This beach is protected by a long reef barrier that has shaped Boca Chica to be the crystal clear lagoon lined by soft white sands that it is. I remember how much I enjoyed my visits to this area as a kid because you could explore all day looking at the small fish swimming around you or catching some crustaceans to play with. I could walk straight into the beach and the water would still remain at chest level. It was like the biggest “pool” I’ve ever seen. Eventually we would reach the reefs’ outer limits just to turn around again and head towards the distant shore again. This is what makes this beach suitable for children too.
Boca Chica is open to the public all year round and it is the perfect place for tourists to pick up some of the most exotic souvenirs from around the entire island. You can basically find anything you want in this small area of the country; from produce to jewelry. This is truly a shopping beach. If you ever wanted to buy some genuine amber, you will run into many little shops that carry a lot of samples made into jewelry and many other art decorations. It is also common to see Larimar, silver and gold. The artwork is great and you will always find a piece that you will love to take back home. If you ever feel this is not enough, you can always visit the colonial zone in Santo Domingo where they carry more variety. Last time I took back seven great paintings with me and a couple of beautiful wood carvings.
Most of the shopping stores are located just one block up from the beach. It looks like a strip mall with a variety of gift shops, restaurants, bars, and some small hotels facing the beach. This is where nightlife kicks off every evening. There is music everywhere, dancing with the locals while others remain sipping on fresh and delicious cocktails.
There are many vendors offering all different kinds of services and products everywhere you go on this beach. Many of them will come by you showing you their open briefcases hoping that you would fall in love with their products; whether being artwork, food, rum, cigars among many other things. The prices of these products are normally very inflated to allow for bartering with the clients. There are many others services offered such as oil massages, hair braiding services, etc. just to name some of the most common ones.
Make sure to try some of the locals’ fried fish with fried plantains. I have not had a tastier fish ever since I left the island. Some vendors carry a local delicious white cheese (Queso de hoja) which serves as a delicious snack while you sun tan. You can get a wide variety of fruits, coconuts, rice and beans and many other traditional dishes. Make sure you don’t leave the beach without having a cold Presidente beer. This great tasting pilsner beer is brewed locally and it is considered the number one beer in the country.
Boca Chica has some of my favorite Dominican Republic all inclusive resorts not just for its quality but because is part of this spots radiating with entertainment. These resorts all offer some very nice paid excursions to keep you busy and entertained throughout your stay. Make sure you check their activity schedules as soon as you arrive. You could go deep see fishing, take a boat to another smaller island, scuba diving, parasailing, and many others. If you are feeling like exploring on your own on the beach, check out “La Matica” and “Los Pinos”. These are two islands located in Boca Chica and you can either take a boat there or practically walk but may take you a very long time to get there. The water is very calm so should not be too bad. Make sure you bring some mosquito repellent if you go to Los Pinos, mosquitoes do not see people often there and tend to be very hungry in that specific area.
Great place and people! Very good article, couldn't agree more.
ReplyDeleteI loved going to that beach since it was so close to the city. Great food, shopping, and people! Right on when describing that beach! Great post!
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