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Punta Cana
Why choose Punta Cana?
The Punta Cana destination is made up of the areas (going from south to north) of Juanillo, Punta Cana, Cabeza de Toro, Bavaro, El Cortecito, Macao and Uvero Alto.
Today, the East Coast beach strip is one of the best choices for those seeking the perfect beach and R&R (rest and relaxation) vacation. Bill and Hillary Clinton in April 2001 chose Punta Cana for their first sojourn after leaving the White House. Punta Cana is that perfect place for a honeymoon – first or second.
This is a place for vegging out… miles of silky-fine white sand, deserted beaches with coconut palms. Unless you rent a car or purchase an excursion, don’t expect much sightseeing or outstanding shopping opportunities nearby.
This area is made up almost completely of large all-inclusive resorts populated mostly by couples or families. Some resorts in the area cater to sports-minded people, others are couples only. But most resorts focus on family entertainment. The exception is spring break time when groups of university students fly down from Canada and the US. The better hotels for this crowd are the larger complexes, where night time entertainment is more lively.
If you don't mind losing a day at your all-inclusive, Punta Cana can also be for explorers. If you rent a 4x4, venture out to discover a magnificent world of caves, mangroves, private beaches in the nearby Hato Mayor and El Seibo provinces. Or drive west on to Altos de Chavon, Bayahibe, and even to Saona near La Romana. These are at least two hour’s drive away.
What else is nearby
The Punta Cana area lends itself more to those looking for the type of vacation where the resort has everything and one never has to go outside the gates. Note the nearest city, Higuey, is about a 40 minute drive away. Beyond the resorts is mostly empty countryside. You can literally walk for miles along the beach without seeing anything but an occasional unfinished construction project or the next hotel.
El Cortecito, located between Punta Cana-Bavaro and Macao, is the closest thing to a little beach town in the area. Juanillo is a perfect swimming pool of a beach south of Punta Cana. Nearby is Manatee Park, a wildlife ecological/adventure site, and the Ponce de Leon house is near Boca de Yuma. Bavaro Plaza is the largest shopping complex in the area.
Port of Entry/How to get there
The best airport to land at is the Punta Cana International Airport, at most a half hour drive from the hotels. Some resorts are barely 10 minutes away from the thatch-roofed airport. The second best airport for this destination is the La Romana Airport, which is about 1-1/2 to 2 hours drive away from your hotel. If you land at Las Americas International (Santo Domingo) you will be a four hour drive away. From Santo Domingo, a taxi cab trip can be negotiated for about US$100, the domestic air flight is around US$60 per person. The cheapest way to get to and from Santo Domingo is by commuter minibus. This will cost about US$8 but could take you almost a whole day as you make numerous bus changes.
Getting around
Tourists arriving to Punta Cana will spend most of their vacation at their hotel. The easiest way to visit the other hotels is to take a stroll along the beach. Or take the beach taxi to El Cortecito, or Juanillo, a beach south of Punta Cana. To visit the Basilica in Higuey, you can take either a taxi or public bus.
Attractions/Excursions
The beach is the No. 1 attraction in the Punta Cana area, stretching an amazing 50 kilometers. But here are other activities to consider:
Manatee Park Bavaro. 130,000 square meter preserve with permanent exhibits of birds, reptiles, and fish. A show with parrots, dolphins and dancing horses is included in the US$22 admission fee. Optional possibility of swimming with the dolphins for an extra fee. Reservations should be made as soon as you arrive in the country if you want to swim with the dolphins. Free shuttle bus to and from principal hotels in the area.
4 x 4 motorbike tour of the coastline. The Punta Cana equivalent to a "city tour" is this 4-wheel motor bike tour that will take you up the Punta Cana-Bavaro beach with a view of the many resorts that dot the eastern coastline. It is a full day, but most say it is worth it. The excursion includes a visit to the Pozo Azul caverns with a dive off rocks into the cavern's clear blue waters. Bring swim suit, sunscreen and sunglasses to shield eyes from bright reflective sand and water.
Ecological Walk at the Punta Cana Beach Resort, which ends in a refreshing bath in a cool spring. You will be walking through a real jungle. Bring long sleeves and bug repellent.
Boat trips to Juanillo and El Cortecito.
Safari Tour. Open jeep takes tourists to visit a rural school, a colmado (country store), sugar cane fields, tropical fruit groves, plus you’ll take a dip in a river and ride horseback on virgin beach after lunch. Operated by Bavaro Runners.
Rancho Jonathan has caving excursions to Boca de Diablo, a large cave system south of Los Haitises.
La Otra Banda
If you take the Saona, Catalina, Altos de Chavón, Higuey or Santo Domingo excursions, on your way west ask your guide to point out the small town of La Otra Banda, with its pretty little houses, right out of a Caribbean architecture book and perfect for picture-taking.
Higüey (Ee-Gway)
The city has no tourist attractions other than its Basilica, a large modern cathedral that honors the Virgen de la Altagracia, patron saint of the Dominican Republic.
