Planning a trip to the Dominican Republic and wondering what to do in Punta Cana? With the Canadian winter in full swing, we thought a trip to the Caribbean would do us a world of good. And what better way to fill up on vitamin D than staying in Punta Cana? In this article, I tell you day by day about our 9-day trip to Punta Cana. I detail our activities and our budget for traveling to Punta Cana.

What to do in Punta Cana: Day 1

January 28, 2023 | Temperature: 24/28°C | Weather: Cloudy

Take-off at 8 a.m. for Punta Cana. From Toronto, this popular Caribbean destination is just 4.5 hours by plane. As soon as you land, you’re plunged straight into the paradise atmosphere. The roofs are covered with banana leaves and the airport is completely open. Nevertheless, we soon come down from our little cloud.

An animated arrival in Punta Cana

Once through customs, we were supposed to catch a cab booked directly by our Airbnb. However, as soon as we got out, we were swarmed by twenty or so cabs on the verge of shouting at us to convince us that they were the cheapest. We felt a little mugged at the time. Nevertheless, on explaining to one of the cabbies that we already had a cab booked and were looking for it, he kindly offered to call it for us. Yes, we had no network, and the airport WI-FI was out of reach… And so we finally found our cab to take us to our Airbnb.

We discovered that our accommodation was very well located, just a stone’s throw from Bávaro beach. Many shops and restaurants are nearby. There’s even a parking lot. The accommodation itself is as pictured and quite clean. Everything is provided (even beach towels) and it’s one of the only Airbnbs that doesn’t charge extra for electricity.

Discovering Bávaro

We wondered what to do first in Punta Cana. We decided to head for the famous Bávaro beach. With its fine white sand, palm trees, and ocean, it’s just like the picture postcard! Barefoot on the water’s edge, we start walking along the beach. The sky is blue, the sun warms our skin, and we’re delighted with this sunny escapade! However, our happiness is short-lived. Indeed, every 5 minutes, a shopkeeper would come up to us to encourage us to visit his or her store. They were not mean, but I must admit it was rather disturbing.

After walking along the beach, head for the Carbone restaurant. This Italian restaurant serves good food in a modern, chic setting. We were surprised, given the tourist destination, that the staff spoke very little English. We later learned that English speakers are sent to the resorts. Nevertheless, we managed to make ourselves understood and the food was very good!

This concludes our first day, and it’s with mixed feelings that we go to bed. Indeed, the place is heavenly, but we’re really feeling the tourist side of this destination.

What to do in Punta Cana: Day 2

January 29, 2023 | Temperature: 22/27°C | Weather: Sunny

First real day on site, we head for the Indigenous Eye Ecological Reserve. This nature reserve hides numerous lagoons in which you can swim. As we don’t have a car, we decide to take an Uber. After driving 30km, we arrive at a toll booth. We understand that the reserve is located in the Puntacana Resort & Club and that this is where we’ll be paying the entrance fee (remember this information for the rest of the trip). We pay 50 USD per person, get back into our Uber, and drive 5 to 10 minutes before arriving at the nature reserve. Someone at the reception desk gives us all the explanations we need and tells us several times that the reserve closes at 4.30 pm.

Exploring the nature reserve

And so we begin our exploration. The reserve is truly superb, and the water in the lagoons looks so pure! We walk from lagoon to lagoon, spotting turtles before finding a lagoon that we have the luxury of having all to ourselves. Without a moment’s hesitation, we dive in (okay, I confess, I took the stairs). The water is warm and translucent. We’re on cloud nine. As closing time approaches, we get out of the water, dry off quickly, and head back to the starting point.

A painful return to Bávaro

It was at this precise moment that our problems began. First of all, as we had no cell phone service because we didn’t have a phone plan that supported the Dominican Republic, nor had we bought a sim card, we had no way of ordering an Uber. Fortunately, the friendly person at reception gave us access to WI-FI. Great, now we can order an Uber! EXCEPT, if you remember, the reserve is located in a resort, which implies private property. To get in, you either have to be a member, or pay the entrance fee. But no Uber is going to do that.

After a few looong minutes of waiting (and hoping), we start to desperate and consider leaving the resort to order an Uber from there. But, between the reserve and the entrance to the site, it must be an easy 1h30-2h walk. To give you the picture, it’s 4.25 pm, the reserve will be closing in 5 minutes, and we’re in our still wet bathing suits and wearing our flip-flops. The person at reception, seeing our distress, takes pity on us and starts to help us by asking the last group of people out of the reserve if they can take us to reception. They agreed without hesitation, and here we were, in their car, heading for the resort entrance.

