While one comes to expect chock-a-block hotels as far as the eye can see when visiting many Caribbean destinations, when you walk out to the beach at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Punta Cana and turn left, there is a rare sight indeed: pristine undeveloped oceanfront for almost as far as the eye can see.

A sign at the end of this sprawling 120-acre property at the southeastern corner of the Dominican Republic cautions guests that the land beyond is unpatrolled, but if you want the feeling of Tom Hanks in Castaway, spend some time strolling that lonely stretch of beach and the clear turquoise surf that splashes up against it. The only evidence of humanity—save for the local and his dog who startled me as they suddenly poked out of the jungle—was the half-completed Westin Roco Ki development four hazy miles in the distance, a once-promising resort that included a spectacular Nick Faldo course, but was abandoned after stalling financially about eight years ago.

As the young Dominican and his dog soon disappeared back into the dense forest of palms, I was left alone again on the beach—bleach-blonde sand beneath my feet and the simmering sun on my shoulders.

I waded knee-deep into the waves and felt an undertow not present in front of the Hard Rock—a sufficient tug to dissuade me from swimming, but not enough to discourage a slow walk through the surf.

I was curious what remained of that abandoned Roco Ki complex beyond, but it was time to turn back.

In the distance, two couples were beginning to make their way toward me up this grand strand of sand. It was their turn to enjoy the solitude, while a pool-bar margarita awaited in my immediate future.