Playa Salinas

Introducing Playa Salinas

Salinas proper, the town at the center of the south coast agricultural economy, lies about a mile north of the coast and a mile south of the highway. Even though it’s the birthplace of baseball legends Roberto and Sandy Alomar and a pair of Miss Universe queens, the town itself isn’t so easy on the eyes; like many other small cities in the region, it’s never replaced the sugar-based economy. There is a tourist office on the central plaza, but it’s open seasonally, and even then infrequently.

The coastal barrio of Playa Salinas is quite a different story. The name is a bit of a misnomer since there’s no actual sand here, but the geographical features of its protected harbor make it an important port for the northern Caribbean. With deep water and a dense barrier of coastal mangroves, it’s an ideal ‘hurricane hole, ’ perfect for cruising sailors looking to hide from the tempest. Even when the seas are still, the port attracts scores of yachters, and though many of them are captained by retired Americans and Europeans, locals will be wont to gab about frequent celebrity sightings. Notables of late have included JLo and Marc Anthony.

Following Rte 701 along the coast you’ll pass a cluster of candlelit surf-and-turf joints then arrive at the Marina de Salinas, a complex that includes the Posada El Náutico hotel. Travelers looking for a berth aboard a cruising sailboat headed to the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas, the US, Cuba or Jamaica will do well to check the bar within the Marina de Salinas, especially in late March and early April. If you can’t get a ride, it’s still a good place to watch the boats roll in and out of the harbor.

Last updated: Oct 20, 2009