Sargassum in the Dominican Republic: How to Choose a Clean Beach (Top 3)

What Sargassum Is and When It Appeared

Seaweed, also known as sargassum, is a relatively new phenomenon: during my first years living in the Dominican Republic (from 2012 to 2014), I didn't encounter it in the quantities we see now, especially on the east coast, which happens to be the most popular area among tourists.

The Sargasso Sea is a mass of seaweed in the Atlantic Ocean, and according to open sources, it covers an area of 6 to 7 million square kilometers — roughly the size of Australia, or two Argentinas.

Changes in ocean currents, along with climate change, have recently led to an increase in the amount of seaweed on Caribbean beaches. Since 2014, this problem has become a recurring issue: specifically, from July through the end of October, most beaches will be covered in seaweed, both along the shoreline and in the water.

While hotel staff can clean the seaweed off the beach, it's impossible to remove it from the water. Some hotels do install floating barriers in the water, but this doesn't stop some seaweed — albeit in smaller amounts — from reaching the shore, which ends up creating a closed-off "pool" surrounded by seaweed on all sides. So when choosing a hotel during this period, if a clean beach matters to you, it's best to check in advance how that particular hotel is handling the seaweed situation.

Why October Is a Turning Point

This has to do with rainfall: September and October tend to be rainier months in the Dominican Republic, and it also gets windier — so a beach covered in seaweed can be cleared by nature literally overnight.

My recommendation is to check for tropical storms using the Windy app and, if a clean beach is important to you, verify its condition before booking a hotel.

Which Areas Are Most Affected

Since the Sargasso Sea is located in the Atlantic Ocean and the current flows through the Mona Passage, which connects the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, the situation is worst on the easternmost part of the island — specifically in the Cabeza de Toro area.

That's where hotels like Serenade Punta Cana, Dreams Flora, and Catalonia Punta Cana are located, all the way to Macao Beach. In other words, all the most popular hotels in the Punta Cana area deal with the seaweed problem every year. Hotels like Hard Rock Punta Cana and Riu Republica fare somewhat better, since they're shielded by a small headland.

Top 3 Clean Beaches

1. Macao Beach — 30 minutes by car from the Punta Cana tourist zone. On the downside, a hotel has been built there that wasn't there before, so it's no longer quite the "wild" beach it used to be, and you'll also find persistent souvenir vendors, parking attendants, "foot washers," and the like.

Parking at Macao Beach is free, and you don't need to worry about your car's safety — it's located right across from a police station.

2. Playa Costa Esmeralda (Esmeralda Beach). Hotels are also actively being built here now, so privacy is pretty much out of the question, but it's probably a solid value for money. It's about an hour to an hour and a half by car, the road is good, the view is stunning, and you can combine the trip with a visit to Redonda Mountain.

So Esmeralda Beach is my personal recommendation — the only downside is you won't find any fine-dining restaurants nearby, so I'd suggest bringing your own food.

3. Dominicus Beach. This one is on the Caribbean Sea side, and it's exactly where the boats to Saona Island depart from. Here you can try fresh seafood, sunbathe, and have a great time overall; by the way, a lot of Italians live in Bayahibe.

I'd pair a visit to this beach with a stop at the Caves of Wonder; I used to also recommend the "artists' village" in Casa de Campo, but access there has been closed recently, even for a fee.

Wrapping Up

The Dominican Republic is a beautiful and diverse country, and there's no need to be upset if seaweed catches you off guard at your hotel — it's just nature. I hope this article helps you make the most of your vacation.

There are plenty of beaches far more beautiful than the ones listed here, but they're a 5–6 hour drive away, so I'll tell you about those next time. Thanks for reading.