After thanking them a thousand times, we grab the resort’s WI-FI to order an Uber. A driver finally accepts our request! However, when he arrived, he told us he would take us only on condition that we pay the regular cab fare and not the one displayed on Uber. We negotiate through the Google translator to find a compromise before finally accepting and heading back to our Airbnb.

So my advice is that unless you’d like to have anecdotes to tell on your return if you want to visit the Indigenous Eye Ecological Reserve, go with your own car!

Evening at our favorite Punta Cana restaurant

In the evening, we ate at Citrus. The setting is very nice and it offers a varied choice of food (sushi, burger, tacos) which is really very good! The tuna tataki was incredible. This was our favorite restaurant, so much so that we went back a second time. Something that never happens.

On that positive note, our second day comes to an end.

What to do in Punta Cana: Day 3

January 30, 2023 | Temperature: 24/28°C | Weather: Sunny

Direction Bayahibe

Today is excursion day. We meet at 7 a.m. in front of the local supermarket. Patrick from Autentica RepDom will be picking us up to take us to the paradise island of Saona. We climb into the van, pick up other people directly from their resorts, and head for Bayahibe, where the boats leave from. We’re 13 French people in all. From Punta Cana, we drive an hour to Bayahibe. On the road, Patrick tells us a few anecdotes about the Dominican Republic, including one that shocks us: people harvesting sugar cane are paid USD 3 PER TONNE.

Discovering the heavenly Canto de la Playa beach

Arriving in Bayahibe, we board a small speedboat bound for Saona Island. At first, everyone is happy, laughing, and taking photos of the incredible sea, but after a few minutes, the sea becomes increasingly rough. You can feel the boat “jumping” from wave to wave, and there’s a little tension on every passenger’s face. Nevertheless, after about 30 minutes of crossing, we finally catch sight of this little piece of paradise. Turquoise Caribbean sea, coconut palms, fine white sand beaches – it’s a picture-postcard paradise. The icing on the cake is that we have the luxury of having the beach to ourselves for a good ten minutes! Second icing on the cake, Patrick offers us a breakfast of fresh fruit (bananas, coconuts, and mangoes) accompanied by a glass of rum and coke!

Each group explores the beach in its way. The photographer on the tour asks us to pose. Embarrassed and not at all comfortable in front of a camera, we play along. Once we’ve finished making our stars, we borrow a mask and snorkel provided by Patrick to finally go for a swim. The water is so transparent you can see the seabed. I’ll let the photos speak for themselves.

After a few minutes alone, we realize how lucky we are to be on this excursion. A few boats arrive, carrying around 40 people. They moor up, stay for about 30 minutes to take a few photos, and then set off again. We were the first to arrive and the last to leave. So, after 1h30-2h enjoying this paradise beach, we take the boat back to the village of Mano Juan, about 10 minutes away by boat.

Visit to the village of Mano Juan

This is where we’ll have our lunch. The staff quickly set up a buffet with a wide selection of dishes. Everyone helps themselves to one of the two tables. It’s the perfect time to learn more about each other, of course, always accompanied by a glass of cuba libre. It’s during this very convivial moment that we pay the equivalent of 90€ for the excursion.

Then it’s off to visit the village of Mano Juan. We discover a very cute village made up of small colorful houses. Here, we discover the authentic local way of life. We head for a turtle nursery in the hope of seeing some small turtles. Unfortunately, they had already been released 2 days earlier. We continue our visit on our own and it’s at this point that the photographer decides to come and see us to sell us his photos. Not interested, he insists on lowering the price from 80€ for a few photos to 20€ for the whole lot. We finally agreed, thinking that it would make a nice souvenir.

Discovering starfish in a natural pool

After about 2 hours of exploring the village, we set off again for a snorkeling spot. Only one brave soul jumps into the water, but from the boat, we can see an extraordinary concentration of fish. Our final destination is a natural swimming pool. It’s literally a waist-deep pool of turquoise water, right in the middle of the sea. There’s also a huge concentration of starfish. Be careful not to take them out of the water, or they won’t be able to breathe. This incredible day ends with us sipping yet another cuba libre in this exceptional spot.

A nostalgic return to Bávaro

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. It’s with a touch of nostalgia that we return to Bayahibe by boat before setting off again for Punta Cana.

In the evening, we reminisce about this wonderful day over a good Mexican meal at Pastrata Mexican restaurant. It really feels like we’ve stumbled into a family kitchen. The food is very good and the atmosphere is extremely warm.

And so the third day draws to a close.

