- Pescado frito at El Cortecito: fried red snapper with tostones.
- Resort buffets do the volume; the beach shacks do the flavour.
- Mamajuana: the rum, wine and herb infusion sold everywhere.
Punta Cana City Guide
Bavaro Beach, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Punta Cana is the Caribbean's biggest all-inclusive machine: 60km of white sand from Uvero Alto to Cap Cana, lined with resorts. It is not a town in any traditional sense; the draw is the beach, the water sports, and the ease of it all.
The essentials: Bavaro Beach, a catamaran to Saona Island, and the Indigenous Eyes ecological park. For local life, head to El Cortecito's beach shacks or the town of Higüey inland.
What to do in Punta Cana
Beaches and water
- 1
Bavaro Beach The long white-sand beach: the heart of the resort zone. - 2
Saona Island The day-trip cay: natural pools, starfish, palm groves. - 3Indigenous Eyes Ecological Park Freshwater lagoons in the forest reserve near Punta Cana village.
- 4
Macao Beach The wilder public beach north of Bavaro: surf and food shacks.
Beyond the beach
- 1
El Cortecito The old fishing village strip: beach bars and fried fish. - 2
Higüey The inland city: the modern Basilica of La Altagracia. - 3Scape Park The adventure park at Cap Cana: ziplines, Hoyo Azul cenote.
Punta Cana Hotel Guide
How to choose the best places to stay in Punta Cana. Verified properties below; for the full list, search live availability on Booking.com.
Luxury
Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana
The all-inclusive on Juanillo Beach, Cap Cana's calm water.
View on Booking.comWhere to eat
Getting there and around
Punta Cana International (PUJ) is 20 minutes from Bavaro. Resort transfers are standard; taxis are fixed-price. Caribe Tours coaches run to Santo Domingo (3 hours).