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Backed by the landscaped grounds of two massive resorts, this long strip of perfect sand leads into warm turquoise water. Coconut trees provide much-needed shade, and only guests are allowed to use the resorts’ facilities.

The headland separating the two main tourist towns is a paradise for surfers as high winds whistle around the cape. A lighthouse marks the country’s easternmost point, where winds and strong tides make swimming very risky.

Bigger and more developed than Punta Cana, the resort is dominated by a single complex of modern hotels, offering a plethora of restaurants, water sports, and other creature comforts. An 18-hole golf course is a green oasis within the sun-baked sand.

This controversial natural theme park offers fascinating insights into the country’s flora and fauna, as well as allowing visitors to swim with tame dolphins in a large pool or to watch performing horses do entertaining tricks (see Manatí Park, Bávaro).

Good bargains can be had at one of the several beach markets at Cabeza de Toro or Bávaro, where locals sell rum, handicrafts, and Haitian art.

The Costa offers every conceivable beach activity, including diving, catamarans, and snorkeling in the limpid waters. The calm conditions make for excellent visibility, and glass-bottom boats reveal an underwater world of coral and fish life.

One of the few stretches of sand not claimed by the all-inclusive giants, Cortecito has a more authentically Dominican feel, with small restaurants, bars, and a cluster of souvenir stalls. The sand is just as fine as around the big hotels.

The empty expanses of beach on the Costa del Coco make an ideal place for beginners or experienced riders to hire a horse.

A primitive dirt road leads northwards from the all-inclusives, leaving behind the manicured sand and entering a different landscape of wild beaches, crashing surf, and tiny fishing villages. Swimming is not advised, except at the more protected cove at Macao.

One of the remotest of the country’s beaches, this empty wilderness of undeveloped beach and mangroves is divided by a river mouth and surrounded by marshes and lagoons, home to sea turtles. Local fishermen outnumber tourists in this isolated spot.