Vert!go

I am planning a trip to the Caribbean in late February. I have been hearing a lot of chatter about Punta Cana. Anybody been there or know someone that has? For those of you that don't know, Punta Cana is on the Eastern Shore of the Dominican Republic.

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onetime2

Depends on what you're going for. I haven't been there but know that it is less than ideal as a diving/snorkeling spot.

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splck

I've been there and I would give it two solid thumbs up. It's cheap and the people are great.

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bobw

I've been to other parts of the DR (Santo Domingo, Santiago, Puerta Plata, Playa Grande, Boca Chica) and loved it, I would definitely go again !!

Feb 27 is the DR independence day. Huge parades, tons of Presidente beer, and getting whacked with balloons made out of sheep bladders.... Awesome time (seriously)!!!

wiseguy1100

Vert!go, not sure exactly what you mean by "What's the deal with Punta Cana?"

Punta Cana is a great resort destination. The resorts are mostly newer and almost always all-inclusive. I usually find a lot of great packages to Punta Cana, and end up sending a lot of my clients there - especially those that are on a tight budget, or who want the most bang for their buck (e.g, a typical 3-4 star hotel in Jamaica may cost the same as a 6 star hotel in Punta Cana).

dy156

We looked seriously at going there last summer, but decided to remodel the kitchen, instead. It did seem to be more bang for the buck as far as resorts went. Other things I found out:
unlike most of the carribean, the locals are hispanic;
your money goes really far outside of the resorts, but there is not nearly as much local stuff to do as compared to other islands;
because of the prevailing winds or something, it is supposed to be hotter than other islands;
Catholics don't like things like nude beaches, so don't expect Hedonism style craziness.
Maybe next year.

crewsor

I'm going in early Feb.
Everything I've heard thus far has been positive. Staying at the Secrets Excellence resort. All inclusive. I think its gonna be a blast.
If I remember I'll let you know how it was.

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wiseguy1100

crewsor - you should have a blast! I have booked a lot of my clients there, and I have heard nothing but great reviews. Please post yours when you get back!

wmeyrink

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gabshu

Punta Cana is alright if you want to do one of those trips where you don't leave the resort because there's armed guards that won't let you. The beaches are nice altough I defenetly like Aruba better, it's a little more civilized and you can go out to clubs without worrying about all the terrible things that can happen to you. If you do decide to go to Punta Cana I'm sure you'll have a blast anyway.
Good luck!

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splck

WTF are you talking about? Armed guards not letting you out? I know a lot of people that have been there and this is simply not true. Some of my family has lived in the DR for over 30 years and I can tell you that the Dominicans are some of the most friendly people around. Coincidently my mom is from Aruba, so I'm familiar with that country too. It's nice and all, but costs a hack of a lot more and has no where near the things to do or see.

When were you there? What resort did you stay in?

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gabshu

I was there 2 years ago at one of the big resorts there I don't remember the name. And yeah there were armed guards at the point where the hotel's beach ended. I have nothing against the DR, I know a lot of people from there and they are very nice people, but I don't think its safe for tourists to go to remote places where there's a big change they'll get robed or worse.

I really had a great time when i was there, and being from the Caribbean myself (Venezuela) this was no surprise to me. When I was in Punta Cana we had nowhere else to go but the resort, maybe you know other people in DR and they can tell you what to do, but me and my friends were stuck there. If money wasn't an issue I would choose to go to Aruba over Punta Cana any day.

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splck

I’ve just never heard of anyone one being "stuck" at a resort. Have you heard of cars, motorcycles? All it takes is a bit an initiative to get out and see other areas. I guess I see things differently than you.

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LuFega

I'm Dominican... yay me!

My folks have a time share in Punta Cana. They want to sell it. Any buyers?

crewsor

Getting closer now. Five weeks to go. If anyone familiar with the area has any travel advice, I would like to hear it.

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Minx

crewsor, please let us know how your trip goes. I'm planning one myself soon but haven't decided on the destination! I'd be very curious to hear how you like it.

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Sparhawk

I spent 3 days at an all-inclusive in Punta Cana a couple years back. It was a good time, did some sight-seeing. The clientele at that time of the season was mostly European - and the funny thing about the Europeans I saw was the amount of food they ate at meals was roughly in inverse proportion to the amount of swimsuit they wore.

I will say this though, those were the best beaches the DR has to offer (Boca Chica, *shudder*)

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crewsor

Well, the vacation is over and it’s back to the real world. The resort I stayed at ( Secrets Excellence) was as close to paradise as anyone could imagine. First class all the way.
Every inch of the property was beautifully landscaped, it had huge pools with a great swim up pool bar, more restaurants than we had days to sample and more amenities than I can list, including a stocked mini bar and two person jacuzzi in each room.
The people who worked there were incredibly eager to please and friendly. Most spoke limited English but knew enough to get the job done. I had no problem communicating with them and I know very little Spanish.
I would highly recommend this place to anyone who is considering traveling to the Caribbean.
As for armed guards restricting your travel, I never saw it, and I left the resort almost every day, either by walking the beautiful beaches, or by bus for day excursions. They did have security posted at the gates and both property lines along the beach, but they never attempted to restrict anyone’s travel and had no visible weapons. They seemed to be there simply to make sure everything was O.K. and to regulate access to the hotel.
The bottom line is I wish I could go back tomorrow. I wouldn't hesitate. I took loads of pictures. If I get a chance and can figure out a host, Maybe I'll post some.

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crewsor

Heres some pics.

Punta Cana

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SexyCat

my sister went there and loved it

Ov3rKiLL

oh man this place is badass i went here and i saw good looking chiks form other parts off the wolrd and almost got laid. well int he otherhand this place is awesome

floydthebarber

I've been to the DR several times over the years and always enjoy myself.
The poster that said she had to stay on the resort property due to armed guards must have been missinformed or a little timid to venture off site. She says "but I don't think its safe for tourists to go to remote places where there's a big change they'll get robed or worse". Man, I couldn't disagree more with that. My wife and I never felt "unsafe" while zipping around, checking out the sites. The main reason they want you to stay onsite it so you spend your cash there rather than in town. Items like rum, beer, restaurant food (better tasting too), cigarettes are way cheaper in town than in the resorts. We would walk off site, hire a "pasola" (small motorbike) and for less than $1 the guy would take us anywhere we wanted. A trip into town to buy some cheap beer and some lunch or just to see the small towns in the area.

Renting a car for a day is a blast also. Heading West towards the capital (Santo Domingo is a bit hairy itself) is a nice drive, the 3 hours of driving leading up to it is a fantastic drive with loads of beachs and sites.
Don't be timid of checking out the "real" DR, away from the resorts.

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woOt?

Well, I'm going next Friday. I'm taking advantage of my parents timeshare. It's all inclusive for seven whole days. I can't wait..more when I return..