About a year and a half after getting married we're finally taking a honeymoon. Anyone been to Punta Cana? Anything to definitely do? Definitely miss? Any suggestions?
I forget which resort we went to, but the bus trip there from the airport was about as depressing as you can get. The concierge at the resort 'strongly encouraged' us to not leave the resort, until it was time to go back to the airport. The resort was pretty awesome though....
This about sums it up! I don't know if it was our particular resort but I would say get ready for a culture shock. My fiance and I were one of three american groups/families on our resort(and one of them wrote the book on ignorant american stereotypes). Everyone else was french/german/russian/spanish. Most of the resort workers spoke english well enough but it was admittedly quite awkward knowing we were the minority. Very strange to sit in a restaurant and not understand a single word anyone around you is saying
I learned spanish while we were there last spring. "dos cerveza's per favor" over and over again. Only real suggestion is to stay away from the Hard Rock. We took a cab there one day during our trip and it was a shitty experience all around. We stayed at the Iberostar and it was nice. The food was okay, but I'm not sure how great of food you should expect from buffet style resort food. It was as good as any other cruise ship or all inclusive resort I've been to. We basically spent the whole week reading books on the beach and drinking, so it was really relaxing.
So will I haha And the wife speaks passable Spanish and fluent Russian, so if thats all the case, we'll be alright.
Punta cana has pretty much nothing but beeches. anything is a drive. D.R. is very poor. sellers love to bargin. they will start at $100 and you can get it for $10. bring your own large capacity mugs or you end up with shot glasses for your drinks. lots of sun screen 30+spf (the sun is like a laser beam) and keep drinking water, lots of water. everything gets brought by boat so it is expensive (chips, toothpaste, soap, shampoo ect.)
that place is supposed to be the bomb shizznit for seafood! and hookers! just sayin if the wife thing doesnt workout!
My brother got married there a couple of years ago at Paradisus Palma Real. Beaches are nice. The sun is brutal. The reef was pretty cooked if you're a diver. I would recommend not taking the gua gua (bus) from the airport to the resort. Mama Juana (drink not herb) will mess you up. Brugal Rum is the bomb.
Sosua or Cabarete on the North side of the island for that. after my brothers wedding we went up there to dive. Sitting in the bar after a day diving made for really interesting people watching.
I've been there a couple of times, beautiful beaches but I agree, outside the resorts is very depressing and risky. Stayed at the Riu Palace and the staff was one of the best and friendliest staffs as far as service and value! Lots of Russians there, it was kind of weird, and the Dominican women are gorgeous but they will obviously be off limits for you. I think you will enjoy it!
Went there in November of 2011 for our Weddingmoon and stayed at Secrets Royal Beach. The resort was amazing, we spent a lot of time at the pool and buffets. Be prepared to have pesky natives trying to sell you something everywhere, especially on the beaches. Just tell them no and to leave you alone, don't feel bad about being rude, because by the end of the week you'll be sick of it. Must Do's are the Bavaro Runnners Safari that takes you inland to the sugar cane fields, coffee plantations, etc etc. Really the best cultural experience available if you're into that sort of thing. Otherwise, we took a booze cruise once and went shopping, but didn't have much fun with these. Prices at the "mall" were ridiculous, and the booze cruise was more about them getting you to a place where you couldn't run and hide from the peddlers.
