The 12 best things to do in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

For the majority of travelers, a trip to the Dominican Republic involves at least a few days lounging around at an all-inclusive resort in Punta Cana. But while this east coast escape is lined with respected resorts boasting expansive pools and lively open-air bars poised beside beautiful beaches, there’s plenty more to see, even if you come on an all-inclusive vacation. 

For those ready to explore, Punta Cana has ancient caves, scenic mountains with incredible views, zip lines that soar over the green canopies of vibrant eco-parks, and even a fascinating replica of a 16th-century Mediterranean village – a curious thing to find in the Caribbean! 

Whether you're here for the beaches, the national parks or the Carnival celebrations, let’s dive in and take a closer look at the 12 top things to do in Punta Cana.

1. Hit the beach in Punta Cana

Is a Punta Cana trip really a Punta Cana trip without a day (or three) at the beach? Punta Cana has plenty of gorgeous beaches to enjoy, dusted with sand and shaded by palms. Bávaro is the ideal beach for folks seeking soft white sand and gentle waves, while Playa Macao (or Macao Beach) is a more relaxed and quiet golden-sand beach with bigger waves suitable for surfing. 

If you’re seeking a beach with plenty of resorts and lots of fun activities within walking distance, Juanillo Beach in Cap Cana is a solid option. The sand positively gleams and you can go kayaking, windsurfing, snorkeling, hiking and more. 

Planning tip: If you’re aiming to focus your Punta Cana trip on beach activities, choose an oceanfront hotel or resort for maximum beach time. Paradisus Punta Cana is great for easy access to a splendid section of white sand at Bávaro beach, while Excellence El Carmen places you right by an exceptionally clean and quiet corner of Playa Macao.

2. Go on an eco-park expedition

Nestled within the tourist hub of Cap Cana lies Scape Park, an eco-adventure center offering fun experiences for adventure seekers of all ages. The area covered by the park has historical links to the Indigenous Taíno people, who revered the Hoyo Azul – a stunning cenote with crystal-clear water that’s perfect for swimming and snorkeling – as a sacred site.

You can also explore the park's verdant jungle on a zip-line tour or investigate its underground caverns on an underground expedition. If you’re not looking for an adrenaline spike, you can peek at the parrots on Parrot Island or meet the rhinoceros iguanas living in Iguanaland. Beyond its natural attractions, Scape Park has a small, kid-friendly ranch with horses, goats and donkeys.

3. Visit a rum distillery

No tour of the Dominican Republic would be complete without a shot or two of rum. Like other Caribbean islanders, locals know their way around this popular spirit, and Dominican rum stands out because it’s made almost exclusively in oak barrels – from fermentation and distillation all the way through to the aging process. 

Rum must be aged for a minimum of one year in the Dominican Republic, creating intriguing, complex flavors. With more than 15 distilleries to choose from, there’s a very good chance you’ll find a bottle that suits your palate and cocktail of choice. 

To discover the backstory behind the Dominican Republic’s signature rum brands, try a field trip to the Ron Barceló Distillery near San Pedro de Macorís, where you can take a distillery tour and taste many of Ron Barceló’s premium offerings. Oliver & Oliver is another respected distillery where you can sample high-quality Dominican rums created with a touch of Cuban flair.

Detour: To enjoy local rums in Punta Cana town, Don Lucas Cigars sells a solid selection of Oliver rums, while the Paradisus Punta Cana resort has the Rum Republic and Rum & Juliet Spice and Sugar bars.

4. Dance the night away at a local club

Thanks to its status as the Caribbean’s go-to beach destination, Punta Cana is a party town and there’s plenty of lively nightlife. For a chilled-out evening, check out Huracan Café at Los Corales; it’s a laid-back beach bar that’s perfect for sipping mojitos and caipirinhas while enjoying the ocean view. 

For more action, hit Drink Point, where Cuba libres and El Presidente cocktails flow freely to an energetic soundtrack of Caribbean bachata and merengue music. For a night full of uninhibited revelry, it’s hard to beat Onno’s at El Cortecito beach for tropical cocktails and a dancefloor where DJs spin everything from Haitian Creole jams to vintage Rihanna songs. 

