Playa Boca Chica

Punta Cana & the Southeast


The thing about the beach at Boca Chica is that it’s in Boca Chica. This means that despite the powdery white sand and tranquil waters, it’s unlikely to be a relaxing experience. Flanked by Av Caracol and Av 24 de Junio, Playa Boca Chica is lined with coconut palms and food stands, restaurants and bars. During the day, the beach is filled with locals and foreigners, and vendors selling everything from fruit to cigars to large canvases of Haitian paintings.

The view is unfortunately of loading cranes and a sugar refinery in the distance.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Punta Cana & the Southeast attractions

1. Parque Nacional Submarino La Caleta

4.69 MILES

This underwater park is the resting place of several shipwrecks, incuding the Hickory, a salvage ship that was scuttled in 1984, the year the park was…

2. Los Tres Ojos

15.22 MILES

Consisting of three humid caverns with dark blue lagoons connected by stalactite-filled passages, this site is lovely if you show up early to beat the…

3. Faro a Colón

16.8 MILES

Resembling a cross between a Soviet-era apartment block and a Las Vegas–style ancient Mayan ruin, this massive monument is worth visiting for its…

4. Fortaleza Ozama

17.69 MILES

This is the New World's oldest colonial military edifice. The site, at the meeting of the Río Ozama and Caribbean, was selected by Fray Nicolás de Ovando…

5. Las Damas

17.71 MILES

Running north–south in front of Fortaleza Ozama is the first paved street in the Americas. Laid in 1502, the street acquired its name from the wife of…

6. Hostal Nicolás de Ovando

17.71 MILES

A handsome building with a Gothic facade built in 1509, this was originally the residence of Governor Nicolás de Ovando, who is famous for ordering Santo…

7. Puerta de San Diego

17.72 MILES

For a time, this imposing gate, built in 1571 downhill from the Alcázar de Colón, was the main entrance into the city. Beside it you can still see some of…

8. Casa de Francia

17.73 MILES

This was originally the residence of Hernán Cortés, conqueror of the Aztecs in present-day central Mexico. It was in this building that Cortés is believed…