- Punta Cana amusement parks
- Dolphin island
- Children's holidays in Punta Cana
- Attractions of the resort
- Delicious points on the map
- Shopping in Punta Cana
The Caribbean island of Haiti is divided between two countries - the long-suffering Republic of Haiti and the tourist-successful Dominican Republic, most often called the Dominican Republic for short. Here you will find ideal beaches, photos of which can be displayed on the covers of popular resort magazines without processing: the snow-white sand on them is invariably shaded with the perfect emerald of palm leaves and hundreds of shades of blue … The sea in Dominican resorts is truly magnificent and only for its sake you can withstand a long flight. Going to the beaches of the Dominican Republic, be sure to consider the specifics of the chosen resort. The country has recreation areas for surfers and young people, respectable wealthy gentlemen and married couples, newlyweds and active inquisitive travelers. Explore the proposed accommodation options and excursion routes, make a list of objects that are interesting to see and addresses where to go. In Punta Cana, where most of the rest is sedate, family and a little lazy, you will still find many opportunities for entertainment. The region is famous for its fish restaurants, diving centers, gift shops and nightlife.
Punta Cana amusement parks
Dominican beaches are not the only place where tourists feel good. The country takes care of the guests and tries to entertain them to the maximum, coming up with attractions, building ethnic villages and even recruiting marine life to work in the tourism industry.
The most popular amusement parks where you should go in Punta Cana can be located both on land and in the sea near the coast:
- The guests of the resort go to Manati Park with the whole family. When planning an excursion, plan to spend the whole day on it, because in the park you will find: an ethnic village of the Taino tribe with typical dwellings and performances on everyday topics; souvenir shops with products from environmentally friendly scrap materials; a zoo, where kids will be happy to ride a pony, and adults can try to teach a parrot a couple of words in Russian; a dolphinarium with tailed actors, allowing some liberties to swim with them after the show.
- Park "Marinarium" was built right in the waters of the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Punta Cana. It has the opportunity to snorkel in the coral thickets; see how sharks and other inhabitants of the tropical seas live; rent a kayak boat and go on it on real sea waves; pet a real stingray and recharge your batteries for future adventures. One of the programs to visit the park includes a glass bottom boat cruise. By choosing it, you can take a catamaran along the coast of Punta Cana and take perfect photos of the sea and its inhabitants.
The list of amusement parks in Punta Cana also includes the Mi-Lola ranch - a real Dominican farm, where tourists now hang out. At the ranch, you will be offered to visit a mini-zoo, which naturally contains tropical parrots, iguanas of a special type "rhino", predatory crocodiles and variegated peacocks. For horse riders, there are horses, and for gourmets, there is a restaurant with Caribbean dishes on the menu.
Dolphin island
Not far from the coast, right in the waters of the Caribbean Sea, there is a floating platform, which is called Dolphin Island in Punta Cana. Many boats leave from the pier on the shore every day. Dolphins participate in mini-performances, willingly contact the guests of the island and demonstrate their desire to communicate in every possible way. You can swim with them, take a photo or shoot a video. In addition to dolphins, the island is also home to seals and sea lions. They are much more lazy in nature, but they also communicate peacefully with guests.
Dolphin Island offers several visiting programs. The cost of entertainment is considerable, and ticket prices start at $ 99. The limitation for swimming with marine life is only the growth of the child. A young tourist must be over 110 cm.
Children's holidays in Punta Cana
But in the children's water park at the Barcelo Bavaro Palace Deluxe hotel there are absolutely no restrictions either on age or height for young visitors arriving for active entertainment. Moreover, parents can entrust their youngest guests with a nanny who works around the clock to enjoy the relaxation by the pool or spa treatments in the wellness center.
The water park at the hotel has several water slides, pools of various depths, where even not very experienced swimmers splash safely, other attractions and entertainment complexes. In the Punta Cana water park, animation programs are organized that will seem interesting to both the smallest visitors and older children. Professional animators actively entertain visitors from 3 to 12 years old from 9 am to midnight.
Attractions of the resort
The history of the Punta Cana resort began in the 70s. XX century Then the ideal beaches and clear sea attracted the attention of American businessmen who decided to invest in the tourism industry.
