There are very few places that we have been to four times or more. Trinidad is one, because it's home to one of us, Charleston, SC is another because it is the home of the other of us. The Dominican Republic is in a select 4-peat group. And it's in a league of its own because it is one of those places that you either love a lot or hate.
I am always amazed at how rabid people are about the Dominican Republic and Punta Cana in particular on forums like TripAdvisor. In fact, it always blows my mind how many people head to Punta Cana two or three times in the same year to the same resort! Don't get me wrong, I like the Dominican Republic because there are no surprises and it always delivers in spades. If you want food 24 hours a day, a nice beach (sometimes wavy), comfortable, shaded palapas, nightly entertainment, all the liquor you can drink, then Punta Cana is the place for you. If however, you don't like resort after resort dotting the shoreline on Bavaro Beach, then Punta Cana might not be for you.
Some pros about Dominican Republic:
- You can find a resort (particularly in Puerto Plata) at any price point. You have relatively budget properties intermingled with high-end resorts on the same stretch of beach.
- At any resort you can get as much or as little pampering as you choose -- 24 hour food, private pools, private jacuzzis, daily massages, spa treatments, want a covered bed on the beach? It's there for the asking.
- It's a great place for a budget-friendly honeymoon.
- It's easy and fairly quick to get to either Punta Cana or Puerto Plata.
The first time we went to Punta Cana we stayed at an Allegro resort that no longer exists. Our two most recent trips we stayed at Vik Cayena Beach Resort -- a small resort with less than 40 studios mere steps from the beach. We love it there! It's a small, casual, laid back place that suits us perfectly.
The Dominican Republic will always be special to me because I achieved two items on my bucket list when we visited Puerto Plata -- I swam with sharks and got into the water with stingrays. Something to keep in mind is that there are lots of activities to do in Puerto Plata outside the all-inclusive resorts like visiting Ocean World, visiting the Brugal liquor factory, visiting the downtown area and its many lovely churches and so on. This aspect of Puerto Plata makes it head and shoulders above Punta Cana IMHO. Go to Punta Cana if you want to relax on the beach. Head to Puerto Plata if you want to enjoy the beach and lots of activities outside the resort as well.
Scenes from Puerto Plata
The stingrays at Ocean World
That's me waiting (in abject terror) in line to swim with the sharks!
Inside the infamous Brugal rum factory
Downtown Puerto Plata
Yup, we took an aerial tram ride up into the mountains on that thing!
This is a replica of the Christ of the Deep statue in Brazil
Scenes from Punta Cana
The rainbows are spectacular in Punta Cana
Nope, that's not us paragliding!
Our home-away-from-home VIK Cayena Beach Resort
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