Boca Chica

City Beach for All

Located about 20 miles from the bustling and boisterous capital city of Santo Domingo, Boca Chica is the area’s unofficial urban beach, and a favorite of locals and tourists alike.

What was once a quiet, unassuming escape for wealthy Dominicans and visitors has become a fun, vibrant beach town, packed with tall palm trees, excellent restaurants, vendors, shacks selling fresh seafood, and visitors who like their music at high volume.

Though European retirees love to gather here to lie out under the hot sun, the beach is also frequented by Dominican families, resulting in diverse mix of people and lifestyles that keeps the beach ever-fascinating.

Major Draws

Boca Chica’s calm, shallow waters form a lagoon that’s perfect for swimming and wading, and two offshore islands, La Matica and Los Pinos, stand off in the distance. Head in their direction and you’ll discover that the water stays clear and shallow the entire way.

With no waves to knock them over, kids love playing in the water, and parents can rent beach chairs and umbrellas and sip a drink just a few feet away onshore.

Though vendors can sometimes get annoying with their aggressive approach, if you do end up needing or wanting something, having them at your beck and call can be a convenience.

Once the sun sets, most people pack up and head to their hotels to freshen up for a night of fun. Duarte Avenue runs just behind the beach, and is home to dozens of fantastic restaurants, bars and clubs.

In the evening, businesses on the strip set up chairs and tables in the middle of the street, blocking off traffic and transforming the area into a charming walkable village. Italian cuisine and seafood are favorites here, and people are known to venture from the city simply to get a plate of fried fish with a side of tostones.

Getting Here

If you’re coming from the airport, a short 10-minute cab ride east will get you to Boca Chica. From the city, the trek can take up to 45 minutes by cab and can be somewhat pricey.

If you’re pinching pennies, consider taking a public bus, or “guagua” out to the beach. Though the price is great on one of these vehicles (around $1), they can be cramped, hot and usually lack seatbelts and other basic amenities. Think of it as an adventure.