Great Beaches - Playa Coson, Las Terrenas

Looking for a white sand beach with turquoise blue water, plenty of shady palm trees and only the occasional fellow beach comber? Venture just 20 minutes from downtown Las Terrenas and to find what you’re seeking at Playa Coson.



Palm trees on Playa Coson, Dominican Republic

Playa Coson is the furthest west beach along a string of gorgeous waterfront in the Las Terrenas area and arguably the most spectacular. The primary developments along the beach include two large residential areas on the eastern end and some hotels to the west. In between is an expanse of white sand that begs you to bring along your beach chair and cooler and relax for a day in the waves.

The first time I visited Playa Coson was mid-week in January and like so many Dominican beaches, it was relatively empty. The sky was patchy blue and a breeze was blowing off the water – an ideal day to savor a bit of sand and sun. Set slightly off the beaten path, Playa Coson tends to be frequented by the neighbors who live there and tourists renting the luxurious villas available for rent along the waterfront. The “crowds” are limited because you need transportation to arrive at Coson from downtown Las Terrenas.


Wide, secluded beaches along Playa Coson

One gem I discovered on my visit to Playa Coson was Restaurant Luis, a beach front assemblage of plywood tables and plastic chairs that create the dining room of a great seafood BBQ place. Lunch is an offering of the fresh catch of the day. Mahi-mahi, shrimp, lobster and octopus often make the list. The meals are accompanied by the usual Dominican offerings of tostones, French fries, rice, and cabbage salad. The fries are freshly cut and golden brown – the perfect complement to a piece of grilled mahi-mahi.



Casual atmosphere at Restaurant Luis, Playa Coson



Restaurant Luis has occupied a number of spaces along Playa Coson over the years. They park their trailed and pitch their tents on vacant land along the shoreline. When the property sells, as often happens in this part of the Dominican Republic, they pull up stakes and head to the next stretch of open beachfront where they can hang out their shingle. The best bet is to watch for Luis’ signs along the road to Playa Coson – or ask a local wandering along the beach.

Another option I plan to try is The Beach restaurant at The Peninsula House hotel. The Peninsula House is a small, luxury boutique hotel that put down roots under the palm trees on Playa Coson in 2008. Rated number one hotel in the Conde Nast Reader’s Choice awards, the Peninsula House opens the doors of its restaurant to the public for lunch in an idyllic setting. I’m waiting for the perfect excuse to go – maybe out of town guests this winter will help me justify the visit.

Fishing boat in the waves off Playa Coson, Dominican Republic

Until then, though, it’s easy to imagine enjoying Playa Coson with just a cooler, some beach towels and a good book. Access is straightforward with a few sandy paths that lead right to the water from the main road.  Expect this destination to become more popular though, as a new road is completed along the north coast of the Samaná peninsula from El Catey airport in Samaná. Get here soon and you can still experience all the charm of a stunning Caribbean beach far from the crowds of Punta Popy in Las Terrenas.

History Lessons in Samana: The Shipwreck Museum

I finally made some headway seeing the real “sites” of Samaná last week when Ed and I headed over to the Shipwreck Museum in Santa Bárbara de Samaná. We’d driven by the tell-tale anchor painted on the retaining wall of the building many times. Several times, I had failed to notice the canon mounted on the patio at the top of the stairs in front of the museum. Not this time!

Shipwreck Museum, Santa Barbara de Samana, Dominican Republic

The museum opened last year and the displays are modern and well maintained. A tour guide greeted me right as I entered. “Do you want a tour?” she asked, rather abruptly. I replied that I did and she replied, just as abruptly, that the cost was $5US. The museum had been recommended by a friend so I figured the tour would be worth the price and obligingly handed over my pesos since we don’t carry dollars.

After the rocky start, our tour guide’s manner became friendlier. She led us through the museum explaining all the artifacts from the shipwreck as well telling the story of the ship itself. The museum has replicas of the ship and some of the items found by Deep Blue Marine, Inc. during the recovery. On the whole, though, I was pleasantly surprised by the array of items on display that were actually recovered from the dive site. She explained the different types of cannonballs and artillery including the second canon on display in the museum. The museum also has information on life aboard the ship – clearly life was uncomfortable and cramped for most of the crew.

Cannon from the shipwreck of the French warship, Le Scipion

Deep Blue Marine, Inc. has a conservation area in the museum where you can see pieces recovered from the wreck being restored. The new museum director, Roxanne, enthusiastically urged me to investigate some of the pieces and reached right into the huge tank to lift out a wooden pulley that was curing in the freshwater. You could feel the sponginess of the wood from the years it spent on the ocean floor. Eventually, the wood would recover its hardness in the fresh water bath.

As the tour drew to a close, Roxanne told us a couple of secrets our tour guide hadn’t shared. First, the price of the tour includes a souvenir from the museum – kids would love that! Second, the ticket also includes a beverage at the tapas restaurant next door. Since I had more questions for Roxanne, she came over to the tapas restaurant too. After sharing tales of Samana and her first week in the Dominican Republic, Roxanne headed back to the museum. I chose to try out the tapas because I’d noticed the restaurant before and wanted to see if the food was good.

View of Samana Bay, Dominican Republic, from Taberna Mediterranea Tapas and Vinos

It was. The tapas menu was extensive but not yet translated into English. With the help of the owner, Nina Domingeuz, and my passable-but-not-brilliant Spanish, I chose a hot meat dish and a cold seafood tapa of conch and octopus. Neither was quite what I expected – the meatballs weren’t quite the “chunks of meat” I was craving but the sauce was tangy with a hint of spice and went great with the crusty slices of bread accompanying the dishes. At a table nearby, two men shared a giant platter of grilled meats that I will have to try on my next visit. You can order a mix of seafood and meats or just seafood if you prefer. 

Nina Dominquez, owner of Taberna Mediterranea and Samana Living blogger, Yana

If your travels take you to Samaná, this is a nice way to spend a leisurely afternoon and learn a little about life on the Caribbean sea in the 18^th century.