Punta Cana Travel Guide
Located in La Altagracia Province of the Dominican Republic, Punta Cana is a unique resort town that is highlighted by its beautiful beaches, vibrant nightlife and its perfect weather to have a great day relaxing in the sun or practicing any of the amused activities that this tropical paradise offers. If you’re looking for a place to escape and enjoy the sun and the sea breeze that you’ll only find in a coastal destination, this beautiful stretch of coastline in the Dominican Republic is the best option for your next vacation.
Discover everything you need to know to have the best experience in this slice of heaven in the next Punta Cana Travel Guide. Best time of year to visit, best places to explore, where to stay? Where to eat? What to do? This and some other questions we’ll respond to in the next paragraphs. Stay with us and know the authentic experience of this Caribbean paradise.
WEATHER IN PUNTA CANA AND WHEN TO VISIT
As we said, one of the strongest points to visit this destination is its perfect and comfortable tropical climate, with an average annual temperature that is around between 27 and 31ºC, so any time of the year is good to visit. However, there’s a rainy season around June to November, when the hurricane season is in full swing in the offseason. If you want to save some money, this last season is ideal as long as you take a look at the weather forecast for the week you’re going to travel.
However, if we talk about the best season in Punta Cana, that period corresponds to the time between March to May, when we found excellent weather, fewer crowds and reasonable prices on accommodations compared to the winter high season that comprises around December to February.
ACTIVITIES IN PUNTA CANA AND BEST PLACES
Although Punta Cana is mainly a tropical destination that is highlighted by its beautiful beaches with turquoise waters and white sands, the truth is that there’s more than this in this destination. In addition to its fame as a tropical paradise, Punta Cana is one of the best points to organize excursions of one day, places like Santo Domingo, La Española, Saona island or Samaná, are some of the most preferred by the visitors.
Now, if you are looking for the beach and sun in this destination, some of the most beautiful beaches in the world could be found in Punta Cana. Among the favorites to the visitors are: Bavaro beach, Macao beach, Cabeza de Toro, El Cortecito and Uvero Alto, among others. However, there are other places to discover on the inside of Punta Cana, some of the most interesting are Hoyo azul (Blue hole) which is a natural sink-hole around 15 miles south of the resort itself, also, the ecological park Ojos indigenas is one of the best places if you want to discover the wildlife of this destination, as well as Dolphin Island Park where you’ll be able to swim with this charismatic creatures. If we keep talking about the activities that this destination offers, we probably wouldn’t finish, that’s why we gathered the main activities that you can’t miss in this destination in the next list:
- Relax on the charming Caribbean beaches.
- Visit the ecological park Ojos indígenas.
- Explore Hoyo azul.
- Take a tour to some of the near beautiful destinations to Punta Cana.
- Practice submarine activities such as snorkeling, diving or surfing.
- Visit the beautiful caves inside the jungle.
- Know the amazing Dolphin Island Park.
- Practice your hits in some of the popular Punta Cana golf courses.
- Sail a catamaran around the beach.
- Visit some of the huge shopping malls like Palma Real Shopping Village or Plaza Bavaro.
WHERE TO STAY AND WHAT TO EAT IN PUNTA CANA
Maybe one of the most important points to your visit in any destination, is the place where you’re going to stay. Due to the huge lodging industry in Punta Cana and the wide list of options that you can find here, locating the best hotel for your trip could be a tedious task. However, as we said, Punta Cana counts with a wide list of lodging options that could fit perfectly with the kind of travel that you are planning. From all-inclusive resorts to cozy beachfront hostels, the hotels in Punta Cana are highlighted by its excellent services and diverse concepts.
Now, if you’re looking for places to eat, these two points are deeply connected one another, as some of the best restaurants in Punta Cana could be found in the amazing resorts that are distributed by some of the areas preferred by the visitors such as Bavaro, El Cortecito or Uvero Alto, etc. However, there’s great independent restaurants too, such as the Captain Cook in Cortecito where you can find the best lobster in town, the Jellyfish Beach Restaurant for seafood and cocktails or Mathilda for traditional Dominican dishes like arroz blanco and plantain mash. Among the favorite places of the visitor are:
- La Mona.
- Citrus restaurant.
- Captain Cook.
- Mathilda.
- La Palapa.
- Noah.
- La Casita de Yeya.
- Pranama.
- Nakamura Cap Cana.
- Pastrata.
If we talk about hotels, although your hotel choice will mainly depend on the kind of travel that you’re planning, we highly recommend hosting you in an all-inclusive hotel, as you can find very good options on the internet with packs and offers that are definitely worth it. Among the best options of lodging in this destination are:
- Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana.
- Eden Roc Cap Cana.
- Catalonia Punta Cana All-Inclusive.
- Majestic Elegance Punta Cana – All Inclusive.
- Coral Village – Apartments Caribbean Cocktails.
- Iberostar Grand Bávaro.
- Sanctuary Cap Cana Resort & Spa.
- Hotel Castillo Real.
- Zoëtry Agua Punta Cana.
- Secrets Cap Cana Resort & Spa.
USEFUL ADVICES FOR YOUR TRIP
Finally, we gathered some FAQ and useful advices for your next visit to this destination. Good Luck!
- Do you need a visa to travel to Punta Cana? No, though, you will probably have to fill out two forms that are given to you on the plane during the journey to the country.
- What currency is used in Punta Cana? The currency used in Punta Cana is the Dominican peso, however, you can pay with both dollars and euros, since they accept these two currencies almost everywhere, also, most places allow you to pay by card.
- How to Get to Punta Cana? If you’re not traveling with an agency that provides you this, the most common way to get to this destination is by plane, as Punta Cana International Airport is served by a wide range of carriers, so finding a suitable flight shouldn’t be hard.
- If you’re going to travel to this destination, we recommend you pack mainly three things: Swimsuit, sunscreen and mosquito repellent.
- The best clothing that you can bring to this place is light clothing, sandals, sunglasses, a straw hat and a light coat, just in case.
- There are many options to get around in Punta Cana, the most popular ones are taxis, rented cars and public transportation of course, however, the best option is rent a car, as this process is easy in Punta Cana and prices are low as well, at around RD $700 ($13 USD) per day (much cheaper than taxis).
