Punta Cana – Dominican Republic Visitor Guide Series Part 1 of 5

Hi all, I am doing a little something different this month and doing a 5 part series on cities to visit in the Dominion Republic. This is part 1 of 5. Below are links to other cities in the country that we hope to visit. I have been watching some of my favorite YouTube vloggers Delightful Travellers and they have been there for six months and are planning to be there for a few more months. They make it look so beautiful and inviting that we are seriously thinking about spending a week or so there over Christmas and New Years’ this year. We have never been out of the country over the New Year I don’t think, and have never been to the Dominion Republic so this will be an adventure!  Not sure where we will end up if we do go to the DR, thus I wanted to do some research on many cities to decide where we would like to visit most. This post is about the place that many think about when they think of the DR, Punta Cana. In this post, I am going to share some of the fun things I hope to do if we make it to Punta Cana as well as share a little history about the area.

I will start with a little history. Punta Cana is in the Easternmost region of the DR and is the second-most popular tourist destination in Latin America, with more visitors than any other city in the Caribbean. While it is known as a resort town, it is also known for its white-sand beaches and blue turquoise waters which face both the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Punta Cana has about 100-kilometer (62 miles) of coastline which tends to be mildly windy which makes it a great place to kitesurf which is quite popular in the area. The ocean waters are mainly shallow with several marine pools. Sounds beautiful.

The weather is hot for most of the year, especially in late summer and autumn when the Northern Tropics receive their most direct sunlight, which makes it a destination to visit any time of the year. With that said, the average temperature is 26 °C (79 °F). The hot and humid season lasts from May to October, and during the day temperatures might reach 35 °C (95 °F). From November to March, temperatures during the evening are around 20 °C (68 °F).

Here is a list of some of the most popular beaches, and ones that I have highlighted for our future trip:

• Bavaro Beach
• Macao Beach
• Juanillo Beach
• Playa La Vacama
• Playa  Los Corales
• Playa Blanca
• Arena Gorda Beach
• Cabeza de Toro Beach

If you get tired of the beach, or the sun, there are plenty of shops and restaurants to check out.

• BlueMall PuntaCana
• Punta Blanca Mall
• Hard Rock Casino
• San Juan Shopping Center
• Mercadillo del Guineo Mauduro
• Cirque Du Soleil Bazzar

If you aren’t feeling much like doing a shopping spree, or you have kids with you, here are a few fun adventures the whole family can enjoy. There is something for everyone in your group.

Dolphin Island

Want to swim with the dolphins? If so, check out Dolphin Island. They are dedicated to creating moments of intense happiness for their visitors through a natural, friendly, and safe interaction with dolphins, sea lions, sharks, and stingrays

Hoyo Azul

These turquoise waters have a depth of 37 meters at their deepest point where you will find some of the most peculiar flora and fauna in the Caribbean. To top it off, this spectacular lagoon is at the foot of a 65mt high cliff.

Reserva Ecológica Ojos Indígenas

This lowland subtropical forest reserve covers 1,500 acres of land dedicated to conservation, scientific research, and recreation.  There are twelve freshwater lagoons, five of which visitors can swim in. Historians discovered that apparently the Taíno Indians, the pre-Columbian inhabitants of the island, referred to the lagoons as “eyes” because of their distinctive shape. For this reason, the Ecological Park and Reserve were named “Ojos Indígenas” or “Indigenous Eyes.”The Ecological Park consists of numerous exhibits describing the cultural and natural history of the island.

 Manati Park

Set in 80.000 m2 of typical Caribbean flora and fauna is Manati Park. Here you will find more than 150 species of animals and plants in their natural habitat. While visiting the park, you will have the chance to touch different species like parrots, iguanas, snakes, dolphins, sea lions, and so many others. They also have four animal shows: Dolphins, Sea Lions, Parrots, and Horses.

Dolphin Discovery

Dolphin Discovery has been specially designed to care for the dolphins where you can interact with them in their environment. They state that this is where you can enjoy a day full of adventure and share with these beautiful mammals the best experience of your life.

Downtown Punta Cana

The Downtown Punta Cana area has ​more than 750 thousand square meters and consists of a pleasant complex of various activities for the whole family, which can be used throughout the day and night by the local population and tourists who visit. The area contains shops and offices, restaurants and bars, daytime sports and leisure attractions, and nocturnal attractions for adults, guaranteeing an experience at all levels.

Sirenis Aquagames Punta Cana

This is one of the newest attractions on the Island and the only water park in the Punta Cana area. At Sirenis Aquagames there are attractions for the whole family, extreme rides for grownups as well as a Pirate Theme Pool for kids, a picnic area, nursery, gift shop, lockers, and more. Aromas Museum

Choco Museo Punta Cana

More than a museum, ChocoMuseo is an artisanal chocolate factory where they make their own chocolate from the beans to the bars with selected Dominican organic cacao. The museum is totally free and they offer a free tour to teach you about the history of cacao and chocolate, the cacao tree in nature, and how cacao is transformed into chocolate. It is also a place where visitors can participate in chocolate workshops where they have the possibility to elaborate their own chocolate from the cacao beans.

I hope we can make it to the Dominican Republic sometime this year or the year after. I know there are a lot of things to do in Punta Cana so it might be hard to select just a few, especially if you only have a short amount of time. Whenever we go, I know I plan on going to a beach either early in the morning or late afternoon and exploring other aspects of the area during the day. Have you been to Punta Cana? If so, please share some of your highlights in the comments below and add anything I may have missed while doing research.

Here is a link to my other posts on this series:

Santo Domingo
Las Terrenas
Cabarate
Puerta Plata

Please come back on Tuesday for part four of this series.  Viajes felices!