Punta Cana cannot boast of historical or architectural monuments and its main attraction is invariably called the beaches. The most famous is the resort area of Bavaro, located 25 km from the airport. The beaches of Bavaro are sheltered from strong waves by natural breakwaters made of coral, and the infrastructure of this area is able to compete with the best resorts in Mexico, Cuba and other countries of the Caribbean region.
The Dominican Republic is a traditional producer and supplier of cigars and one of its main attractions is the Don Lucas Tobacco Factory. For production, they use raw materials grown in the Caribbean, and therefore the cigars are perfect - strong, fragrant and selected. As well as centuries ago, they are made by hand. The technology is shown to guests in detail during a tour of the production facility. Don Lucas's Russian-speaking guides will share with you the secrets of growing tobacco leaves and preparing them for the cigar-making process. The excursion can be completed by tasting and buying any of the available varieties of the factory's aromatic products. Don Lucas shop will help you choose souvenirs from the Dominican Republic for your family and colleagues. Prices start at a couple of tens of dollars for a box of cigars.
Another famous product from the island of Haiti is branded chocolate made from cocoa beans grown in the republic. Where to go in Punta Cana to taste a sweet treat and buy it as a gift for your friends? Go to the Chocolate Museum near the tobacco factory. It is organized next to production. Although small by Moscow standards, it provides quality products to everyone. Tourists are shown the whole process of making chocolate - from preparing cocoa beans for processing to wrapping ready-made bars and sweets in rustling wrappers.
Delicious points on the map
From the very beginning of the development of the tourism industry in the Dominican Republic, its resorts are famous for their excellent fish restaurants, where seafood is prepared in a thousand different ways. Do you just want to dine after a hot day on the beach, or are you looking for the right place in Punta Cana to go for a romantic dinner? Everyone has their own list of ideal establishments, but restaurant critics recommend:
- Kukua Beach Club is able to satisfy the most delicate gastronomic preferences. It is very popular with newlyweds on their honeymoon in Punta Cana. The Kukua Beach Club chef specializes in seafood and his signature lobster stew. For those who are not in a romantic mood, there are paella, pasta and good beef steaks of various degrees of doneness. A bonus for everyone is the sea view from the outdoor terrace.
- The perfect Caribbean restaurant Jelly Fish delights the visitor on its way. It looks like a cruise ship, and on its open veranda, fresh sea breezes, wicker furniture, and landscapes are very welcome. On the menu you will find fish and seafood dishes. The whole family can visit the restaurant: this restaurant in Punta Cana has a children's play area.
- El Tablado, formerly called O'Porto, will delight not only seafood lovers, but also fans of Portuguese wines. Its owners once crossed the ocean in search of a better life and have never regretted it. Try Portuguese cod, drink it down with wine and life will sparkle with new colors!
- Once in the Palma Rial shopping center, take a look at the classic restaurant that exists in many cities around the world and invariably attracts fans of rock music. The interiors of the Hard Rock Cafe are designed in a typical style - rock stars, guitars, autographs and platinum discs. The menu offers traditional burgers, fries, chicken wings, and regularly hosts live music concerts on weekends evenings.
There are restaurants in Punta Cana, whose menu includes dishes popular in other countries. You can dine at restaurants offering Thai, Mexican, Italian, French and Chinese cuisine.
Shopping in Punta Cana
From the island of Haiti and from the Dominican Republic, they traditionally bring rum, cigars, jewelry with the ornamental larimara stone called Dominican turquoise, ceramics, leather accessories, coffee, chocolate and Mamahuana tincture, revered as the best remedy for any disease. Where to go in Punta Cana to buy all this, not run into a fake and at the same time not overpay?
Shopping at the resort is traditionally more expensive than in the capital, and therefore, if you have an excursion to Santo Domingo, try to buy everything that is essential there. Souvenirs in Punta Cana are best found in the market near El Cortesito beach. There is a rich selection of local artisans' items - shell beads, larimara jewelry and limé dolls, which are considered the collective image of the modern Dominican woman.
Buy tincture and rum in ordinary supermarkets, for example, in "Iberia", located an hour's drive from the center of the resort, but having gathered under its roof all the traditional food and drinks of the Dominican Republic