Punta Cana

Punta Cana, at the country's easternmost tip, is the Dominican Republic's tourism powerhouse and one of the Caribbean's most popular beach destinations, a long, glorious coastline of powder-white sand, coconut palms and warm turquoise water. Lined with sprawling all-inclusive resorts, it is built for sun, sea and relaxation, with calm swimming, water sports, golf and excursions to offshore islands, natural pools and lagoons. Bavaro Beach is its glittering centrepiece, an idyllic tropical strand that draws visitors from around the world.

History

In the late 1960s the young Dominican entrepreneur Frank Rainieri and the New York lawyer and labour mediator Theodore Kheel, with other investors, bought a tract of 58 million square metres at the eastern end of the country, then mostly undeveloped coast five hours' drive from Higüey; their first project was a 40-guest hotel, the Punta Cana Club, and in 1970 Rainieri renamed the place, formerly Yauya or Punta Borrachos, Punta Cana. Club Med joined in 1978 with a 350-room hotel, the Hotel Puntacana was built in 1979, and the Punta Cana International Airport opened in 1984, now receiving most of the flights that arrive in the country. A marina followed from 1993, Óscar de la Renta and Julio Iglesias joined the project in 1996, residential communities began in 2000, and Tortuga Bay opened six years later. Bávaro, planned as a town for the resort's workers, grew into a centre of tourist services after the hotels spread north along its beach (Wikipedia, Punta Cana).

The landscape

• Bavaro Beach - the idyllic white-sand centrepiece.
• The natural pools - the sandbars and lagoons offshore.
• Saona and Catalina islands - the boat trips to nearby isles.
• The water sports and golf - the resort activities and courses.

When to go

November to April, the dry season, for the sunniest weather and calmest seas; the summer is hotter and wetter with a hurricane risk from June to November. The beaches and warm sea are enjoyable year-round, and prices dip outside the winter peak.

Good to know

Punta Cana is all about all-inclusive resort relaxation rather than culture or authentic local life, so it can feel like a self-contained tourist bubble sealed off from the real Dominican Republic; seaweed sargassum can also affect the beaches seasonally. For a reliable, gorgeous, easy Caribbean beach holiday with warm seas and endless sand, though, it is hard to beat and deservedly popular.

Nearby

Saona Island, the Hoyo Azul cenote and the eastern coast are within reach.