And for a hopping venue that parties like a pop star and stages spectacular shows full of wild visual effects, adventurous dancers and acrobats, Coco Bongo is an essential nightlife destination.

Planning tip: Keep the party going by booking a stay at an adults-only resort such as Barceló Bávaro Beach or Breathless Punta Cana, where the focus is on busy club nights, in-room hot tubs and a plethora of bars where patrons party nightly.

5. Take in mountaintop views at Montaña Redonda 

For a pleasant change of scenery, drive for about an hour from Bávaro to Montaña Redonda in Miches. The family that owns this 1100ft-high peak has been inviting visitors to enjoy the views from the summit since 1999, and they’ve made quite an operation out of this lofty lookout. 

After arriving at the base of the hill, you’ll board a safari truck to ride up the mountain. Once you reach the top, you’ll have a chance to take in views of the gorgeous Bahía de Samaná, Playa Rincón, Playa Esmeralda, and the Limón and Redonda lagoons. 

For Instagram enthusiasts, Montaña Redonda has a collection of perfectly placed props for social media snaps. Swings, hammocks and seesaws seem to perch precariously on the edge of the drop; if you angle your camera just right, it will look like you’re flying through the air, but don’t worry – there’s a small ledge beneath you.

Planning tip: If you feel peckish, Montaña Redonda has a small restaurant serving comida típica (traditional Dominican fare), plus a handful of shops selling Dominican crafts and souvenirs.

6. Take a day trip to Altos de Chavón

About 92km (57 miles) southwest of Bávaro sits a stone-clad village that looks like it was magically transported here from medieval Europe. In reality, Altos de Chavón was built in the 1970s, in the style of a 16th-century Mediterranean village, and it’s part of the Casa de Campo Resort in La Romana.

You’ll have to pay US$25 to enter, but the uniqueness of the experience is worth the entry fee. Altos de Chavón is today a haven for artists – it even has its own design school, founded with support from the US-based Parsons School of Design. This explains the avalanche of boutiques showcasing the work of resident artists, including pottery, woven textiles, silk-screen prints and handmade jewelry.

Must-see spots in Altos de Chavón include St Stanislaus, an impressive (and functioning) church, and a 5000-seat Greek-style amphitheater with magnificent views of Río Chavón and the Caribbean Sea. Altos de Chavón also has an archaeological museum, a gallery displaying some impressive artworks from around the world, and a collection of Mexican and Italian restaurants.

7. Indulge in pasteles (plantain-dough parcels)

The power of the plantain is rightly respected in the Dominican Republic. And one of the most sublime uses of this starchy, banana-like fruit is for making pasteles – stuffed, plantain-dough parcels. 

Although they look similar to Mexican tamales, there’s no corn in the dough used to make pasteles. It’s simply mashed plantain wrapped around a meat filling, and then cooked en hoja (wrapped in plantain or banana leaves). Versions using yautía tubers or yuca (cassava) are also popular.

It might be a little tricky to find pasteles at the major Punta Cana resorts, but it’s not difficult to get some in town. Pastedeli on Ave Presidente Roosevelt takes orders for pickup or delivery.

Detour: Take a short drive from Punta Cana to San Pedro to enjoy some of these rich and savory plantain pockets at Amables, a no-frills restaurant specializing in pasteles. The house version of this Dominican treat can easily feed two people – but no one will blame you for keeping a plate all to yourself!

8. Soak up some sun on Isla Saona 

In a country full of gorgeous beaches, it’s hard for any particular stretch of sand to stand out, but Isla Soana (Saona Island) does exactly that. You can’t stay overnight, but you can spend a stunning day snorkeling in its clear, shallow waters, observing the endangered starfish puckered to the bottom of the waist-deep Blue Lagoon, and lazing on the sand under its swaying palms. 

Saona is a popular excursion from Punta Cana, and there are plenty of tour operators offering catamaran tours to visit its powder-white shores. You’ll need to drive about 87km (54 miles) from Bávaro to Bayahibe before sailing to the island. The crossing takes about two hours on a catamaran, or 45 minutes on a speedboat, but with party music and drinks served on board, the time will fly.