If you wind up in Higüey with time to spare, take a walk down the small streets, look at the local businesses, eat the local cheese, go into a colmado (grocery shop) and buy a Presidente beer or a Coca Cola, go to the local market and buy some local fruit, change your dollars in the banks or exchange houses (next to the central park), try to communicate with the locals, have your shoes shined for 5 or 10 pesos by a small child, give the child a few sweets and your best smile. Visit the largest supermarket in Higuey and purchase Bon Marmalade, Santo Domingo coffee in a can, top of the line Brugal, Bermudez or Barcelo rum, or stop by a Bon ice cream shop for tropical sherbets.
One to two hours away:
La Romana/Altos de Chavon
Past expansive fields of shoulder-high sugar cane, visitors will come to La Romana, a city built and maintained by the sugar mills. The incessant production of sugar fills the air with the sweet smell of molasses. But the principal attraction of the region is Altos de Chavón, a re-created 15th century Italian-Spanish village beside the mesmerizing Chavón River. At its founding in 1981, Altos de Chavón was declared “an artists’ village” by its creators who dedicated it to the service of the fine and applied arts. Its old world cobblestone streets and quaint architecture conceal charming shops, fine restaurants, intimate bars, artisans workshops, a church, a vast amphitheater, an archaeological museum, and a university specializing in design. The Parson's School of Design of New York City has a branch right here. Lovely architecture, restaurants with great views and international cuisine, and a small but superb museum. It’s adjacent to Casa de Campo, one of the most famous and expensive resorts in the Caribbean.
Los Haitises National Park. Several hotels offer excursions to Los Haitises National Park, a sanctuary for nature lovers and those interested in natural history. The underground rivers flow through caves replete with pre-Columbian drawings and petroglyphs, silent testimony to the Indian population who dwelled there peacefully for centuries before the arrival of the Europeans. Be sure to visit the Cueva de la Linea (Ferrocarril) and the Cueva de las Arenas. The boat trip to get to these caves that are off San Lorenzo Bay will take you through the largest system of mangroves in the Caribbean. Another option to visit and a place to have lunch in the area is the Paraiso Caño Hondo river center, a short drive from the National Park Los Haitises departure point.
If you are renting a car, and consider yourself an explorer, head south from Sabana de la Mar (Los Haitises) to Miches. Discover the white sand and little frequented but very lovely Playa Miches or the further south Playa Esmeralda. Avoid Playa Esmeralda if you are not driving a four wheel vehicle as if it has rained the night before there may form a puddle in the sand road that 4 x 2 vehicles cannot pass. Note that if you are staying in Punta Cana this will be a whole day trip. This really is a trip for those who book a stay in one of the small hotels in Sabana de la Mar.
Boat trip to Isla Catalina, an environmental reserve located just offshore from La Romana with a coral reef perfect for diving or snorkeling and a nice beach.
Isla Saona, a larger island off the coast of La Altagracia province. It has a quiet fishing village with friendly locals who now cater to thousands of day trippers. You can go by catamaran, big tourist boat or small motor boat. The boats generally leave from Bayahibe. If you are lucky, dolphins will swim along with you. Some excursions use speed boats that take tourists to visit the village of Mano Juan and Palmilla beach with its white sands. This is the most-booked trip of tourists visiting Punta Cana but if you plan on returning to the DR, consider leaving it for a time when you stay in one of the La Romana hotels when you will be about a half hour boat trip away, instead of the almost three hours it will take to get there from Punta Cana.
Plantación Tropical. A memorable side trip north from San Pedro de Macorís to Hato Mayor will reward the entire family with one of the largest horticultural centers in the Caribbean. Tropical Plantation displays scores of exotic species -- bromeliads, anthuriums, orchids and others along challenging labyrinthine paths. Complementing their intense colors, fragrance and beauty is an aviary with the island's native birds and a vast butterfly enclosure. It is an entertaining cross between a botanical garden, an amusement park and a working plant nursery that will captivate all for an entire morning or afternoon.
Also in Hato Mayor, adventure lovers may book an underground excursion to the Rancho Capote and its Cueva Fun Fun, that is the longest underground cave in the Caribbean. This is a shallow cave running seven kilometers. Experience the darkness down under, the giant corridors, the cave art, and the magic whisper of the subterranean rivers. This thrilling excursion begins with a ride on horseback, then a walk through the jungle and the cave, and ends with a well-deserved lunch. The owners of the ranch are one of the country's leading orange growers so expect delicious fresh orange juice with lunch.
Four hours away:
If you don't think you will ever make it back to the Dominican Republic, then definitely take the Santo Domingo city tour, in spite of the distance. It is the first city in the New World settled by the Europeans, and boasts a charming colonial zone and some of the best nightlife and dining in the Caribbean. Note that this city of over 3 million people will host the Pan American Games in year 2003.
Accommodations
There are about 18,000 hotel rooms in East Coast hotels.
