Punta Cana Knows How to Party and Other Things to Do on Your Dominican Republic Vacation

Spending a week or more on an all-inclusive resort in Punta Cana is an enviable vacation. If you're looking for a place to relax, enjoy the beach, a disco and a few pina coladas, Punta Cana's all-inclusive resorts are for you.

Before You Go

Any U.S. citizen must have a Passport to travel to the Dominican Republic. A visa is not necessary for a short stay. If you don't know Spanish, the official language of the Dominican, brush up on a few key phrases. While most resort employees do just fine with English, they always seem to appreciate even the smallest attempt to speak some Spanish.

Make sure to pack plenty of beach wear and more importantly, sun screen. A bad burn can ruin even the best vacation! Also, I highly recommend bringing from home extras of several items, such as pain medicine, extra batteries for cameras and/or waterproof cameras, because they will be much more expensive on vacation.

Getting to Your Resort

The resort is a blast, but the ride from the airport will give you a chance to see a bit of the country side and the way the people live in certain parts of the Dominican. Arrange with your resort or a travel agent to have a bus or taxi pick you up at the airport.

If neither option is possible, a number of taxi drivers offer tourists rides from the airport parking lot. Just a word of caution though: Make sure you get a ride from an official taxi driver and not someone who is waiting to commit a crime, such as steal your money or worse. Check with airport officials to find an official taxi.

The ride from the airport to the Punta Cana resort area takes about 30 to 45 minutes, depending on how much of a hurry the driver is in. Expect bumpy roads and impatient drivers for the majority of the way there. Also, be prepared for uncouth driving habits: Drivers often pass each other on both the right and left sides, and will seemingly plow right out into on-coming traffic. I was scared for my life a couple of times, but soon realized the driver was used to doing that kind of thing and somehow knew how to handle the car even in terrifying situations.

Regardless, getting to the resort after a long time traveling is exhilarating. You'll probably be handed a rum drink (get used to this Caribbean champagne) and suddenly have the urge to take it slow (which you should).

What to Expect

Now that you're at the resort, get to your room and put on a swim suit immediately! The average temperature in Punta Cana is in the 80s. When I traveled there at the end of March, the thermometer never dipped below 85.

All-inclusive resorts make it pretty easy to stay right where you are. Your room most likely will come stocked with some amenities - water, soda and probably some Presidente, which is Dominican beer. All meals are included, and the restaurants will range from buffet-style fare to fancier, themed foods, such as Italian, Dominican and Mexican. At the buffets, expect a lot of European-style dishes and food descriptions to be in many languages. This is still a hot tourist destination for European vacationers.

Don't gorge yourself too much, though. Don't forget you'll have to spend some time wearing little on the beach. Speaking of the beach, the beaches in Punta Cana are pristine. Blue-green water kisses white sand, and the breeze will keep you cool enough to enjoy it. The water is calm and clear enough for swimming, boating, snorkeling and diving.

Many resorts have water excursions running everyday, but if you want, boats run up and down the coast tempting beach goers with boat rides, diving and snorkeling at sometimes cheaper prices. There also are plenty of chances to go parasailing, deep-sea fishing to ride in a glass-bottom boat.

If you're up for shopping, expect to find plenty of places to do it. You can usually find stores right on the beach. However, if you're not a fan of haggling, I'd avoid shopping in these small shops all together. Owners slap high prices on items that are hardly worth the cost, and you'll have to be persistent, if not a little demanding, in order to get your price. And it helps to be willing to walk away.
If you're more inclined to spend a leisurely day on the golf course, the Dominican has some beautiful courses. It boasts one that often is referred to as one of the best in the world - Dientes del Perro, or Teeth of the Dog.

Getting back to the airport after your vacation is just as easy as getting to the resort, but I guarantee you won't want to leave!