Bavaro Beach

I strolled along the cool white sands of Bavaro Beach in Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic as the sun lit up the azure sky. Puffy clouds floated by and gentle breezes ruffled the fronds of the tall gorgeous palm trees that lined the beach. It was another beautiful day on Bavaro Beach. (I have read that Punta Cana is considered one of the - if not the- most beautiful beaches in the world). I must say that having been to many beaches, I agree that it is stunning. Punta Cana has seven Blue Flag Beaches.These beaches must meet stringent standards: clean water, safe swimming areas, and ensure that no waste will pollute the beach, and all is subject to inspection. The long beach (Punta Cana beach is 63 km. long) offers swimming, jogging, kayaking, volleyball, parasailing, fishing trips, snorkeling, parties on party boats, and shopping at the beach huts at the southeast end of the beach. Most of these activities are offered through the hotels ( generally all-inclusive) and they offer even more fun activities on the hotel grounds such as several pools, swim-up bars, restaurants on the beach, palapas to sit under and relax, spas, aerobics on the beach or in the pool, beach massage,and wine-tastings. In the evenings most hotels have several restaurants, cocktail parties, shopping, a casino, and shows. Bavaro Beach is a tropical paradise and I highly recommend it. Non-stop flights from New York, Philadelphia & Miami. Good site: www.colonialtours.com

As I walked along Bavaro Beach in Punta Cana I saw so many fun beach activities going on. The volleyball game was intense yet everyone was having a great time. It was a beautiful sunny day, the white sand was cool even in the heat of the day so it was easy to get in a good game. The game went on for a long time and when it was over, everyone jumped into the warm tropical waters for a long swim. Volleyball games were a big thing with the younger teens, too. Everyone wanted to get in on the fun. The weather made everyone happy and energetic. It seems that Punta Cana has this gorgeous 77 degree weather at this time of the year. It was glorious. Lots of sun, cool breezes, no rain. Couldn’t have asked for more.

When I walked onto the beach in front of the Paradisus Resort, I turned right. I strolled the beach along the water. In about 20 minutes, I came to a beach market. I haggled with the vendors who were pretty high pressure salesmen. I stuck to my guns and insisted on about 50% of their original offers. I knew I did well when I compared my purchase prices in town. My new friend, Franzy, a vendor and rap entertainer, became very polite after some conversation about the stores and Punta Cana. He was very helpful with information about handicrafts and Dominican products offered in his store. The most prominent products offered were the Dominican Republic’s renowned rums, coffee (said to be superior to Jamaican), cigars (said to rival Cuban) , and cacao. The famous Domincan Republic herbal drink Mamajuana liquor was offered in every store. Mamajuana is a combination of dark rum, red wine, honey, and spices soaked in bottles with tree bark. It is a deep red in color. It was the native Taino indian herbal tea ( over 800 years ago) said to possess medicinal value. The Tainos used it to maintain vitality. It is also considered an aphrodisiac. It helps with digestion, circulation, and is a liver tonic... a very popular drink. Each family has its own recipe of herbs. There were also handicrafts and souvenirs (hats, scarfs, magnets, etc.). Walking back to the hotel I stared at the beauty of Bavaro Beach. I was happy and enjoyed my shopping jaunt. Wow! Pretty close to heaven!