Table of Contents
3 Days in Punta Cana Itinerary
Punta Cana is a place where people come and don’t leave their resort. We think this is totally understandable but getting out to see the area is always a good idea. In this itinerary you will get the option to stay in a resort or a hotel, check out the local area as well as some of the local food. It doesn’t matter if you are an all inclusive or independent traveller this will work for you.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you book through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Quick Overview Of Your 3 Days In Punta Cana
Where Is Punta Cana + What To Expect
Punta Cana is located in Dominican Republic and is one of the major places that most tourists will visit. It is known for its gorgeous beaches and stunning luxurious resorts that line the beach. The beaches are full of resort frontage and sun chairs so you do have to walk along the beach to get to a public area if you are not staying in a resort. There is a small town area behind the beach to visit the supermarket, restaurants and some other necessities. There are some larger supermarkets in shopping mall areas that you can either drive to or get a bus.
DAY 1: Beach + Settle In
On your first day you have to settle in to your resort or hotel, check out the area and then relax on the beach. Punta Cana beaches are stunning and so worth spending time soaking them up…this is what you came for! The best beaches in Punta Cana are along Bávaro Beach and Cap Cana.
Having a beach day in Punta Cana is a must. Spend the day walking along Bávaro Beach, we were not staying at a beach resort so wandered along until we found our perfect spot. We loved the beach near Bavaro Princess. There was a great spot that we put our towels down near the security guard and spent the day swimming.
We also found the best grocery shop in the town behind the beach, it is called Supermercado Ciccolella which had the best selection and prices. You can get basics from here if you are self catering.
If you are staying in an all inclusive then soak up the included food and drinks, beachfront and luxurious surroundings!
RESTAURANTS TO TRY
As we were not staying in an all-inclusive (but would love to next time!) we did some self catering mixed with eating at restaurants. The small supermarket in town is the best to grab bits and pieces but the larger supermarkets a little further away are even better to stock up on. Take a look at either Hipermercados Iberia or Jumbo Supermarket. (Uber to Jumbo Supermarket was 281 DOP each way.)
Some of the most popular restaurants to try are:
- Jellyfish Restaurant
- Beachfront + seafood
- Very popular with tourists
- La Yola Restaurant
- High end, very popular
- Captain Cook Restaurant
- Casual + great value
- Good for lunch
- Bella Napoli Pizzeria & Restaurant
- Italian food, super popular
- In the main street area behind beach
- Citrus Fusion Cuisine
- Super popular, line up each night
- In the main street area behind beach
- CARI-CUISINE Caribbean Restaurant
- Local Caribbean menu
- Down some of the back streets
- COFFEE & RUM LOS CUBANOS
- The best place we ate for very local feel and menu
- Friendly owner
- Delicious food
DAY 2: Best Tours In Punta Cana
There are some incredible tours to do from Punta Cana, these are the best:
Saona Island Day Trip
This is the most popular tour in Punta Cana and an absolute must do. You will need to travel by bus to Bayahibe before jumping on a boat out to some gorgeous islands, having a delicious island lunch with drinks included. You will learn about a turtle rehabilitation program and visit the town. It is a full and incredible day. Book early to secure your date as they do book out. There are lots of Saona tours each is slightly different but these are the best:
SeaVis Saona Island Tour by Speedboat: an adventure with speedboat to the most remote and the most beautiful beaches on Saona Island. Highlights are Mano Juan Village, Sea Turtle Project, Canto de la Playa and the Starfish Sandbank.
Saona Special Tour: 4 Beaches with Canto from Punta Cana: Visit Saona island in small groups (max. 35 persons). Four beaches. Get personalized attention with our guides in multiple languages. Buffet and open bar in the VIP area of Saona Paradise.
Catamaran Boat to Saona Island with Buffet Lunch: Visit Isla Saona, explore this quintessential tropical beach with swaying palm trees, bone-white sand, and lapping turquoise waters.
Snorkelling / Catamaran Cruise
These snorkelling catamaran cruises are relaxed and social, perfect for anyone who wants to get out and enjoy a day on the stunning waters. The top 3 are:
Party Boat with Snorkeling, Open Bar And Hip Hop: Sail the waters of Punta Cana aboard a vibrant party boat. Enjoy snorkeling in crystal-clear waters, unlimited drinks, live DJ music, and stunning views of the Caribbean.
Catamaran Tour with Food, Drinks, and Snorkeling: Sail the waters of Punta Cana and Cape Engaño on a premium catamaran. Snorkel at the natural reserve near Cabo Engaño and chill out next to a floating bar at the Sandbar Cove.
ECO TOUR Playa El Limon (Excursion Multi-activites): Discovery Day of the Dominican Republic visit beaches, ride a horse, lunch and visit a natural lagoon discovering its ecosystem
Horseback Riding on the Beach
Horseback riding on the beach is a popular and unique experience, imagine a sunset while you ride along!
