The DR gets a lot of all-inclusive traffic, and that's fine — the resorts in Cap Cana are among the best in the Caribbean, and the beaches are outstanding. But most visitors in the resort corridor miss the whale watching in Samaná, the Los Haitises mangroves, and the country's genuine food culture. Here's what I'd add to any DR itinerary.
Stay in Cap Cana — not Bávaro
Punta Cana's hotel zone divides between Bávaro to the north — the older, busier resort strip — and Cap Cana, a newer private development to the south. Cap Cana is more upscale, less crowded, has a proper marina and some of the DR's best restaurants outside the resorts. Secrets Cap Cana and Amanera are both excellent. For groups wanting genuine luxury rather than the standard all-inclusive atmosphere, Cap Cana is the right address.
Take the day trip to Samaná for whale watching — January through March
Between January and March, 2,000 to 5,000 humpback whales migrate to Samaná Bay to breed — one of the largest concentrations on earth. The boat tours from Las Terrenas or Samaná town put you in the middle of it, whales breaching all around. The Samaná Peninsula itself, with its cocoa farms and relatively undeveloped coastline, is a different DR than the resort zone. Worth the internal flight or the drive.
Swim in the Hoyo Azul cenote at Scape Park
The Hoyo Azul — a perfectly circular natural pool at the base of a 25-meter cliff in Cap Cana's Scape Park — is one of those things that looks better in person than in photos, which is not common. The mineral content makes the water an improbable blue-green. Get there at opening before the main tour groups arrive. Short hike through secondary forest, then the pool in front of you, limestone walls above.
Take the boat tour through Los Haitises National Park
On the DR's north coast, Los Haitises has mangrove channels, limestone karst islands, cave systems with pre-Columbian Taíno paintings, and outstanding birds. The half-day boat tour from Samaná takes you through mangrove tunnels, into the painted caves, along coastline that looks like it hasn't changed since the first Spanish explorers arrived. The most beautiful natural experience in the DR that most visitors never do.
Eat at a local comedor — not just resort restaurants
Dominican food at its best — sancocho, mangu, fresh fish with tostones, chicharrones — is excellent and served primarily in comedores, the small family-run lunch spots in every town. Most all-inclusive guests never experience it. In the town of Punta Cana or in nearby Higüey — the region's real capital, with one of the Caribbean's finest basilicas — you can eat very well for almost nothing at lunch. Ask your resort concierge for a recommendation; the good ones know exactly where to send you.
The DR is one of my go-to recommendations for groups wanting Caribbean luxury at a price point below comparable destinations. Short flight times from the US East Coast, excellent hotel infrastructure, and a range of experiences broader than most Caribbean destinations. It works.
Written by
Jenn
Founder of Memorable Travel & Adventures. Jenn has personally traveled to every destination in this journal. She plans trips to all of them.
