Playa Bonita, Las Terrenas
Playa Bonita is a wide, palm-backed beach about 10 minutes west of Las Terrenas on the Samaná peninsula. It is quieter than the town beaches, has a handful of small hotels and restaurants directly on the sand, and is known for the best sunsets on this coast. A taxi from Las Terrenas costs about USD $10–$15 each way.
Playa Bonita sits between Las Terrenas town and the long emptiness of Cosón, and it gets the best of both. It is wide and properly palm-backed, quiet enough on a weekday that you will share it with a dozen people, and close enough to town that you can be there in ten minutes without planning a trip around it.
A short line of small hotels and beach restaurants faces the sand at the eastern end — which means shade, cold drinks and somewhere to eat without leaving. The western end runs on to Punta Bonita and, at low tide, all the way to Cosón.
This guide covers getting there, the surf, where to eat, and the tours and transport you can book direct with local operators in Las Terrenas.
Surf lessons, tours and transport in Las Terrenas
Featured
How to get to Playa Bonita
Playa Bonita is about 5 km west of Las Terrenas — 10 minutes by road, paved the whole way.
By taxi — USD $10–$15 (RD$600–900) each way from Las Terrenas town; ask your hotel to call one.
By motoconcho — USD $3–$5 (RD$150–250) each way, the way most locals do it. Agree the fare before you get on.
By scooter or car — take the coast road west out of town towards Cosón; Playa Bonita is signposted on the right after the hill. Park along the road by the hotels. A scooter rents for about USD $20–$30 a day and is the easiest way to see Bonita and Cosón on the same afternoon.
On foot — 35 to 45 minutes from the western edge of Las Terrenas. At low tide you can follow the sand west along Playa Las Ballenas most of the way, which skips the hottest, most exposed stretch of the coast road; the rocky point just before Bonita is rounded by road.
Surf, swimming and sunsets
Surf. Playa Bonita has a punchier beach break than Cosón — better for improvers than absolute beginners. It works on the same November-to-April north swell, best in the morning before the onshore wind.
Swimming. Calm and shallow at the eastern end near the hotels. The middle of the beach picks up more shore break; there are no lifeguards, and rip currents form after a storm — stay close to shore if you are not a confident ocean swimmer.
Sunset. This is the reason to come in the late afternoon. The beach faces west-north-west and the sun drops behind the Cosón headland. Several of the beach restaurants keep tables on the sand for exactly this.
Kite and windsurf riders mostly use Punta Popy back in town, where the afternoon breeze is more reliable.
Eating, staying and what a day costs
Four or five small hotels and restaurants sit directly on the sand at the eastern end, several French- or Italian-run. A main course runs about USD $12–$25; a beach-chair-and-lunch afternoon is easy to do for USD $30 a head.
Playa Bonita is also a good place to stay rather than just visit: it is quieter than Las Terrenas, the hotels are small, and you are still ten minutes from the town’s restaurants and nightlife. You will want a scooter or a car if you base yourself here.
There is no ATM or supermarket on the beach — bring cash from town.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Playa Bonita?
Playa Bonita is on the north coast of the Samaná peninsula in the Dominican Republic, about 5 km west of Las Terrenas. It is roughly a 10-minute drive on a paved road, between the town beaches and Playa Cosón.
How do I get to Playa Bonita from Las Terrenas?
A taxi costs about USD $10–$15 each way, a motoconcho USD $3–$5. By scooter or car, take the coast road west towards Cosón and follow the sign on the right after the hill. Parking is on the road by the hotels.
Is Playa Bonita better than Playa Cosón?
They serve different purposes. Playa Bonita is closer to town, has hotels and restaurants directly on the sand, and is the better sunset spot. Playa Cosón is far longer and emptier, with the more forgiving beginner surf break. Many visitors do both — at low tide you can walk between them.
Can you surf at Playa Bonita?
Yes, though it suits improvers more than complete beginners: the beach break is punchier than Cosón’s. It works on the north swell from November to April and is cleanest in the morning, before the onshore breeze builds.
Are there hotels on Playa Bonita?
Yes — a short row of small hotels and guesthouses sits directly on the sand at the eastern end, several French- or Italian-run. It is a quieter alternative to staying in Las Terrenas town, though you will want a scooter or car to get around.