What to do in Punta Cana: Day 4

January 31, 2023 | Temperature: 25/28°C | Weather: Sunny

Stroll along Bávaro beach

Today I’m solo. Unfortunately, Mehdi has to work. There are worse places, aren’t there? So I take the opportunity to return to Bávaro beach, where I’m surprised to come across a salsa class right on the seafront. I admit to hesitating for long seconds before joining them, but finally, I jump in and have an incredible time! Filled with energy and positive vibes, I decided to walk the length of Bávaro beach. My happiness is ultimate: the sound of the waves, the hot sand, the sun warming my skin, the warm water under my feet – nothing can spoil this moment.

I want to land on the beach but soon realize that most of it is taken and reserved by resorts. I keep on walking, however, before turning around and landing at the Villa Blanca Beach Club. Settled on my deckchair with my strawberry mojito, I relax and enjoy the moment.

Car rental in Punta Cana

Back at our Airbnb, I think I’ll have to rent a car if I want to see more. Indeed, with Mehdi working until the weekend, the original plan was for me to enjoy Punta Cana and its beaches. However, I have to admit that Punta Cana itself isn’t very pretty, and the beaches are mostly reserved for resorts. What’s more, as a single woman, I have to admit that I don’t feel entirely safe.

So I contacted Euris from One Road via WhatsApp, who replied directly, saying he had a car available for me for 60 USD per day including insurance. So I paid via the link he sent me and we arranged to meet the next day so I could collect the car.

Relieved that I’m going to be able to move freely, tonight we went to eat at Wacamole. This Mexican restaurant has a completely open terrace. The music is Latin, and the food is good, perfect for a festive evening.

What to do in Punta Cana: Day 5

February 1, 2023 | Temperature: 24/28°C | Weather: Sunny

After a good night’s sleep, I get up and get ready to pick up my rental car. I met a very friendly Euris, who takes care of all the administrative side of things and also explains that a deposit of 200 USD will be refunded once the car is returned. The check-in is super smooth and I get the keys to my car.

Having chosen not to have a network, I downloaded my route to Macao Beach in advance. This beach had been recommended to us by the people who had kindly escorted us back on our second day when we almost got stuck at the Indigenous Eye Ecological Reserve. That’s how I discovered driving in the Dominican Republic! And let’s face it… everyone has their own rules of the road. You really have to be on your guard, as many two-wheelers can appear out of nowhere. The roads are pretty nice. The only thing to watch out for are the speed bumps, most of which are not advertised, and they’re pretty violent too!

Stroll along Macao Beach

Arriving at my destination after a 30-minute drive, I see a teenager beckoning me to park in a beachside parking space. I do so, and head for Macao Beach. This beach can be compared to Biarritz in the sense that, with its big waves, it’s the ideal spot if you’re looking to surf. It’s also much wilder than Bávaro Beach. Indeed, there are no private beaches. Clearly, you can land wherever you like. Nevertheless, this beach is no exception to the rule that street vendors will come up to you and try to take your picture with an exotic animal or sell you something. The only way to deal with them is to ignore them.

There are a few restaurants on the beach and I decided to stop off at Restaurant El Fogon de Doña Mery. I had fried chicken with plantains, which frankly weren’t good. Looking at the reviews from that day reinforces my decision to tell you to pass on.

After this rather mediocre meal, I find a spot away from the restaurants, close to a coconut tree, and take advantage of this time to relax and unwind. I can only hear the sound of the waves and am only “disturbed” when a group of people ride past.

Negotiating in Punta Cana

It was on this note that I decided to head back to Punta Cana to do some shopping. But first, if you remember correctly, I parked in a parking space indicated by a local. So naturally, to leave this “parking space”, he asked me to pay 500 pesos. Finding the price very excessive, I negotiate 250 pesos with my approximate Spanish, which he accepts. If I had to do it again, I’d negotiate more (100-150 pesos).

Supermarkets in Punta Cana

Back in Bávaro, I headed for the Jumbo supermarket to do some shopping. One of my passions when I visit a country is going to the supermarkets. Yes, OK, weird passion Gwen! But I love discovering local products, seeing brands that are different, and being surprised when I see French brands. Thanks to me, you now know that you can find Président butter in the Dominican Republic, who’d have thought? It gives me the feeling of being part of a country’s culture, because food is part of culture, isn’t it?

Incidentally, this is the only supermarket parking lot I’ve ever parked in where there were policemen with shotguns. Great atmosphere! While waiting at the supermarket checkout, a very friendly Dominican starts up a conversation in English. He approves of my choice of hojuelitas corn chips, and while we’re chatting a little tremor hits me. It’s very, very light, but quite impressive to think that you’ve lived through it.

