Dominican Republic
Punta Cana is the Caribbean’s great all-inclusive escape, a long ribbon of palm-backed white sand on the eastern tip of the Dominican Republic where Bávaro, Cap Cana, Macao and Uvero Alto line up beside calm, reef-sheltered turquoise water.
Most visitors fly straight into Punta Cana International Airport and settle into a resort, but the best trips mix lazy beach days with the excursions that make the island unforgettable: a speedboat run to Saona Island and its starfish sandbars, a long day in Santo Domingo’s Colonial City, the oldest European city in the Americas, a small-group catamaran over the reef, a swim in the blue cenote of Hoyo Azul and the squirrel monkeys of Monkeyland. Evenings mean resort dinners, a night at Coco Bongo’s acrobatic show-and-club, or a sunset walk on Bávaro Beach. This guide books the excursions worth booking, tells you how long each day really runs, and matches five resorts, from an adults-only splurge in Uvero Alto to a value all-inclusive on El Cortecito beach, to the trip you have in mind.
Bávaro Beach (Playa Bávaro)
Punta Cana’s signature beach: a long, walkable sweep of white sand and calm, reef-sheltered turquoise water lined with resorts, beach bars and the lively El Cortecito and Los Corales strips. Free and open to everyone.
Saona Island Small-Group Day Trip
The classic Punta Cana day out: a speedboat from Bayahibe to the palm-fringed beaches of Saona Island, with a turtle conservation stop at Mano Juan, a buffet lunch on Abanico Beach and starfish and snorkeling at Palmilla. Small groups, open bar included.
Santo Domingo Colonial Zone Day Trip
A full day in the Dominican capital, the oldest European city in the Americas: the first cathedral of the New World, Calle Las Damas, the Museo de las Casas Reales and the cobbled Colonial Zone, with lunch, entry fees and a guide included.
Small-Group Catamaran and Snorkeling Cruise
A relaxed half-day sail along the Bávaro coast with Happy Fish Catamarans: snorkeling in a quiet natural reserve, a waist-deep sandbar with a floating bar, paddleboards, snacks and an open bar, in a group of no more than 16.
The classic Punta Cana day out: a speedboat from Bayahibe to the palm-fringed beaches of Saona Island, with a turtle conservation stop at Mano Juan, a buffet lunch on Abanico Beach and starfish and snorkeling at Palmilla. Small groups, open bar included.
A full day in the Dominican capital, the oldest European city in the Americas: the first cathedral of the New World, Calle Las Damas, the Museo de las Casas Reales and the cobbled Colonial Zone, with lunch, entry fees and a guide included.
A relaxed half-day sail along the Bávaro coast with Happy Fish Catamarans: snorkeling in a quiet natural reserve, a waist-deep sandbar with a floating bar, paddleboards, snacks and an open bar, in a group of no more than 16.
A swim in a jewel-blue cenote at the foot of a limestone cliff in Cap Cana’s Scape Park, reached by a guided nature trail through cactus, orchids and bromeliads and a wooden staircase down to the water. Sold by Scape Park itself.
A safari-truck ride into the hills to feed free-roaming squirrel monkeys from your hands, then a plantation stop with coffee and cocoa demonstrations and a tasting, and a walk through a Dominican village. Round-trip transfers included.
The resort area’s adventure playground on the Boulevard Turístico del Este: zipline circuits that end in a splash into a pool, VIP buggy tours on dirt tracks, a waterfall pool and a Dominican village visit, with hotel transfers included.
Punta Cana’s biggest night out: a Vegas-style show-meets-nightclub in Downtown Punta Cana with flying acrobats, live bands, movie scenes and pop-star tribute acts, and an open bar on your entry ticket. Adults 18 and over.
A long, wild day north of the resorts: a boat through the mangroves and limestone islets of Los Haitises National Park to caves with Taíno rock art, the hilltop swings and views of Montaña Redonda, and the waterfall at Rancho Salto Yanigua.
FreePunta Cana’s signature beach: a long, walkable sweep of white sand and calm, reef-sheltered turquoise water lined with resorts, beach bars and the lively El Cortecito and Los Corales strips. Free and open to everyone.
A 1,500-acre private nature reserve run by the Fundación Puntacana, with forest trails leading to crystal-clear freshwater springs you can swim in, set beside the Puntacana Resort near the airport.
Hotels we would book ourselves, from splurges to good-value bases.
$$$$Uvero Alto
An adults-only, all-suite, all-inclusive resort on the quiet golden sands of Uvero Alto, with low-rise buildings, lagoon-style pools, eleven restaurants, the Miilé Spa and an exclusive Excellence Club. Our splurge pick for couples.
Rates on Expedia →
$$$Macao
A huge, high-energy all-inclusive on Macao beach with 13 pools, the Rockaway Bay water park, a big casino, Hard Rock Golf, the Rock Spa, the Roxity Kids Club and the Oro Nightclub. Something for every age.
Rates on Expedia →Bávaro (Barceló Bávaro Grand Resort)
A classic family all-inclusive on Bávaro Beach, part of the Barceló Bávaro Grand Resort, with more than 200 family rooms, two themed water parks, eleven restaurants, a 24-hour casino, a 1,400-seat theater and The Lakes golf course.
Rates on Expedia →
$$$Bávaro (Arena Gorda)
An all-suite, all-inclusive on a Blue Flag stretch of Bávaro Beach, with the Star Camp kids club, specialty restaurants from Kabuki to Brave Steakhouse, a P.B. Dye golf course, a coral nursery and shared facilities with two sister resorts.
Rates on Expedia →Bávaro (El Cortecito)
A recently refurbished, good-value all-inclusive right on the seafront at El Cortecito, with eleven restaurants, ten bars, food and drinks around the clock, a Royal Level and walking access to the beach bars of Bávaro’s liveliest strip.
Rates on Expedia →The practical primer for a first visit to Punta Cana: how many days to plan, which excursions to book ahead from Saona Island to Santo Domingo, getting around from an all-inclusive, and how to balance beach days with day trips.
How to choose your base in Punta Cana, from an adults-only splurge in quiet Uvero Alto to a mega-resort at Macao, family favorites on Bávaro Beach and a good-value all-inclusive on El Cortecito.
