Punta Cana

Understand

thumb|300px|A resort in Punta Cana thumb|300px|The beach of Punta Cana In the province of La Altagracia with a population estimated at 100,000, the region borders the Atlantic Ocean to the east. To the north, it borders Bávaro and El Cortecito. It also borders Cabeza de Toro, Cabo Engaño and further west, Juanillo.

Peak season in Punta Cana tends to run from December-April. Prices in both airfare and hotel increase dramatically during these times, while dropping in the summer and early fall months.

Punta Cana has a tropical climate. Although it is mildly windy, the ocean in the area is mainly shallow, with several natural marine pools in which visitors can bathe. The weather is fairly constant, with an average temperature of 26°C. The hottest season lasts from April to November, and during the day temperatures might reach 32°C. From December to March, temperatures during the evening are around 20°C. Very little rain falls around the area, mostly because of the flat landscape. The summer months tend to be very warm and very humid. It is suggested you wear loose fitting, cotton clothing, so pack light.

Punta Cana was founded as a tourist resort and tourism still is 100% of the local economy. Prices are much higher than in the rest of the Dominican Republic and within the area prices in the resorts are higher than outside (up to 300% for postcards, cigars and souvenirs). Therefore lots of resorts employ the tactic of scaring their visitors from venturing outside by propagatin…

Get around

Tour operators: Most passengers arriving in Punta Cana International Airport have prearranged local transportation through a tour operator. These companies have representatives at the airport to guide guests to vehicles waiting to take them to the reserved resort. If you are travelling with a tour operator it is highly recommended that you attend any welcome meetings and orientations offered by your tour operator. In these meetings you'll receive important information regarding your hotel and immediate area information, activity and excursion options, and departure information.

Taxis: If you are not travelling with a tour operator, a number of taxi drivers are available just outside the Customs area to provide you transportation to the place of your choice. All taxis operate with standard rates; most drivers carry a copy of these. The best thing to do when hiring a taxi is to clarify your destination and the price in advance. You pay upon arrival at your destination. Most hotels have taxi stations on or near their property; in most cases a bellman or front desk clerk can order a taxi for you. Taxi drivers accept dollars, pesos, and euros.

Local buses: For the more adventurous, the local bus lines operate on most of the roads of the area, for a minimal cost. The downside to public transport in the Dominican Republic is irregular bus schedules, crowded vehicles, and potentially unsafe vehicles (689 casualties in 2007), drivers, or passengers. Although for the most part it is …

See

thumb|right|200px|Saona Island

Do

thumb|The beach of Cabeza de Toro

Buy

Make sure you spend the remainder of your Dominican pesos. It is next to impossible elsewhere to convert your pesos back to US dollars or euros.

There are a variety of shops along the beachfront of each resort. These shops are owned and operated by the locals. Shopping outside of the resort complex in Punta Cana/Bavaro can be kind of an adventure. In most shopping plazas, you can expect to be approached by one or more friendly, but insistent salespersons. The people of the Dominican Republic love to bargain. You can expect that once in one of their stores you will be taken for a ride. You will initially be quoted ridiculously outrageous prices. It is imperative that you get the item as cheaply as you can. This can become quite an ordeal as the shopkeeper fights with you, insults you for your frugality, etc.

When walking along the beach vendors will solicit your business. It can be annoying as they will keep pestering you until you come and look at what they have to offer. Tell them that you are not interested and keep walking. The best way of letting the locals know that you are not interested is to tell them that you have no money. The people of the Dominican Republic are very friendly and are offended when you walk past them with no acknowledgement of their presence. A simple "no, thank you" may sometimes work, but in most cases, they will not take no for an answer and will continue to chase and harass you.

Do not buy dried animals (turtle shells, sea shells, etc.) becau…

Drink

Drinking from the tap is not recommended. You should be okay using it to brush your teeth, but don't swallow it. Most hotels provide bottled water in the rooms; restaurants and bars use purified water and ice for your food and beverages. All-inclusive resorts have an endless supply of liquor. You may also drink at neighboring resorts within your own property, but you may have to pay or let them know your room number and resort name at the very least. With the sun constantly beating down on you (much stronger since it is right next to the Tropic of Cancer) and the endless supply of alcohol, dehydration is a constant danger. Make sure you drink lots of water or you may end up in a doctor's office suffering from dehydration and a fever. Mamajuana is a local concoction of rum, wine, root or tree bark, and honey. However, there may be different recipes for the same beverage that locals say functions like liquid Viagra.

Sleep

thumb|Seen from a resort; a pool in the front and the sea in the back

Connect

Many hotels offer Wi-Fi areas in the lobby. If you walk outside your resort, Internet cafés will be half the price (yet still pricey by Dominican standards). For example, USD8 per hour in the resort, USD4 per hour in town in Punta Cana or Bavaro. In other parts of the DR, Internet cafés are USD2 per hour or often less.

Stay safe

Be careful when trying to get an Uber from one of the resorts in Punta Cana. Taxi mafias will follow you and harass you, and they will also call the Tourist Police to make a trouble with your Uber driver should he be brave enough to come and pick you up.

Go next

The north is hard to reach, unless going by private car, so Santo Domingo or, on the way, La Romana and Juan Dolio are the only logical next hops. Santo Domingo is the first European settlement of the Western Hemisphere. Its Zona Colonial has preserved its colonial heritage for more than five centuries, and is recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage site. Visit the first cathedral of the Americas or the Alcazar de Colon, the palace of Diego, son of Christopher Columbus.