Macao Beach

Macao is a wide, mostly undeveloped public beach facing the open Atlantic at the north end of the Punta Cana coast, about 20 to 30 minutes by road from the Bávaro hotels. There is no wall of resorts behind it, just sand, low headlands, surf schools and small restaurants serving fresh fish. Since 2022 it has a paved access road, parking and restrooms, and around 200,000 people visit it a year. Most visitors see it as a stop of 20 to 60 minutes on a buggy tour, others come for half a day or a surf lesson. This is a real Atlantic beach: waves and currents can be strong, lifeguards are on duty only at times, and you should swim only where the flags allow. The biggest swells come from December to March, October and November often bring clean, powerful waves, and July to September is gentler and good for beginners. Being north-facing, it gets less sargassum seaweed than many beaches. Our photographers are there on the buggy trips we work with that stop at Macao.