Playa El Cortecito is a section of beach within the larger and more famous Bavaro Beach. You will see the beach labeled as Playa El Cortecito or Playa Del Cortecito. My Spanish isn’t good enough to know which name is correct, so I use both.
Regardless of the proper name, the beach is truly fabulous. It is no wonder that a ton of the best all-inclusive resorts got built up directly off the sand. If you book a resort on this beach, you will NOT be disappointed.
FYI – Throughout the Bavaro Beach stretch you will find that different sections of the beach are often referred to their own names, such as, Playa El Cortesito, Los Corales and Bibijagua. Read more on the details on visiting Bavaro beach here.
Where to Stay on Playa El Cortecito
We stayed in an all-inclusive hotel right on the beach. We only paid $80 USD a night; it was such a steal I felt like we had won the lottery, literally. All you can eat food and drinks plus a gorgeous beach front property?! Can you tell we loved our hotel?
What makes Playa El Cortecito so special?
Besides from the crystal clear turquoise water and gorgeous resort hotels all along the beach, the thing that stood out to me the most was actually the palm trees. They were the tallest trees I have ever seen! Some looked to be about 100 feet high!
Hopefully my photos can somewhat show how tall they are.
Where to Playa del Cortecito Located?
Playa del Cortecito is located in Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. More specifically, it is located on Bavaro beach, which is probably the most popular beach in Punta Cana.
If you are coming from the airport the drive will take you about 30 minutes. You head almost straight north to get there.
How to get there?
If you are staying at an all-inclusive resort it is easy to get here. You simply go through the main gate. If you aren’t staying at an all-inclusive resort it can be difficult to find an entrance to the beach.
You may have to drive around a bit to find a public entrance to the beach. They do exist. You have to follow the roads that often look like alleys, park on the side of the road, and then walk the rest of the way.
Given the ubiquity and affordability of all-inclusive resorts, they are generally the way to go in Punta Cana!
Playa Del Cortecito Amenities
This beach has everything you could want, you just might feel excluded from everything if you don’t have a wrist band from an all-inclusive resort.
Parking and beach entrances can even be difficult to find. Once you are on the actual sand you will see plenty of beach umbrellas, but they will be exclusively for hotel guests.
There are a couple places where you can pay and rent your own, but you will also struggle to find restaurants and bars. If you are willing to walk back off of the beach though you will find plenty of great and affordable places! This is especially helpful because you will also need to rely on these places for restrooms.
Crowds
This is not a beach you will have to yourself. That being said, you also don’t need to worry about it being overcrowded. The resorts will guarantee that there are always people along the shore, but at no point was it ever hard to find stretches of sand to spread out on or plenty of room to splash around in the water.
Beach Vendors
Like a lot of Dominican beaches there will be a steady stream of vendors offering to sell you hats, sunglasses, jewelry, massages, and even marijuana. Generally they are friendly enough and keep moving if you say a quick no gracias.
Playa el Cortecito SnorkelingÂ
Playa del Cortecito snorkeling is basically non-existent. On the days we were there I was the only one with my googles and fins out even attempting to snorkel. I did not see one fish the entire time we were there.
I had heard that this beach wasn’t great for snorkeling (or any of the beaches in Punta Cana), but I thought I would at least see a fish or two. Nope, nothing.
FYI – If you do want to snorkel there are seriously so many awesome tours that leave right from this beach. Check them out here.
What to Pack for the Dominican Republic
Reef safe sunscreen – The sun is strong in the Dominican. You definitely need a good sunscreen. I am obsessed with this one by Shiseido. No one does sunscreen like the Japanese and Koreans. It goes on so smooth and I love that it is a stick, so you don’t have to get your hands all gross and sandy when reapplying throughout the day. Buy here.
Swimsuit – Obvs. This one is my favorite from SKIMS. It is more of a sporty look which I love. The only annoying thing is they sell out really fast so stock if definitely limited. Get it while you can. Trust me, it’s amazing. Buy here.
Sandals – These Havanas are the best flip flops I have ever used! I have 3 pairs and have used them for years and they are still going strong! Buy here.
Conclusion
I loved Playa El Cortecito, but I wouldn’t seek it out if my resort wasn’t directly on it. Accessing without an all-inclusive is just a bit more difficult than I would like.