Guide · Updated October 24, 2026 · Research-based guide; Conteluma hasn't stayed at these resorts. Prices change, so confirm the final total before you book.
All-inclusive, done right.
Pick the beach area first, then the resort.
Know before you go
- Time zone
- Atlantic Standard Time all year: 1 hour ahead of New York in winter, same as New York in summer.
- Language
- Spanish. English is widely spoken at resorts.
- Currency
- Dominican peso (DOP). US dollars are widely accepted in the tourist zone.
- Cards
- Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted; some small businesses and tour operators add a card fee.
- Cash & ATMs
- Bring small US bills for tips. For pesos, use bank ATMs in Bávaro (for example Banco Popular) rather than the airport exchange desk, which has the worst rate; local ATM fees run about $3–$5.
- Plugs & voltage
- Same as the US (Type A/B, 110–120V).
- Tap water
- Don't drink the tap water. Use bottled water or your resort's purified water.
- Tipping
- Restaurant bills often include a service charge; check the bill. A little extra, and small tips at resorts, are customary.
- Getting around
- Pre-book your airport transfer (15–30 minutes to Bávaro and Cap Cana) or use resort taxis.
- Entry requirements
- A valid passport, plus a free E-Ticket for both arrival and departure from the official site, eticket.migracion.gob.do. The tourist card fee is included in most airfares.
- Safety
Levi's advice: Use common sense. Leave flashy jewelry at home, carry money in a front pocket if you can, and don't wander around on foot late at night unless you're close to your hotel.
Resort areas are well guarded. Use resort-recommended taxis or transfers, keep valuables in the room safe, and check the US State Department's current advisory.
- Emergency number
- 911
Checked October 2026 for US travelers. Entry rules and fees change, so confirm them with official government sources before you fly.
Bávaro, Cap Cana or Uvero Alto?
Bávaro is the main resort strip, with the most hotels, restaurants and nightlife, about 15–30 minutes from the airport. Its east-facing beaches can get heavy sargassum in summer. Cap Cana, south of the airport, is a gated, upscale enclave with golf, a marina and Juanillo Beach. Uvero Alto, far to the north, is secluded and popular with adults-only resorts, but transfers can take up to an hour.
Bávaro
- Widest choice of resorts and prices
- Restaurants, shops and nightlife nearby
- Beaches can see heavy seaweed in summer
Cap Cana
- Quieter, upscale and gated
- Juanillo Beach tends to get less sargassum
- Higher prices and little to walk to
Most resorts are all-inclusive, so the beach and the resort matter more than the town. Pick the area first, then compare resorts within it.
Featured hotel: Riu Palace Bavaro
A large five-star all-inclusive in Bávaro, near Arena Gorda Beach, built in 2011, with about 994 rooms, seven pools and eight restaurants. It's about 30 minutes from Punta Cana airport.
Strengths
- Strong value for a five-star all-inclusive
- Seven pools, a kids' club and plenty of dining choice
- Part of RIU's Bávaro complex, with more facilities nearby
- High guest ratings across thousands of reviews
Watch out for
- A very big resort; ask for a room near the beach and main pools
- Bávaro beaches can get sargassum in summer
- Busy at peak times
Before you book
- Ask for a room close to the beach and pools when you book
- Check what's included at à la carte restaurants
- Compare the total for your dates, including taxes
Sources: Best areas to stay in Punta Cana · Riu Palace Bavaro listing
See these Punta Cana resorts: photos, prices and availability
Photos, guest ratings and live prices for the featured resort, a Cap Cana splurge and another Bávaro favorite, from our booking partner Stay22. Change the dates to see your own prices. Booking through the map may earn Conteluma a commission at no extra cost to you. A hotel that is sold out for your dates won't appear.
See photos and live prices for these hotels. The map loads from Stay22 and uses affiliate tracking, so it needs your OK first.
What it costs, and when to go
Prices swing a lot by date. In our October 24 check of our partner's map, availability was limited for the default sample dates; Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana showed about $1,140 a night for two all-inclusive, while Bávaro resorts are usually far cheaper. Check your own dates in the map.
- Peak season: mid-December to April, with the driest weather and the highest prices, especially around the holidays and spring break.
- Hurricane season: June 1 to November 30, with the highest risk from August to October. Prices drop, but buy travel insurance and watch the forecast.
- Sargassum: seaweed can wash up on some beaches from about April to September. It varies by year and beach, so check recent guest photos.
Costs to plan for
- E-Ticket: every traveler needs a free Dominican Republic E-Ticket for both arrival and departure. Use only the official government site; look-alike sites charge for it.
- Tourist card: the tourist card fee is now included in most airfares.
- Taxes: if a rate is shown before taxes, Dominican hotels add 18% tax and a 10% service charge, about 28% in total.
- Transfers: 15–30 minutes to Bávaro and Cap Cana, up to an hour to Uvero Alto. Book ahead.
- Tips: small tips are customary at all-inclusives.
Use the trip cost calculator to add flights, transfers and extras to your hotel price, or the true-cost calculator to compare two hotels' real totals.
Two more hotels to compare
A Cap Cana splurge for less seaweed, and another well-known Bávaro resort.
| Hotel | Why compare it | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana Check prices → | Family-friendly all-inclusive on Juanillo Beach with about 375 rooms, a lazy river and kids' clubs, about 18 minutes from the airport. | The price is much higher; check whether the quieter beach is worth it for you. |
| Paradisus Palma Real Check prices → | Five-star all-inclusive on the beach in Bávaro, next to a golf course. | Room category and which perks the higher "Reserve" level adds. |
Five checks before you book
- Pick the area first: Bávaro for choice, Cap Cana for quiet and less seaweed.
- Compare the all-inclusive total for your dates, including taxes.
- Complete your arrival and departure E-Tickets on the official site.
- Check recent guest photos for sargassum if you're going in summer.
- Ask for a room close to the beach at large resorts.
More help: hidden hotel fees checklist · book direct or use a booking site? · Marriott vs. Hilton status
Hotel facts come from hotel listings and a local area guide; prices and ratings in the map come from our booking partner. The photo shows a Punta Cana beach, not any hotel in this guide.