Punta Cana: 5 tips for your trip to the Dominican Republic written by Jacob Gowland Jørgensen
The dream holiday in the Caribbean
Do you also dream of the Caribbean from time to time? Beautiful beaches, nice weather and freshly squeezed juices from exotic fruits. An everyday life blown away by sand between your toes and a driver-life at the water's edge under the palm trees.
If yes, then you are not alone. The Caribbean is a tourist magnet, and in the middle of it all lies the Dominican Republic, where the entire east coast consists of a long, picture-perfect beach, which over the years has gained a lot of hotels in the 4- and 5-star category.
The whole area is known as Punta Cana, although today it extends over more areas than the original Punta Cana. Take a trip to the beautiful Caribbean beaches and experience all that Punta Cana has to offer.
Cheating and 7 days of luxury in Punta Cana
I had been lucky enough to win a trip to the Dominican Republic with 7 nights at the Majestic Colonial Resort, a 5-star luxury hotel in the middle of the wide beach in the Punta Cana area. The hotel is located next to its two sister hotels, and our hotel alone had 658 rooms in various categories.
Majestic is an all-inclusive hotel that has taken the best from theme parks. 99% is free as soon as you are locked inside in the heat, and that makes it easy enough to be on vacation.
The only thing we had to pay extra for at the hotel was if we wanted to use the big spa and have skin treatments. Otherwise, it was all with.
I'm not usually the type who will go for it, but I was so pleasantly surprised at how well it can be done when a hotel just sets the level high enough on service, facilities and decor.
Fortunately, there was also time to see something other than the inside of the hotel on the trip to Punta Cana, and those tips are here.
Farewell to prejudice in the meeting with the Dominican Republic
Punta Cana is a very popular travel destination for American tourists, but our stay was actually an excellent way to kill some prejudices about Americans. It seemed like 80% were American and most of those who weren't spoke French.
Some were French, some were Canadians, and then there was a single Spanish-speaking hist and piste. But we did not once hear a Nordic language - or German for that matter.
The Americans who come here are pretty far from the scary image of the grainy, beefy American oozing around Walmart. We bumped into so many polite, generous and decidedly cozy Americans here that it was a pleasure that added a little extra spice to the experience. Some of them were wedding guests, or even bridal couples, so there were both cupids and romance in the air.
What Punta Cana is best for – beach and relaxation
I'm a bathing animal. I love water, and so it's a party when you can be on the beach, take a dip in the pool and end up in your own jacuzzi afterwards. It's health at its best.
The beach in Punta Cana has a constant wind that is sometimes a breeze and sometimes shows a little more teeth, and that means there are good waves to jump around in. When you have been waved around well, you can take a nap under the palm trees with a cool juice or bath in hand.
We were at the beach every single day for a few hours. Bathing. Read. Enjoyed. Looked. Bathed again. In the evening we often went down there again. When you are born on an island, there is something special about it havet.
Punta Cana is paradise for water dogs and offers one sandy Caribbean beach after another. Most of the hotels in the area are located next to beautiful beaches, so there is a good opportunity to find your own spot. Some of the most famous beaches in Punta Cana are Juanillo Beach, Playa Blanca and Macao Beach, all of which are worth a visit.
Night music and entertainment at Punta Cana
In the evening there were music shows and entertainment in all possible and impossible ways. We happened to pass by a music show that was so well screwed together that we surrendered to the soft seats and with a drink in hand enjoyed the summer night to the tunes.
Since Punta Cana is a bit of a tourist paradise, there is plenty of entertainment in the evening if you are up for it. It's very easy to find an ice-cold tropical drink while you sit with your feet in the sand and enjoy the lively sounds of the festive music.
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Great nature experiences on your trip
To be sure to experience as much as possible, we also went on a full day trip to the national park "Los Haitises", which is a beautiful wetland north of Punta Cana.
It was an interesting day, which also featured the only decided flop of the trip, namely a guide who was very refreshed, even though he was not exactly the fastest moped at the port. Aside from him and the slightly changing weather, it was a cool ride.
Most others went on whale watching trips, because in winter it is one of the best places in the world to see humpback whales in free play. We must try that next time.
Combine your trip in Punta Cana with Santa Domingo
If your trip goes to the Dominican Republic, it is definitely recommended to combine a trip to Punta Cana with a few days in Santo Domingo.
We ended up combining the stay with staying for a few days Santo Domingo, the beautiful colonial capital, where there was also some scrumptiously delicious food and culture ad libitum. You can also settle for a day trip from Punta Cana to Santo Domingo and still have some cool experiences in the beautiful city.
The feeling of vacation in the Dominican Republic
After a few days at the hotel, we were mentally as far removed from our everyday life as you can imagine. Life was about enjoyment. And you get that in Punta Cana.
Today's big topics were which breakfast restaurant to try today and whether we should go for a walk before or after the beach. Whether we should eat at the Dominican restaurant or go to the gourmet corner in the evening. And hey, have you seen that there are also sea kayaks that you can borrow?
The body battery needed charging after several dark and cold months, and it was to that extent. Even if you can't afford to stay in a luxury hotel, the Dominican Republic is still worth a visit.
Have a great trip to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic!
You must do that on your trip to Punta Cana
- Relax on the beautiful beaches
- Visit Santo Domingo
- Take a full-day trip to “Los Haitises” National Park
- Experience the Caribbean below havet on a snorkeling trip
- Go whale watching
- Take a day trip into the Anamuya Mountains and experience the beautiful scenery
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