“The beaches in the Dominican Republic are unspoiled Caribbean jewels that sparkle in the island sun. The country boasts almost 800 miles of coastline, featuring some of the most stunning sands in the Caribbean.” — Copious Coasts

Most people go to the Dominican Republic for the sand, surf and sun. Beaches are powdery and soft, the water is warm although a bit rough for those who are not good swimmers (which could have been because we were there in November at the tail end of the hurricane season). Regardless, there’s lots to do on and under the ocean: surfing, snorkeling, boating, fishing, scuba, water skiing, kite boarding, and parasailing.

And, there’s all the stuff you can do on the beach too: lounging, horseback riding, shell collecting, yoga, karate, dance lessons, and beach volleyball. We were relegated to beach activities and somewhere in the process La Niña became utterly fascinated with the Dominican’s national dance form, merengue.

There’s a fair bit of history, culture, eco-tourism, and adventure on the island, but you won’t find it at the beach except for the odd glimpse or two, mostly in unexpected places. I generally found these during quiet times, when the beach was empty and people were off eating, drinking, and dancing.