Buggy Adventure Tour, Safari Experiences and Ziplines!
If you are looking for a high-energy option then heading out on a buggy adventure tour is the way to go. These options have tons of positive reviews and sound very exciting:
Punta Cana Dune Buggy Adventure and Amazing Water Cave: thrilling half-day off-road dune buggy adventure-visit an organic farm to taste some Dominican coffee and chocolate, swim in a cenote, and pose at Macao Beach for photos.
Safari Half Day Experience from Punta Cana: Discover the vibrant culture of Safari Higüey on a guided tour from Punta Cana. Visit a tobacco and sugarcane plantation, a cigar factory, and the Higüey Basilica Cathedral.
Ziplines Adventures & Monkeyland Entry: Experience one of the longest ziplines in the Caribbean, flying side-by-side with your partner, and later visit Monkeyland for a chance to interact with and feed the little squirrel monkeys.
3-in-1 Adventure Haitises Park Waterfall Montaña: an unforgettable adventure in the Dominican Republic on an all-inclusive day trip. Explore Los Haitises National Park, swim at Yanigua Waterfall, and soar on swings at Montaña Redonda.
Local Experience Tours
Swim in the Cenotes Ojos Indígenas – Swim in the crystal-clear cenotes of Ojos Indígenas, explore lush trails, discover local wildlife, and indulge in tastings of chocolate, mamajuana, and coffee inspired by Taíno culture in Punta Cana.
City Tour with Harley models E-Scooters: Explore the hidden Gems of Bavaro and Down Town Area in style on an electric bike with several stops to enjoy what Bavaro offers and make unforgettable memories.
History and Culture Tour with River Swim: See the traditional side of the Dominican Republic on a guided tour from Punta Cana. Go beyond the resort side of the country to experience the country’s history and culture.
Higuey Expedition Cultural & Historic Tour: a day out of series in our cultural and gastronomic tour through the city and the mountains, a real contact with the Dominican culture
Punta Cana Oliver & Oliver Rum Tasting & Taino Concept Store: guided tasting and pairing tour of Oliver & Oliver rum in Punta Cana. Try a selection of premium 25-year-old aged rums, such as Cubaney Centenario, Unhiq XO, Opthimus, and Punta Cana XOX
DAY 3: Relax + Local Experience
There are lots of things to do Punta Cana outside resort, if you are not staying in or want to explore further afield! We always recommend starting your day at the beach, it is the most peaceful part of the day so soak it up! Then move on to some shopping, there are upscale boutiques at places like the Blue Mall Punta Cana, I particularly loved the store called Antibes which had unique jewellery and resort wear.
Chez Nicole Boutique is really popular with gorgeous gifts and jewellery and so is the Jellyfish Shop. Spending time wandering the malls or finding that perfect souvenir is a pleasure here. You can also decide to take on of the local experience tours today to see a little more of the area away from the beach. If you can’t bear to go too far from the beach then pop in to our favourite local food restaurant, it is incredibly cheap! Order the plate of the day and taste the real local flavour of the Dominican Republic
Spending a slow day, with a mix of beach, local culture and shopping is the perfect ending to your time in Punta Cana.
Punta Cana Map
Enjoying this guide? Support our blog by buying us a coffee
Where To Stay In Punta Cana
Looking for your perfect accommodation in Punta Cana? There are loads of options, we chose to stay at a non-resort hotel and be more willing to get out and see the rest of the Punta Cana area. Whichever way you decide to stay in Punta Cana there are options for you. We would love to stay in an all-inclusive resort on our next trip though!
Punta Cana Resorts (Most popular option)
Popular Pick: Excellence Punta Cana very popular stay, great reviews and customer satisfaction.
Luxury All Inclusive: Hyatt Zilara Cap Cana – Adults Only, Sanctuary Cap Cana or Secrets Cap Cana Resort & Spa – Adults Only – All Inclusive all are elite all inclusive options and located on the best stretch of beach at Punta Cana.
Midrange: Caribe Deluxe Princess – All Inclusive, Grand Bavaro Princess – All Inclusive, The Westin Puntacana Resort Excellent options, on the beach with great frontage.
Budget: OCEAN DREAM at PLAYA LOS CORALES – villas and suites, Wyndham Alltra Punta Cana All Inclusive Resort
Non-Resort Hotels (Independent Travellers)
If you choose to stay in a non-resort hotel we recommend trying to stay near to the beach. Staying outside of a resort gives you more flexibility to for local experiences and is usually cheaper. Our top picks are:
Luxury: Royal Beach Hotel Punta Cana
Midrange: Caribbean Beach Condo-Hotel with Villas & Private Apartments Wifi Bbq Beach Club & Spa
Budget: Villa Florencia Bavaro (we stayed here and loved it), Tropicana SOL Caribe STUDIOS with POOL, Playa LOS CORALES
Cost Of 3 Days In Punta Cana
Punta Cana can be as expensive or as cheap as you make it, there are options for everyone. I have listed the budget ranges below. It will depend on if you choose budget hotel accommodation or all inclusive luxury accommodation, to self cater or eat out.