9. See Caribbean wildlife at Parque Nacional Cotubanamá 

While Isla Saona is a great place to spend the day, it’s just part of the larger Parque Nacional Cotubanamá, which has even more to offer adventurous explorers. The park is home to eight coral reef terraces, nearly 400 caverns, 539 species of native flora, 112 species of birds and 120 species of fish. Lucky visitors may spot West Indian manatees and bottlenose dolphins swimming offshore. 

If all this biodiversity isn't exciting enough, the park includes the famous Isla Catalina that Christopher Columbus stumbled upon in 1494. Just outside the park boundaries, the town of Boca de Yuma is worth stopping in for good Dominican food and a taste of authentic Dominican life. 

10. Discover ancient petroglyphs at Cueva de las Maravillas

To learn more about the indigenous Taíno people and their unique customs, the Cueva de las Maravillas (Cave of Wonders) near La Romana is well worth the journey. Part of the Arawak nation, the Taíno were the first Indigenous community that Christopher Columbus encountered when he arrived at Hispaniola in 1492. 

The Cueva de las Maravillas was declared a national park in 1997 and opened up to the public, but visits are carefully monitored and controlled to preserve the art and structures inside. 

After descending about 25m (82ft), you’ll navigate a long pathway flanked by petroglyphs (rock carvings) and more than 500 pictographs (wall paintings) depicting Taíno life. Look out for images of people, animals and plants. 

In the chamber known as the Water Mirror Gallery, a manmade pool reflects the cave ceiling and a pictograph of what appears to be a funeral ritual. As you explore, may spot native animals such as snakes, diplopods (millipedes), toads and bats hiding among the rocks. 

11. Get lost in nature at Los Haitises

Reached via a 129km (80-mile) drive from Bávaro, Parque Nacional Los Haitises takes its name from the Taíno word for hilly land, and it’s well worth a visit. Covering 1600 sq km (618 sq miles), the crown jewel of the Dominican Republic’s national park system captivates the eye with its lush vegetation and green hills rising dramatically above the coastline. 

Parque Nacional Los Haitises also covers areas of coastal mangrove forest that are great for birdwatching, as well as caves containing the Dominican Republic’s largest concentration of Indigenous Taíno petroglyphs and pictographs, dating back to pre-colonial times. If you’re a movie buff, consider a hike into the rainforest-covered hills – they were used as a filming location in the movie Jurassic Park. 

Planning tip: While Parque Nacional Los Haitises is open to the public, the government is keen to promote responsible ecotourism to protect the park’s virgin forest and pristine coastline. It is possible to enter independently via the gate near Sabana de la Mar, but it’s more rewarding to explore on a guided nature tour; if you’re staying at a Punta Cana resort, the concierge desk can help with bookings. 

12. Explore Ojos Indigenas Ecological Park & Reserve

Though resort developments have gobbled up long stretches of the Dominican coastline in and around Punta Cana, there are still large areas of pristine coastal plain and mangrove forest to explore. 

You won’t have to leave Punta Cana to reach Ojos Indígenas Ecological Park & Reserve. Part of the Puntacana Resort & Club, this ecological reserve covers 6 sq km (2.3 sq miles) of protected coastal habitats just south of town. The reserve is home to 500 plant species, 160 insect species and some 100 bird species, 27 of which are found only in the Dominican Republic. 

The park offers guided tours in Spanish, English and French, or guests can explore the park independently along marked trails. The park includes 12 freshwater lagoons fed by an underground river – three of which are safe for swimming – plus botanical gardens and fruit orchards, and an animal petting zoo that’s great for kids

Detour: While at Puntacana Resort & Club, it’s worth checking out the resort’s other amenities. This is perhaps the best spot in Punta Cana to play golf – the resort’s 18-hole Corales Golf Course is hosting the Dominican Republic’s first PGA Tour event in April 2025. Other facilities include a full-service spa, a PADI dive center, an equestrian center, and the BlueMall Punta Cana, packed with good places to eat and shop. 

This article was adapted from the Caribbean Islands guidebook published in December 2023.