Not all are created equal. They may offer similar-sounding all inclusive plans, but there are major variations. When booking your hotel, check out what is included in the plan. Note that many hotels will not include premium liquors in their price package. Some offer better sports packages than others. Some have better plans for the family while others cater to couples. Some are smaller operations, others are large and better options for those seeking to mingle with lots of people. This is important especially regarding night life entertainment for those who will not be traveling as a couple.
If rest and relaxation are important to you, request a room away from the night show area or the pool area where some hotels keep their guests energized with what many may otherwise feel is too loud music.
For a listing of Punta Cana hotels, see our Hotel Directory
Dining outside the hotel
Punta Cana is resort territory. Tourists staying at resorts that are partnered with other hotels can enjoy more dining options at the sister properties than those staying at independent hotels. Of course, this will depend on your hotel plan. Either way, the hotels will feature an ample variety of food, with menus that change daily and are not duplicated for 14 days straight!
Outside of the resorts, dining establishments can be found in the El Cortecito area and close to Bavaro Plaza. For more information on Punta Cana area restaurants, see our Restaurant Directory
Nightlife outside the hotel
Most hotels will feature staff-produced evening shows, with guests having the option to dance until the wee hours in the hotel discos. Nightlife will be slightly livelier at the larger hotel clusters. Bavaro Beach Resort disco, the main dance bar among the five large Barcelo Bavaro hotels, has been described as "upscale, popular, somewhat dressy." The disco opens at 11pm and usually becomes jam-packed after midnight.
With this exception, nightlife at most resorts has been described as "fairly dull" if you are looking for a party atmosphere. Most discos are small and won't attract more than 40-70 people in the evenings, mostly couples. The discos will play current dance music so you can bring your own CDs, gather a group of people and turn a small hotel disco into your own personal party.
The only big show in town is Tropicalissimo, staged at the Barcelo Bavaro Casino in the style of the old Tropicana of Cuba.
Most guests do not mind the lack of nightlife as they retire early, exhausted from a day at the beach. Regardless, there are bars in Plaza Bavaro (near Barcelo and Melia hotels) where you can meet the locals, mostly people who work in the area. The atmosphere at these places should be lively but don't expect too much. If you will be staying in the area of Iberostar or Riu hotels, Disco Pachá is the place. They charge admission for those not staying at Riu hotels. Another area disco is America Latina.
For those staying at Catalonia, Allegro or Natura Park and wanting to venture out at night, there is an open air, somewhat downscale, local bar called Onkle Tom's a few hundred yards down the beach, open until 5:00 AM.
There are four casinos in the area: Riu Palace, Barcelo Bavaro Casino, Paradisus Casino and the Catalonia Casino. For an overview on casinos in the DR, our Casino Page
Places to shop
Bavaro Plaza is the largest shopping area in Punta Cana. But each hotel features stores where arts and crafts can be purchased.
Sports:
Golf
There are three 18-hole golf courses and one 9-hole course in operation the area: El Golf de Bavaro (Barcelo hotels), Cocotal (Melia hotels), Punta Cana Golf (Club Med, Punta Cana Beach Resort, Marina, Corales hotels), and Catalonia Golf course. For more information on these, see our Golf Page
Snorkeling
Punta Cana features the longest coral reef in the whole island - about 30 kilometers long.
Snorkeling is so-so from shore, decent out at select areas near the reef.
200 meters from the coast there are corals and colorful fish at the 1-2 meter depth. (One of the best places for snorkeling is near the Rio Taino hotel.)
An excursion will take you to the corals just off the Cabeza de Toro yacht club.
If you are planning on snorkeling, find one of the locals on the beach with their own boat. They will take you snorkeling for about $US10-15 for about 1 hour. Or conveniently book an excursion, more expensive, at your hotel.
Scuba
Diving is good, not great, because right off shore from the Punta Cana side the water is riddled with barrier reefs. The area though is most appropriate for beginning divers. It is a great place to learn since the waters, even far out, are so shallow. Excursions will take you to discover a shipwreck and lots of nice coral formations, channels and tunnels. Not a large variety of fish, due to the spear fishermen you pass on the way out. Water temp 75 F.
If you are serious about scuba diving, but still want to vacation in the Punta Cana area you may participate in dive excursions to Catalina and Saona islands, a two hour drive away. These dives are attractive to both beginners and advanced scuba divers.
Fishing
In this region, big game fishing is unsurpassed and tournaments draw international participants in the summer. You can look forward to catching blue marlin, barracuda, and dorado among others. Best fishing is in the summer. Arrangements can be made at hotel front desks or at the Cabeza de Toro Yacht Club or Punta Cana Marina for a full day or half day of fishing. The Cabeza de Toro Yacht Club is the site of the World Light Tackle Tournament.
Windsurfing and parasailing
At the point where the Caribbean and Atlantic Oceans meet, the winds are powerful so this is a good area for windsurfing and parasailing.
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