Playa Las Dunas

Playa Las Dunas

From a landscape of subtropical dry forest, buttonwood, mesquite, and olive trees along the southwestern coast near Bani, you must trudge over rippled sand dunes and patches of sea grass to reach Playa Las Dunas. The beach sits within the protected reserve of Dunas de las Calderas, a natural monument that’s home to 115-foot dunes.  It’s a great spot for desert lovers, but not for those who require beach chairs or any sort of services. Bring a camera—or better yet, a drone—to document your hike, which will offer desert-meets-ocean views and, if you’re lucky, heron, flamingo, and frigate bird sightings. The sand can be very hot, so wear thick-soled shoes, and be sure to bring plenty of food, water, and sunscreen. When you get to the beach, look out for the crystalized chunks of salt that sometimes wash ashore from the old working salt mine at nearby Playa Salinas.