Playa Ensenada
Playa Ensenada
4
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Top ways to experience Playa Ensenada and nearby attractions
The area
Best nearby
We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Restaurants
7 within 3 miles
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
4.0
137 reviews
Excellent
73
Very good
34
Average
18
Poor
6
Terrible
6
9CENT11
Miami, FL28 contributions
Jan 2014 • Family
if you want to have very cheap day saving hundreds in the making this is it.... savings comes from just paying $15.00. per person to get on a boat to get to the island of paradise instead of the normal $50.00 and up charged by the tour operators, but you have to drive there its pretty great road but avoid leaving to late since they re no lights and tons of danger
also the food on the beach is really simple. langosta at half price from. regular restaurants, fried fish. chicken conch and fried plantains. go to number 10 its ms mercedes her son is one of the boat pilot, the beach is like aruba. very quiet and azur blue because of the protection from the reef. so. bottom line go there around. 10am. so you can drive back in daylight. enjoy""
also the food on the beach is really simple. langosta at half price from. regular restaurants, fried fish. chicken conch and fried plantains. go to number 10 its ms mercedes her son is one of the boat pilot, the beach is like aruba. very quiet and azur blue because of the protection from the reef. so. bottom line go there around. 10am. so you can drive back in daylight. enjoy""
Written 3 January 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Arjen K
3 contributions
Feb 2014 • Couples
Playa Ensenada has one of the most blue pieces of water I've ever seen. There are almost no waves and the water is warm. There are lots of places you can get a drink of something to eat, which is all local. Love the coloured shacks in which all the "restaurants" reside. I was there with my girlfriend, but there were a lot of kids as the water is calm and there's a lot of shade provided by trees and terraces. Also the drive there from Puerto Plata was nice, although a lot of holes in the road. Do not expect a place full of tourists ( which we thought was good! )
Written 19 February 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Loanmi L
Bonao, Dominican Republic180 contributions
Jul 2013 • Family
La Ensenada Punta Rucia Puerto Plata. This beach has no waves none you can tell anyway, it's so clean you can see your feet and see all the tiny fish in it. The sand smells like sulfur, it's full of minerals. It is a public beach, it's hidden and hard to get to thus not overcrowded. Resorts do excursions to it's Cayo Arena which is a Dominican Santuary for Mammals (you can see them in Cayo Arena), no resorts can build here, thank God. If you drive yourself it's about $3000 pesos (or $70 dollars) for a boat to take you to Cayo Arena. The food here is the freshest fish you'll ever eat, so tasty at Margarita's Restaurant a little blue house with clean bathrooms. This was a great trip but La Ensenada was by far my favorite part, it was worth the drive. Meals could not be cheaper either fried fish with tostones (green platains) and batatas (sweet potatoes) cost $250 pesos about $6 dollars and that includes a side of avocado. Amaizing place!
Written 8 August 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Aleks P
Stockholm, Sweden3 contributions
Feb 2021 • Couples
The whole place was like one big pile of garbage. Broken glass, trash and the smell of burning rubber. Go 2km to the beach in the centre of the village and experience a truly amazing beach.
Written 18 February 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Paola M
Providence, RI13 contributions
Jul 2015 • Family
I grew up going to Playa La Ensenada as a child and I've never seen a prettier beach ever! I've traveled to Puerto Rico and Mexico and the beaches simply do not compare to Playa La Ensenada. It's great for children the water is shallow and crystal clear. The best days to visit are during the weekdays, less locals, no pushy beach sellers, and it's a great place to relax. Make sure you have fried fish from one of the restaurants!
Written 22 November 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mspachec0
Homestead, FL3 contributions
Apr 2016
Not recomended for tourist unless they go on weekdays or Sat & not alone! There is a lot of drinking & beach is crowded by locals on weekends. Trash is everywhere as there is no conciusness about eco friendly.
Written 15 October 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Yesenia A
Tampa, FL24 contributions
Jul 2013 • Friends
First impression it is magical! The color of the water was truly breathtaking! We traveled by car from Santiago and the ride was great! Especially since the entire ride we were surrounded by mountains and trees and when we arrived we went up a steep road and at the top we saw the most amazing view of the coast! This beach is like a cove it has mountains on each side. There are little restaurants all along the beach we ate from one called D'Mercedes. The food was absolutely delicious! The fish was fried to perfection and the lobsters were huuuuuuge! And also grilled to perfection! (Tip: bring a lobster cracker). The water is crystal clear. There are no shells or waves. You can walk out about 100ft before it begins to deepen. We rode the banana boat which was so much fun! We got to ride the boat that was pulling the banana boat and got to see the other side of the cove. The water was about 50ft deep in that area and I kid you not you could see all the way down to the bottom! The color of the water that deep was emerald! So beautiful....
