprout, boosting the economy of the region, there are many who choose it for a few days of summer vacation. To those who do not ring a bell, surely it is because their specific corners are more renowned; if we say Punta Cana or Playa Bávaro, they will be more familiar.
Punta Cana, a town in the province of Altagracia, was born almost by chance for tourist catalogs. It was in 1969, when American investors acquired thousands of square kilometers in the wild for the lumber and sand industry, but the cabins built for the workers and the landing strip discovered a much juicier alternative. In the following decade the first hotels were built and in 1984 the new airport became the gateway for several million people a year.
One of the reference establishments that we could put as an example is the Lopesan Costa Bávaro Resort, Spa. It is a resort with three different areas, with more than one hundred thousand square meters, equipped with seven swimming pools (one of them almost three thousand square meters), ten restaurants, sixteen bars, a water park, spa and casino. As in the others, one can take a dip in the waves without having to leave the premises because it is on the beachfront. Which one? One of Germanic resonance: Playa Bávaro.
Playa Bávaro is considered one of the best in the Dominican Republic, a country that already has several among the best in the world and, in fact, only on the Costa del Coco can you count dozens of similar ones, equally idyllic: Punta Cana, Cabeza de Toro, Lavacama, Macao, Limón, Arena Gorda… It would be difficult to choose one over the others, although UNESCO has done it for us and has already included Playa Bávaro among the first three places on the global podium.
Likewise, it is among the most affordable if we have to adjust the budget and perhaps because of this or because a good part of its hotel offer is from Spanish capital, there are many who decide to cross the pond from Spain. And they are the most varied, from families to couples, through study trips or individual travellers. After all, satisfaction is guaranteed because there is something for everyone.
Some will take the opportunity to snorkel and contemplate the fantastic coral reef thanks to the transparency and tranquility of the waters; others will enjoy these on the surface, resorting to renting a catamaran, boat or kayak; there will be those who immerse themselves in another way, in the music and dance of its nightly parties, or those who prefer to explore the coast in a buggy, or fly over the coconut palms in a helicopter, or visit a nearby town, or relax in a spa session, or try to improve the handicap, or go with the children to the nearby Manatí Park…
Another possible plan is to embark right there to Saona Island, a piece of land of one hundred and ten square kilometers located a little further south, in the province of La Romana, where the Cotubanamá National Park is located, where it is possible to see the spawning of the sea turtles and other representatives of the local fauna, such as iguanas, manatees, dolphins, corals… There is also a natural pool, a couple of picturesque fishing villages and Taino archaeological sites.
In short, Costa del Coco – or whatever you prefer to call it – is on the other side of the Atlantic, providing splendid access to the Caribbean, with open arms. Who can resist that seduction?
