North Coast - Dominican Republic - page 329

With an improved access road, this beachfront village feels only a little less remote than in
the past. However, most people who venture out this way are from Puerto Plata area all-
inclusives on day trips to Cayo Arena (aka 'Paradise Island'), a picturesque sandbar around
9km northwest of Punta Rusia. The corals around the atoll are pristine and the snorkeling
good; however, the throngs in the water can detract from the experience. El Paraíso Tour (
809-320-7606; www.cayoparaisord.com ; incl drinks & lunch $50) speedboats shuttle groups to
the Cayo Arena sandbar for several hours before returning via Estero Hondo , the mangrove
lagoon just to the west (you might spot a manatee; a project to set up observation posts
was in the works when we visited).
If you want to avoid the crowds, contact Martinez ( 829-262-0073) , a local fisherman
(Spanish only) for a more customized and rewarding experience. He provides snorkeling
equipment and an interesting return route from Cayo Arena through the mangroves. The
more people, the lower the per person cost, but prices are in the RD$1500 ballpark.
On weekends, hundreds of people, primarily Dominicans from Santiago, occupy Playa
Ensenada , a narrow strip of sand with calm, shallow water 3km east of Punta Rusia. Don't
expect quiet or privacy, but with coastal mountains within view to the northwest, water
like a bathtub and a seafood meal from one of the nearly two-dozen shacks (lobster
RD$300; open till 6pm) lining the beach behind a row of palm trees and picnic tables, it's
easily worth a long afternoon visit.

Sleeping & Eating

Casita Mariposa

CABINS $

(Casa Libre; 809-693-5010, 809-834-5992; s/d incl breakfast RD$1000/1200) A German-
French couple runs Casita Mariposa, a handful of colorfully painted rustic cabins wonder-
fully situated on a bluff overlooking the ocean just east of town. Though the grounds are
nearly concealed and overrun by a tangle of flowering trees, you can settle into one of the
three cabins' front-porch hammocks or a dining-area perch for mesmerizing unobstructed
views.
This is a place to unwind and disconnect - no locks and no wi-fi. A stairway leads
down to what is, for all intents and purposes, a private white-sand beach. Dinner can be
prepared upon request and ocean kayaks are available for guests' use. Marco can arrange
for transport from Isabela (RD$250 per person). Call to reserve a room in advance, lest
you risk coming all this distance only to be turned away.