The only con I can think of is the fact that as beautiful as the beach is there, the locals trash it. The sand is full of trash ( glass, plastic cups and plates etc..) so I recommend wearing water shoes. I also recommend going during the week (mon-thur)
The only con I can think of is the fact that as beautiful as the beach is there, the locals trash it. The sand is full of trash ( glass, plastic cups and plates etc..) so I recommend wearing water shoes. I also recommend going during the week (mon-thur)
Written 29 July 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ChipM2000
Rincon de Guayabitos, Mexico998 contributions
Nov 2017 • Couples
Oh so beautiful. Shallow water that’s protected by the reef way out. The water is so clear you can see bottom. Not terribly sloped either.
If your in the area it’s well worth the journey to see!
If your in the area it’s well worth the journey to see!
Written 14 November 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lainy-Loo-Loo
Nottingham, UK93 contributions
May 2017 • Friends
While staying at the Riu Resort in Puerto Plata, a group of us went to visit Playa Ensenada for the day. My friends husband is form the Dominican Republic, so we hired two cars and travelled to the beach. Our group was a mix of us visiting form the UK and our friends and family that live in the Dominican Republic.
I will be honest, if you aren't staying near by it is quite a long drive but it is worth it when you get there. The beach has a large number of store front were you can hire sun loungers and tables, in addition to having fresh fish and other dishes prepared to order.
The sea is warm and you can literally walk a mile out and still be in shallow water, the beach is clean and you once you settle into a spot you don't get hassled. We brought our own alcohol which is common practice at the beach, we then purchased soft drinks and food form the store front we hired chairs and sun loungers form.
The beach has banana boats and sail boats for those of you that are adventures and if you keep an eye out, you will spies locals fishing, so if you like fish your dinner won't get any fresher, it is definitely worth a visit if you want to get off the beaten track and away form tourist traps to see what life on the island is really like.
I will be honest, if you aren't staying near by it is quite a long drive but it is worth it when you get there. The beach has a large number of store front were you can hire sun loungers and tables, in addition to having fresh fish and other dishes prepared to order.
The sea is warm and you can literally walk a mile out and still be in shallow water, the beach is clean and you once you settle into a spot you don't get hassled. We brought our own alcohol which is common practice at the beach, we then purchased soft drinks and food form the store front we hired chairs and sun loungers form.
The beach has banana boats and sail boats for those of you that are adventures and if you keep an eye out, you will spies locals fishing, so if you like fish your dinner won't get any fresher, it is definitely worth a visit if you want to get off the beaten track and away form tourist traps to see what life on the island is really like.
Written 11 June 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MrsBatista703
Bay Shore, NY31 contributions
May 2015 • Family
This has got to be the best beach in the entire Dominican Republic! Miles and miles of white sandy beach with crystal clear waters that remain pretty shallow for a long way out. This beach is situated in a small fisherman village. The menu is very fresh and literally just picked from the ocean. There are different kiosks with locals selling their food, but you will not find the regular "interruptions" that you will find in other, more populated beaches. I have visited this beach several times with my family and fall in love with it more and more each time we go back.
They have an area for jet skies, but that does not interfere with the calm and quiet of the bathing section. We have been on weekdays and during the weekend and this beach is never too crowded.
They have an area for jet skies, but that does not interfere with the calm and quiet of the bathing section. We have been on weekdays and during the weekend and this beach is never too crowded.
Written 1 June 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
tenias razón ero eso ha cambiado mucho, ahora es un lugar limpio.-
Written 14 July 2019
Hola, se puede acampar en esa playa?
Tengo planeado salir muy temprano desde santo domingo y quedarme en la noche en playa ensenada. Es seguro?
Written 11 December 2018
Estuve en la ensenada el pasado enero y no creo sea un lugar muy seguro para acampar ,
Si te recomiendo algún hotel en el área ., good luck.
Written 13 February 2019
A Punta Rucia, ci sono B&B o hotels a basso prezzo per lunghi soggiorni?
Written 4 March 2018
Showing results 1-4 of 4
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing