Beach
Boca Chica, Dominican Republic is located on the south coast of the island of La Española, shared by Dominican Republic and Haiti. Boca Chica is one of the most beautiful beaches of the Dominican Republic. The sand is much whiter and smoother, its waters are calmer, clearer and deeper than the beaches of the north coast (Puerto Plata, Sosua, Cabarete, Playa Dorada).
Boca Chica Beach is truly unique. Its waters extend in a bay width of 1.5 km. At about 400 meters, a crescent-shaped reef extends through a giant beach and flush with the surface of the water, completely covering the bay and forming a large natural pool of seawater, with a depth average of about ten meters. The reef is actually a natural dam in the Caribbean Sea, so the waters of the bay are often as calm as those of a lake. Inside the reef, the water is crystal clear because it is constantly filtered and fed by a series of natural underground rivers. Swimming in the sea offers a variety of fabulous landscapes coming from the deep blue Caribbean Sea that extends beyond the reef and make a striking contrast with the shallow bay where, according to the position of the sun, the colors change from deep blue to turquoise.
At sea, water’s height will reach your ankles and even if you go a little deeper it does not exceed 1.30 m . The seabed is composed of soft white sand. If you approach the center, you will find a few meters where the depth is 1.80 m, but in a few more steps you will be back with the water up to the ankles just while approaching the natural reef.
The waters of Boca Chica, naturally calm, clear and shallow are ideal for swimming and water games. This is the ideal environment to enjoy canoeing, kayaking, waterskiing or “banana boat”. There is a space reserved for jet skis at the end of the beach, away from the hotels and bathers, to provide additional security for children. The color of the sand changes from gold to white according to the sun position. The beach is flat with a width between 40 and 100 meters which is great for hiking. There are enough wide places so you can easily find a spot to enjoy the frisbee no matter what time or day it is.
On Sunday, many Dominican families come from Santo Domingo to enjoy the beach so it is crowded, but on Monday morning it recovers the peace once the tracks left by the crowd on Sunday are cleaned. Other days of the week, the beach remains quiet until the following Sunday, which brings back many visitors.
Outside and inside the reef there are two smaller islands. Near their center there is a mangrove called La Matica (“The Small bush”). There is not much land on it, but thousands of herons, locally called <garzas>, hade made of it a home. Many visitors enjoy walking in the water edges of the mangrove and beyond because the water is shallow and covers a soft and comfortable sand. Water finds a narrow passage in the middle of the mangrove where you can venture on boat, just to see where it leads.
Los Pinos
At the eastern end of the bay, you will discover the island of Pinos, or “The Pines”. This is bigger than the previous islands and has much more land although its coasts are somewhat polluted because visitors leave their trash and few people are able to go beyond 20 meters. This is due in part to the fact that Hurricane George tore many trees and shrubs, making navigation difficult, and also because most people walk barefoot and in bathing suits. If you visit this island, be sure to wear good shoes and mosquito repellent.
Playa Andrés
At the opposite side of the island’s beach there is a former sugar mill, still in operation. This is the main employer in the city of Andres, often called “Andres Boca Chica”. Nearby, there is also a marina where many yachts are anchored. Dominican Customs are also located here to give attention to the large shipments arriving at the port of Andres. A beach called Playa Andres extends between the marina and the beach of Boca Chica, it receives few visitors but does it with palms, wooden chairs and umbrellas.