- Accommodation ranges from $100USD to $500USD
- Food ranges from 350DOP to $100USD
- Tours range from $30USD to $100USD
Is Punta Cana Safe?
Punta Cana felt quite safe, there are lots of tourists here in the streets as well as at the resorts. The beaches are busy. We went to the beach at sunrise and sunset and both times there were people around. We would recommend your usual safety precautions here. Don’t wear or bring expensive valuables and make sure to keep an eye on your possessions. We didn’t feel particularly unsafe here, but there is definitely opportunity for pick pocketing etc. Use usual safety precautions but at the evening be more aware of your surroundings especially if you are out late.
How To Get Around?
Transport Punta Cana was difficult as buses leave from the Punta Cana Airport instead of the town, meaning you have to get back out there. Our work around was to organise a ride from Punta Cana to Bayahibe. We checked Uber and it was pretty expensive, then we tried In Driver and posted our price on that. Drivers got back to us and offered their price, eventually we found a driver we liked and it was a great choice. He was reliable, the car was new and clean and he was a good driver. We paid about 1600DOP for Punta Cana to Bayahibe.
Uber
We caught one Uber from the Puna Cana Airport to Punta Cana Beach which cost us 601 DOP. To get Uber from the airport exit and turn right, walk along until you reach an undercover area where you will see buses parked. This is the ride share area. If you exit and walk all the way straight ahead you are going the wrong way. We got an Uber from the main Bavaro area to Jumbo Supermarket which was 281 each way and we didn’t have to wait too long.
Local Buses
There are local buses in Punta Cana but we didn’t use them. We did see some mini buses in the main centre of the beach area but were not aware of where to catch them from.
Shuttles
There are hotel or transfer shuttles you can arrange as well. You can prearrange them so you don’t have to worry about organising it when you are there.
Best Time To Visit Punta Cana
The best time to visit Punta Cana is between December and April. This period offers the best weather with dry warm conditions and little chance of rain. For the best value May and November are shoulder seasons and we would avoid peak hurricane season June-October.
Mistakes To Avoid
There are a few mistakes we would avoid in Punta Cana to have a smooth trip, these are our top tips for Punta Cana:
- Staying too far from the beach – choose accomodation as close to the beach as possible as this is the biggest drawcard to the area. You will want to spend all or part of each day on the beach, staying near makes this much easier.
- Not booking tours early – Tours sell out. If you don’t book early you can risk losing your preferred day and possibly missing out. We especially recommend booking for the Saona Day Trip really early.
- Only staying in your resort – even if you are in an all-inclusive take a walk around one of the town or mall areas to get a sense of where you are. The Dominican Republic is a really cool country, it would be a shame to visit and not get to see it.
FAQ for Punta Cana
Is 3 days enough in Punta Cana?
→ 3 days is enough for Punta Cana if you want to focus on the beach or resort. If you are planning to take lots of day trips you might want to add a couple of days.
Is it better to stay in a resort or hotel in Punta Cana?
→ Staying in a resort here will give you the ultimate beach experience and Punta Cana is the perfect place for this. If you are looking to do more day trips then you might want a hotel so you aren’t feeling like you are wasting your resort time out and about.
What is the best area to stay in Punta Cana?
→ The best area to stay in Punta Cana is Bávaro, it has lovely beaches, a little town and is central to other areas.
Do you need a car in Punta Cana?
→ No once you are in Punta Cana it is pretty walkable. You would only want a car to move to other destinations.
Is Punta Cana safe for tourists?
→ Yes, particularly in resort areas, but we advise you using your travel safety precautions especially at night. The area is pretty touristic so there are lots of people around but it there is also opportunity for crime.
Punta Cana is full of beautiful beaches and touristic fun. If you love countries that feel like you really get to soak up the vibe then you will love the Dominican Republic.
Plan your trip:
👉 Read next: Is Bayahibe worth visiting?
👉 Plan your trip: Caribbean Travel Guide
👉 Don’t miss: 2 days in Santo Domingo, why you should visit
Want to see it all in action? Watch our full Caribbean series on YouTube (subscribe to our channel to stay up to date with our travel guides) and follow along on Instagram @passport_nomads and @kelly___buckley for real-time travel tips, guides, and behind-the-scenes moments.
We hope this guide helped you plan an unforgettable trip.
