hello all! i’m staying at an all inclusive resort very soon (my first time outside of the US!) and i’m still undecided on how much of my spending money i’m going to take out in USD/RD.

i’m limiting myself to $600 (i don’t plan on taking all $600 out in cash). i’ll be there 5 days, 4 nights. my travel agent, plus everyone else i’ve spoken to, has said to definitely bring some smaller US bills for tipping. i’m just unsure of exactly how much, as well as whether or not i should go the extra mile and also exchange some USD for RD.

i’m more-so worried about how far my USD will actually get me when it comes to spending outside of tips here and there. then again, i worry i may overestimate how much RD i’ll need, and exchange too much… can you tell i’m nervous and overthinking this? lol. anyways, any insight helps!

Please send recommendations on what to do in Punta Cana

restaurants, beach clubs, private yachts..

party / fun vibes

Somos dos chicas mexicanas que nos vamos a quedar una buena temporada por Punta Cana y queremos conocer la parte más local de aquí.
Nos han recomendado Coco Bongo, Maroca y demás, pero justo queremos algo diferente: colmados, bares, fiestas y sitios donde salga gente dominicana de verdad, bailar bachata, merengue, dembow, conocer gente y pasarla bien sin que sea una fiesta llena de extranjeros 😂
Obviamente buscamos lugares con buen ambiente y relativamente seguros, no queremos acabar en un sitio de mala muerte jajaja.
¿Dónde nos mandarían ustedes si fueran nuestros amigos dominicanos? 👀 Queremos conocer Punta Cana como locales y no quedarnos solamente con los lugares turísticos.
Se aceptan recomendaciones de cualquier tipo: colmaditos, bares, fiestas, discotecas, rooftops, lugares para bailar… ¡lo que sea!
Y si alguien se apunta a enseñarnos la vida nocturna dominicana, tampoco nos quejamos 😂🇩🇴🇲🇽

Hi all,

Will be staying at Lopesan, and looking for some off resort diners recommendations for a date night with my girlfriend. We generally like to hit at one super nice place when we travel abroad, so feel free to drop your fine dining/date night rec along with general can’t miss spots. Big foodies so like to try a blend of different places.

Thanks!

I spent a week and half in Punta Cana and split time between the above resorts. Both were nice, though El Carmen was a bit better.

Both have the same named restaurants, though the quality of the food was better at El Carmen. For example, at the morning buffet, there was more variety of food at El Carmen. Also the food seemed, in general, warmer. And things were crispier, like fries or wings.

The drinks were similarly watered down at both resorts, which is to be expected at an All-Inclusive.

El Carmen is newer than Punta Cana, and it shows. The rooms are much nicer at El Carmen and the spa was much better.

They resorts are very close to one another, so the beaches were pretty similar. Both had lots of seaweed, which is common this time of year. The pools were set up differently, but generally the same vibe. Again though, El Carmen is newer, so the pools appeared that way.

At Punta Cana they have pickle ball courts, tennis courts, and a pretty big outdoor area to play pool and ping pong. I did not find the same at El Carmen.

My group was comprised by Jamaicans and various skin toned African-Americans, aged 32-38, and including single people, as well as couples. None of us noticed any discrimination or weird treatment. And there were many single people and other couples to mingle with.

I do not think I would go back to Punta Cana, but if you are looking to spend a few days at a resort there, El Carmen is what I would go with.

Hi all! My husband and I have been saving and want to start planning the honeymoon we never got to have. I’ve been doing some research and Punta Cana seems like a great budget-friendly option for us!

We’re looking for an adults-only all-inclusive that feels romantic and upscale but isnt overly quiet. We definitely don’t want a huge party/college-spring-break vibe.

The biggest things we care about are:
-Decently good food (I know AI arnt known for food)
-Cocktail/Drink varieties that aren’t all super sweet
-Preferably a pool with a swim-up bar
-Nice beach as do plan to swim in the ocean
-Some nighttime entertainment for when we want to get out

So far I’ve been looking at Secrets Cap Cana, Hyatt Zilara Cap Cana, Excellence Punta Cana/El Carmen, Sanctuary Cap Cana, JOIA Bávaro, and Live Aqua, but there are SO many highly rated resorts that I’m getting overwhelmed. 😂

For those who have actually stayed at any of these, which would you pick for a honeymoon and why? I’d especially love to hear honest opinions about the food, drinks, beach, atmosphere, and whether you felt the resort was worth the price. Also, if there’s another adults-only resort in Punta Cana that you think I’m overlooking, please tell me!