These Beaches In The Dominican Republic Are Recognized As Some Of The Best In The World

Last Updated 6 months ago

The Dominican Republic is fast earning one of the greatest reputations in world tourism among beach destinations.

Turquoise-blue water and soft white sand are standard across the country, and while the beautiful beaches of this Caribbean nation are still in the early stages of becoming world known, a staggering number of them are already certified as up to the Blue Flag standard.

These Gorgeous Beaches In The Dominican Republic Are Internationally Recognized As Some Of The Best In The World

The World Standard For Beaches

For a beach to receive a blue flag certification it has to first meet the extremely strict standards of the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE).

The FEE is a global organization that is completely non-profit, its sole purpose is to determine if a beach meets the organization’s stringent thresholds on:

Water quality
Safety and services
Environmental management
Environmental education

Across the globe, a blue flag certification is a huge stamp of approval for any beach. And considering the Dominican Republics’ modest size, it has an impressive number of beaches already certified!

It should be noted, the nature of resorts in the Dominican Republic means many of these beaches are for guests only. So for anyone unsure of their resort shortlist, this information is a verified cheat sheet for beach lovers.

The Following are the beaches of the Dominican Republic that hold the coveted Blue Flag certification!

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A beach in the dominican republic with a small boat along the shore and clear water

Punta Cana

This purpose-built vacation hotspot has become the most important destination in all of the Caribbean islands.

Recently Punta Cana was named the third most popular foreign vacation destination for Americans. Only being beaten by the much larger Mexican destinations of Cancun and Los Cabos.

But with so many amazing beaches it’s not difficult to see the appeal. And with that, these are the blue flag beaches waiting for travelers in Punta Cana:

Where applicable resort names are shown with an asterisk (*).

Eden Roc Cap Cana*
Cabeza de Toro Beach – Catalonia Bavaro Beach, Golf & Casino Resort*
Cabeza de Toro – Be Live Collection Punta Cana*
Playa Bávaro – Barceló Bávaro Palace*
Playa Bávaro – Meliá*
Bávaro – Paradisus Palma Real*
Playa El Cortecito – Impressive*
Playa Arena Gorda – Iberostar Selection Bavaro Suites*
Playa Arena Gorda – Occidental Caribe*
Playa Macao – Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana*
Playa Uvero Alto Sirenis

La Romana & Bayahibe

A lesser know destination in the Dominican Republic than Punta Cana, La Romana/Bayahibe is skyrocketing in popularity.

This destination is super close to the Punta Cana International Airport, meaning getting here is a breeze, and the resorts available to travelers more than live up to the lofty standards set in Punta Cana.

While this corner of the Dominican Republic may not draw in the same numbers as its popular neighbor Punta Cana, it isn’t for a lack of amazing beaches!

These are the blue flag beaches helping La Romana/Bayahibe catch up to Punta Cana:

Playa Minitas – Casa de Campo Resort & Villas*
La Laguna Dominicus – Viva Beach & Palace*
Bayahibe Beach – Hilton La Romana*
La Laguna Dominicus – Iberostar*
El Cortecito – Occidental Punta Cana*
La Laguna Dominicus – Catalonia*
La Laguna Dominicus – Dreams Dominicus Beach*
La Laguna Dominicus – Be Live Canoa*

With only 3 blue flags less than the hugely popular Punta Cana, it’s safe to say La Romana/Bayahibe is an unappreciated gem in the Caribbean!

Crystal clear water and white sand in La Romana

Puerto Plata

In the north of the Dominican Republic travelers can find Puerto Plata, the godfather of the nation’s tourism industry this is where it all began for travelers’ decades.

While Puerto Plata has given way this last 10 years to Punta Cana, it still remains a firm favorite among many travelers.

Full of history, culture, and the experience of authentic Caribbean life, it has a much less sanitized feel than Punta Cana which was purpose-built for tourism alone.

Unfortunately, Puerto Plata is falling way behind its national competition in terms of blue flag beaches, in fact, they only have two certifications currently:

Costa Dorada – Be Live Marien
Costa Dorada – Iberostar

Beautiful beach in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic

An Ever-Growing List

Travelers should know this list only gets bigger each year in the Dominican Republic.

The blue flag certification doesn’t mean these are the only fantastic beaches in the country of course. With over 750 miles of beach here, there are plenty of hidden gems waiting to be discovered.

But if travelers want to be sure they are in for the best beach vacation possible, the above list is a great place to start when searching for their next Dominican Republic vacation.