Cayo Paraíso

Cayo Paraíso, also called Cayo Arena by some operators, is a bar of white sand a few dozen metres across sitting on a reef several kilometres off the north-west coast, with a few palms planted on it and nothing else at all. Boats from the fishing village of Punta Rucia run out across shallow turquoise water and anchor at the edge, and the appeal is the surrounding reef, which is shallow, clear and busy with fish, snorkelled straight off the sand. Most trips include a run through the mangrove channels of the Estero Hondo marine sanctuary on the way, where manatees are occasionally seen, though sightings are rare.

What you actually see

• The sandbar - a few dozen metres of white sand and a handful of palms.
• The reef - shallow, clear and snorkelled from the beach itself.
• Estero Hondo - mangrove channels and a manatee sanctuary en route.
• Punta Rucia - the fishing village the boats leave from.

When to go

December to April has the calmest crossings and clearest water. Trips are cancelled in wind, which is common on this coast. Going independently from Punta Rucia rather than on a coach excursion from Puerto Plata means arriving before the crowds.

Honest expectations

The cay is tiny and when several boats arrive at once it is standing room only, which destroys the point of it. Coach excursions from the resort coast make it a very long day with hours on the road. There is no shade, no facility and no fresh water. Reef damage from anchoring and sunscreen is visible.

Nearby

Punta Rucia is the base; Monte Cristi is an hour west.