Visitors can fly directly into the modern Punta Cana International Airport – most hotels here are within a 10 – 45 minute drive of the airport. The next closest airport is La Romana, about 1-1/2 hours away. Santo Domingo Airport is a 3-1/2 to 4 hour drive away.

Don’t expect to find a real town here, it is mainly just a resort area, but there are a few good restaurants outside of the resorts. See Restaurant Reviews. Shopping is limited – the hotels will have stores, and there are beach vendors set up along the beach in different areas. There is also shopping at Plaza Bavaro and the new Palma Real Village. While prices in stores are non-negotiable, bargaining is expected at the beach vendor stalls.

The best way to see other hotels in the area is to walk along the beach, what might be next door to your hotel on the beach could be a 5 or 10 minute cab ride away.

There are many water-related activities and sports available, both at the resorts and outside of the resort. Visit the tour desk in your hotel to see the various tours and activities offered – You can take a jeep safari through the Dominican countryside, an excellent way to see the area. An area attraction is Manati Park, offering horse, parrot, dolphin and sea lion shows as well as a Taino Dancing show. Nightly entertainment is put on by the hotels, and many of the hotels have casinos and discos – there is not much outside of what the resorts offer.

Many of the resorts have beautiful Spas within the resort, offering a full range of services – prices are comparable to what you would pay at home.

For golfers, there are a number of golf courses in the area to choose from, with new ones under construction. Check with your hotel, some offer special rates or packages for nearby golf courses.

The nearest city is Higuey, about 45 minutes away. Many hotel employees live in Higuey. Higuey has no tourist attractions except for the Basilica, a large modern cathedral honouring the Virgen de la Altagracia, patron saint of the Dominican Republic. El Cortecito, located between Punta Cana-Bavaro and Macao, is the closest thing to a little beach town in the area.

Hospiten Bavaro, located near the Punta Cana Airport, offers quality medical treatment and facilities for tourists.

Read the reviews posted on our web site, for travellers’ accounts of their vacations in this beautiful area of the Dominican Republic.

Notes on Map: 1km = .6 mile - Map is not to scale.