Evening in Bávaro

Back at the Airbnb, a quick aperitif with local rum and the famous corn chips before settling down at La Bruja Chupadora BBQ & Pub The restaurant is almost fully booked, and it’s easy to see why! The place is really warm, the cocktails are good and the food is delicious.

We end the day with another great evening.

What to do in Punta Cana: Day 6

February 2, 2023 | Temperature: 23/28°C | Weather: Sunny

Today, I decided to hit the road and head for the Caribbean Sea. I headed for La Romana, and in particular, Altos de Chavón and Minitas Beach, located 90km from Bávaro. As on the previous day, I downloaded the itinerary in advance to be able to get there. The majority of the route is made up of the freeway, which is practically empty! So much so that when I see a policeman in the middle of the freeway waving me over to the side, I start to panic.

First arrest in my life

It’s the first time in my life I’ve been arrested, and obviously, it has to be in a country where I don’t speak the language. I stop and start speaking in English. I soon realized that he didn’t speak English. On a misunderstanding, I try to speak to him in French. That didn’t work either. So I start to express myself in the Spanish of a 5-year-old. From what I understand, the problem stems from the fact that my car doesn’t have number plates on either the front or the back. Indeed, the number plate is just a piece of paper taped to the windscreen at the front of the vehicle. I tried to explain to him that it’s a rental car and that if there’s any problem, he can call the number of the rental agency. Finally, seeing my distress, I think he takes pity and lets me go.

Arrival at Altos de Chavón

Still overcome with emotion, but rather proud of having managed with my broken Spanish, I set off again in the direction of La Romana. I had to pay two tolls, one at 100 pesos and the other at 150 pesos, which I paid in cash. I finally arrive at my destination and realize that Altos de Chavón belongs to the Casa de Campo resort and that, if I want to get there, I’ll have to pay 30 USD. Not having come all this way for nothing, I pay and head for a parking lot near Altos de Chavón.

So I arrived in this Mediterranean-style village, which has a real charm about it! Being very hungry, I decided to visit Voala Cafe, which offers brunches on the terrace. I eat there very well, get some WI-FI to look at things to do in the area, and then wander around this picturesque little village. The houses and roads are made of stone, and there’s a lot of vegetation and a breathtaking view of the Chavón River. The icing on the cake is that there are very few people around, which gives the place a feeling of exclusivity.

Discover the Marina and Chill on Minitas Beach

Next, I head for the Marina Casa de Campo. With its colorful storefronts and high-end boutiques, I feel like I’m on the Côte d’Azur.

Finally, I decided to settle down on Minitas Beach. Deckchairs and umbrellas are provided free of charge, as are towels which you can ask for at reception. I rediscover the warmth and calm of the Caribbean Sea, and it’s a real pleasure. With no street vendors and the possibility of ordering a drink at the bar, I can finally relax for a few hours before returning to my car to drive back to Bávaro, this time without a hitch.

Back to Bávaro

In the evening, we decided to dine again at the restaurant we loved: Citrus. This time, we have a seat inside and enjoy the modern decor. Once again, we’re not disappointed by the dishes, which are well prepared and very tasty.

What to do in Punta Cana: Day 7

February 3, 2023 | Temperature: 23/28°C | Weather: Sunny

A penultimate full day before heading back to Toronto. So that Mehdi can enjoy Punta Cana a little too. We decide to have lunch at TOC. The restaurant is right on the beach and we literally eat in front of the ocean. The smoothies are made with fresh fruits, so good! And, the food is really good too.

After this rather pleasant break, Mehdi went back to work and I continued to chill out on the beach. In the evening, to celebrate the weekend, we went to Bella Napoli for takeaway pizzas. The pizzas are prepared right in front of you and baked directly in the wood-fired oven. We really enjoyed ourselves! So we spend our evening chilling at our Airbnb eating our pizzas and drinking our new favorite cocktail: the cuba libre, which we’ve renamed “Punta Cana Vibe”. I should also mention that we tried the famous Mamajuana. This blend of herbs, roots, and bark is said to have healing powers and/or aphrodisiac properties. It’s not bad, but we found it rather expensive for what it is.

What to do in Punta Cana: Day 8

February 4, 2023 | Temperature: 21/28°C | Weather: Sunny

For our last full day, we hesitate between visiting Santo Domingo or returning to La Romana. I leave the choice to Mehdi, who, having worked all week, naturally wants to spend a day chilling out. So, inevitably, I take him to La Romana and Minitas Beach in particular. This time, however, we ate at the Minitas Beach restaurant. The place is really splendid, with an infinity pool and the Caribbean Sea in the background. Bonus: it’s adults-only. The dishes arrived and we weren’t overjoyed. Compared with the restaurants we’ve tried over the last few days, this one is still pretty expensive. Clearly, we’re paying for the setting.

