Sosúa Bay

Sosúa sits in a horseshoe bay protected by headlands at either end, which makes the water unusually calm for this coast and the snorkelling good: reef starts within swimming distance of the sand at both corners, with coral heads and a wreck offshore, and it is one of the main dive bases in the country. The town has an unusual history. In 1938, at a conference where most countries declined to raise their refugee quotas, the Dominican Republic offered to take in a large number of Jewish refugees from Europe, and around seven hundred and fifty settled at Sosúa from 1940, establishing dairy and meat businesses that still operate. A small museum next to the synagogue tells the story.

What you actually see

• The bay - sheltered water with reef at both ends of the beach.
• Snorkelling and diving - coral heads and a wreck within easy reach.
• The Jewish museum and synagogue - the story of the 1940 settlement.
• The dairy tradition - cheese and sausage businesses founded by the settlers.

When to go

December to April is drier with the calmest water and best visibility. The bay is sheltered enough to swim in most conditions. Weekends bring local crowds and vendors along the sand.

Honest expectations

The beach is lined with vendor stalls and the approach is a gauntlet of sellers, which many find wearing. Sosúa has a longstanding reputation for sex tourism that is visible in parts of the town after dark and is off-putting to families; the beach and dive side of it is separate but the two coexist. Reef health has declined.

Nearby

Cabarete is fifteen minutes east; Puerto Plata is twenty minutes west.