Playa Pedernales Located near the Haitian border, this beach is close to the fishing village of Pedernales. While the beach is quite peaceful during the day, at night it comes alive with small fishing boats returning to shore. San Rafael Located south of Barahona, the beach at San Rafael is a hot spot for local Dominicans. Here visitors will find the best of both worlds - a strong ocean surf but also a natural swimming pool formed by a waterfall descending from the nearby mountains. A manmade barrier allows the water from the pool to gently pour into the ocean.