Exploring the Beaches of Puerto Plata

 The BlueBay Beach

From my research online, Punta Cana has the white sand beaches while Puerto Plata has a larger variety of water activities.  We chose the latter for its activities.  I was initially disappointed by the brown sand, but given that the rest of the facilities were superb, I can't really complain.

Playing by the BlueBay beach.

On BlueBay's website shows a scene of the beach with a romantic four poster bed, and in fact, there are two of such beds right on the beach!  What they don't show is that the beds are far from the water, and the two rows of tiki umbrellas actually block your view of the ocean.  Personally, I preferred the privacy under the tiki umbrella and enjoying the unobstructed views of the water.

View of beach in the morning.

As a side note, the number of tiki umbrellas with good views of the beach beach are strictly limited, so you either have to go early in the day or late in the afternoon to get one as they fill very fast. Otherwise, you can test your luck during the day as BlueBay attendants will vacate beach chairs under an umbrella if they are left unattended for too long.

The Beaches on the Other Side

A view of BlueBay and some surrounding resorts.

As you can see from the satellite map, BlueBay is located at point A, and is actually found in a small bay area.  Given as such, there was more seaweed, the water murkier, and the waves tamer.  Looking for some excitement and adventure, I walked all the way to point C and the view was stupendous.  The water is clearer, the waves are bigger (which means body surfing can be done), and it feels so alive to see and enjoy the open endless ocean view.  You can see the difference between the two beaches in the above sectional picture of the beach.  The two on the top are BlueBay's, while the bottom two are from point C.

I actually pulled up a beach chair and laid on another resort's beach for a few hours enjoying the nicer beach (refer to the first photo of this post).  Don't get me wrong, BlueBay was awesome, but if you've had your fill of drinks and just want a little more?  The extra 10-20 minute walk was totally worth it.

A view of the beach from the other side.

Another time, I actually walked past point C, and continued the end of the resorts strip.  It was quite a view to see the mountain (where the botanical gardens are located), as well as a glimpse of the city.
  
The Beach Merchants

Along the beach are uniformed merchants selling hats, wooden sculptures, and all sorts of handicrafts, as well as hair braiding and manicure pedicure services.  There were even people selling excursions at discounted prices compared to the ones available at the front lobby.  Personally, I wasn't sure if they could be trusted, but the same people are on the beach everyday, and it seems that people do buy from them.  As I was leaving, I told them next time, which they laughed and shook my hand.  Overall, they are all very friendly, and the items you can find are much better than those found in the gift shop in town!  Remember to haggle, bring cash, and happy shopping! :)