A trip to Punta Cana is mostly about unwinding on its stunning beaches — but adding these beach clubs, restaurants, and excursions will elevate your adventure and boost your knowledge about this beautiful Caribbean destination. Whether you’re building your own itinerary or staying at an all-inclusive, you may want to try our favorite things we did on our last trip to Dominican Republic’s gorgeous Bavaro Beach in Punta Cana. Note that Bavaro Beach is 30-miles long (making it an ideal walking beach), so we didn’t cover it all. Everything listed below is pretty much between Playa Los Corales and Bibijagua, which are popular hotspots in the area.
Disclaimer: I did a really bad job of taking photos in anticipation of what I’d write about for this trip. I promise to update if I return to Punta Cana — which I want to do immediately.
1. Zoho Beach Club
Zoho Beach Club is centrally located near Playa Los Corales, a vibrant part of the beach near many hotels and Airbnbs. Although small, this spot has a great vibe, relatively affordable menu, delicious food, and even a few loungers if you want to chill out on the beach for a while.
2. Jellyfish Restaurant
We’re starting strong with our top two spots on the beach. Jellyfish is a beachfront dining spot with excellent seafood, cocktails, and views. It’s pricey, but totally worth a stop. We highly recommend the grilled seafood platter and the frosè. But a local Presidente beer also pairs well if that’s more your style. Zoho and Jellyfish are about 1.5 miles away from each other when walking down the beach, so we got a nice 3-mile round-trip walk in each time we bounced around to our favorite places.
3. Huracan Cafe
If you’re not staying at a resort, Huracan Café is another option by Los Corales with a great vibe, good food and drinks, and loungers available to reserve on the beach. The only problem was the significantly higher price than neighboring establishments, even for a couple of beers.
4. Kat’s Corner
Moving off the beach for a moment, we loved Kat’s Corner. This spot has a local feel, live music, good food and drink options and friendly staff. it’s affordable, casual, and fun. We definitely plan to frequent this spot on our next trip to Punta Cana.
5. Supermercado Ciccolella
Just a short walk from Kat’s Corner, you’ll find Supermercado Ciccolella. We picked up some really good, inexpensive wine here, as well as groceries and snacks. It’s an essential stop if you’re not staying at an all-inclusive, but even if you are, you may want to stock up on some supplies. There are also a few more stores right down the road toward the beach that have essentials items, which I’m sure are more affordable than at the resorts.
6. Nova Beach Club
This spot is lively and fun with lots of entertainment during the week. You can also watch all the boats take off for their excursions from Nova Beach Club while you sip on a cocktail. We didn’t eat here, but we hear the food is good as well. You can also head into the famous Bibijagua souvenir village from here. Just be prepared to bargain!
7. Snorkeling and Catamaran Cruise
This was one of the best boat rides we’ve ever booked. The trip was very well organized, the staff were great, and our fellow travelers were a lot of fun. What made this trip top-notch was the strict limit on the number of passengers. While the catamaran can hold 72 people, they limited to 27 – so we had plenty of room to relax and enjoy. With unlimited drinks, they wisely stopped at the snorkel spot first to get the serious swimming out of the way. After snorkeling, we made a few fun stops and enjoyed the free-flowing beer and cocktails that were included in the ticket price.
8. Indigenous Eyes Ecological Reserve
If you want to explore beyond Punta Cana’s beautiful beaches and clear blue water, consider an eco-tour at Indigenous Eyes Ecological Reserve. We booked the Los Ojos Eco Journey, which included pick up and drop off from our accommodations. The trip involved a visit to the Indigenous Eyes Ecological Reserve, where we learned about biodiversity and conservation efforts on the island and met some wildlife, a walk in the woods, and a swim in some gorgeous freshwater lagoons (or cenotes). You can visit the lagoons without the tour, but we really enjoyed it and felt good contributing to an organization that is dedicated to sustainability and conservation.
The trip ended with a stop at a tourist shop, but that was pretty fun too, and we got to taste some chocolate, coffee, and mamajuana.
9. Full-Day Trip to Santo Domingo
If you really want to dive into the Dominican Republic’s historical and cultural roots, take a day trip to the capital, Santo Domingo. This was a really long day on the bus but comfortable and totally worth it.
We highly recommend the trip we booked, as it was well organized and took us to some great locations in the Colonial Zone, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Our only problem (which could have caused us to miss the whole trip) is that the pickup instructions were not clear at all. The resort properties in Punta Cana are huge, so make sure you know exactly where they will pick you up (whether that means the lobby, the main gate, or a designated passenger pick up location). Other than that stressful start, the trip was amazing, and even included a good buffet lunch in a historic building.
10. Teeth of the Dog Golf Course
Punta Cana is known for its golf courses, and we got the chance to check out the oceanfront Teeth of the Dog, which is considered one of the best golf courses in the Caribbean, designed by Pete Dye. Next time, we might check out Punta Espada Golf Course, which is a popular option, or Cocotal Golf & Country Club, which is a bit more budget friendly (though certainly not cheap once you factor in cart and club rentals).
Two Bonus Options
We only like to recommend places and tours we’ve experienced personally, so we didn’t include these in our top ten, but we hear that these are great activities in Punta Cana, too, so we wanted to include them (and maybe we’ll check them out next time).
- Congo Bongo is an entertainment complex with a nightclub and theater to watch lively performances or dance the night away. This is a chain that also has spots in Cancun, and Playa del Carmen.
- A Saona Island day trip is one of the most popular excursions from Punta Cana for white-sand beaches and clear beautiful water.
Final Recommendation
Go for a swim at the airport. Yes! The VIP Lounge in Terminal B has an outdoor area with a pool (and towels available) overlooking the apron. You can access this lounge with a Priority Pass (click here to learn about our favorite two credit cards that come with a Priority Pass).
Up Next: Is Punta Cana Without An All-Inclusive Worth It?
Discover more from LiAnn and Theo Travel
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