Nevertheless, it’s still good and we have a great time. We then head for the deckchairs provided free of charge on the beach and spend the afternoon by the Caribbean Sea. We make the most of these last moments in the sun and warmth of the Caribbean, knowing that the next day we’ll be back in the cold of Canada.

Once back in Bávaro, for our last evening, we decide to eat at Trébol. In an elegant setting, we dine on refined dishes with jazz music played directly by a musician in the background. Their pistachio tiramisu was incredible!

This magnificent evening brings our stay in Punta Cana to a close.

What to do in Punta Cana: Day 9

February 5, 2023 | Temperature: 25/28°C | Weather: Cloudy

That’s it, our stay in Punta Cana has come to an end! It’s time to head back to Toronto. Punta Cana is sad to see us go, as the rain has come. After returning the rental car to Euris, which went very well, we headed to Kat’s Corner for our last breakfast. The food wasn’t incredible, but it was filling.

Now it’s off to the airport in an Uber. Security is really taken seriously. Indeed, going through security is the first time I’ve had to take off my shoes. What’s more, before boarding the plane, all the passengers are lined up on the tarmac. A dog sniffs the passengers and their belongings one by one.

Nevertheless, it was without a hitch that we finally boarded the plane. We flew out and back with Swoop. As I write this article, this company has ceased operations. So I won’t go into further detail, but we had no problems whatsoever with this airline.

After about 5 hours on the plane, we landed in Toronto, where the temperature shock was clearly felt. Nevertheless, we’re happy to be home again.

Budget for our stay in Punta Cana

When planning what to do in Punta Cana, it’s important to consider your budget. The prices shown in the table below are in Dominican pesos, for the sake of convenience. As you may have read, we ate out every evening. So this budget can clearly be reduced. A budget is very personal and will depend on the way you travel. Nevertheless, I hope this will help you build your own budget for your stay in Punta Cana.

Expenses	Amount for 2 people (taxes included)	Comments
Airbnb	34,742.44$ RD	Price for 8 nights – 798.16$ CAD
Flight tickets Toronto-Punta Cana	41,376.13$ RD	950.56$ CAD for 2 people
Fuel	1,000.00$ RD
Parking / Toll / Uber	4,799.16$ RD
Rental car – One Road	10,265.50$ RD	Rental for 4 days
Indiginous Eyes	5,888.00$ RD	Entrance ticket: 50 USD per person
Casa de Campo	5,300.00$ RD	Entrance ticket: 50 USD per person
Restaurants / Bars	30,109.00$ RD
Groceries	4,000$ RD
Saona Island + Photos	11,777.00$ RD	90€ per person
Total for 2	149,257.23$ RD	The equivalent of 2,316€
Total for 1	74,628.62$ RD	The equivalent of 1,158€
Total per day per person	8,292.07$ RD	The equivalent of 129€

A Final Word

My feedback on our stay in Punta Cana

First of all, if you get this far, thank you for reading (almost) all of me! To conclude, I wanted to give you my personal opinion of our stay in Punta Cana. For my part, I had the image of a paradisiacal destination in mind, but in the end, I was rather disappointed. The city of Punta Cana itself is not pretty. The beaches are beautiful, with their many palm trees and white sands, but the street vendors and the numerous seaweeds in the ocean tarnish this picture-postcard image. This is a town that lives and breathes tourism. So much so that the majority of the town’s inhabitants are studying to work in the resorts. In my opinion, to really enjoy Punta Cana, you have to stay in one of the many resorts and not do it as an Airbnb as we did.

Tips for your stay in Punta Cana

Nevertheless, to see the local life, I’d still recommend getting out of these resorts. The excursion to Saona Island with Autentica Repdom is truly the best activity of our stay in Punta Cana. I recommend it. The local restaurants were really good too, and affordable for the quality on offer.

Also, if you have the choice, instead of staying in Punta Cana, I’d recommend staying in a town on the side of the Caribbean Sea which is, in my opinion, much prettier than Punta Cana.

My last piece of advice is that people will spot you from miles away that you’re a tourist. It’s common sense, but don’t walk around with large sums of money or expensive clothes. What’s more, don’t hesitate to negotiate prices, as they’re usually quite inflated. Finally, I recommend that you have some Dominican pesos in cash. We’ve been in situations where the prices displayed were in USD, but once you said you had pesos, the rates were often much lower.

Is this the image you had of Punta Cana? Don’t hesitate to give me your own opinion in the comments.

La Bise,