Punta Cana
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Punta Cana is the name of a region in the easternmost tip of the Dominican Republic. Covering about 420,000 m2 (approximately 1,100 acres), the region is home to a coastline of sandy white beaches and to a town of the same name.
Located in the province of La Altagracia and population estimated at 100,000, the region borders the Atlantic Ocean to the east. To the north, it borders Bávaro and El Cortecito beaches. It also limits with Cabeza de Toro, Cabo Engaño and further west with Juanillo. Although it is mildly windy, the ocean in the area is mainly shallows, with several natural marine pools in which visitors can bathe. The weather is fairly constant, with an average temperature of 26°C. The hottest season lasts from April to November, and during the day temperatures might reach 32°C. From December to March, temperatures during the evening are around 20°C. Very little rain falls around the area, mostly because of the flat landscape.
Despite the area being fairly deserted, the proximity of Punta Cana to other major resort areas such as Bávaro and Uvero Alto make the town one of the top Caribbean destinations. In fact, Punta Cana has one of the busiest and best connected airports in the region, sometimes receiving more flights than the Aeropuerto Internacional de Las Américas, located in Santo Domingo (at about a three-hour drive).
Punta Cana is considered the major resort area in the Dominican Republic. Several professional golf courses have been built in the region. The Punta Cana Group is the most renown of the projects in the region, in which celebrities such as Oscar de La Renta and Julio Iglesias have residences.
The nightlife inside the resorts is very lively. Outside of the hotels, several small plazas and discotheques allow tourists to interact with local residents. Other tourist attractions have also been installed in the area, among them Manatí Park (a waterpark), Plaza Bolera Punta Cana (a bowling center), a Marina, and the Palma Real Shopping Center in Bávaro; the latter still in construction. A list of Punta Cana hotels and ratings can be seen at Punta Cana Trip Advisor. Saona Island in Punta Cana is popular for scuba diving.
The entire Bávaro-Punta Cana region entered a fast-paced growth phase in early 2004. With the establishment and initiation of foreign investment projects such as CapCana and RocoKi, the development of new marinas, resorts, and housing complexes have sprouted everywhere in the area. With 37,000 rooms counted in 2005, it is expected that the region duplicates its capacity in the upcoming years.
[edit] Trivia
- A region once named Punta de Borrachón was merged with Punta Cana by the founding investors in 1969.
- The Punta Cana International Airport serves about two million tourists per year.
- It is a common mistake to associate Punta Cana with All-Inclusive facilities, because some hotels located in the neighboring town of Bávaro carry the name Punta Cana on them. Except for the Tortuga Bay and the Club Med, hotels located in Punta Cana are not All-Inclusive. The reason is because the luxury resorts in Punta Cana target the upper-class market. Bávaro, however, is a tourist destination designed primarily for the middle/working class.
[edit] External links
- The Punta Cana Information Guide
- (Spanish) Official Website of the Ministry of Tourism of the Dominican Republic
- Punta Cana Property Information
- Punta Cana Resort Information and Prices
- Punta Cana Photos
