After being to many of the Caribbean islands, Punta Cana has one of the better beaches.  It is long with sand that is easy to walk on both in and out of the water.

The Beach

There are many islands with all-inclusive resorts.  Punta Cana might have the highest concentration of them.  After our great experience at the Bahia Principe in Jamaica, we chose the same chain in Punta Cana.  The Gran Bahia Principe is 120 acres with a golf course, five hotels, 13 pools, six sit down restaurants and many buffets and a lot of bars. 

Bike ride across the resort

Three of the hotels on the beach.  They are the Esmeralda, Punta Cana and Amber.  Amber is adult only and mainly an older crowd.  Esmeralda is for families.  Punta Cana is the rowdy twenty something crowd.  There are contests there every afternoon like sexiest bikini, under water swimming contests and bull riding.

The staff were very friendly. The food was good.  What restaurants you can eat at depends on the hotel you stay at.  But if you pay extra for the privilege club, you get access to all of the restaurants, top shelf liqueur, a bartender in two locations on the breach and a driver any time you want.  At the privelege club offices, you get free international calls and internet computers.  We were an RCI timeshare trade.  They gave us the privilege club for free.

 The Restaurants

We stayed in the Esmeralda.  There were two pools and a hot tub area.  It's buffet was split in two.  We preferred the one in back.  It had an outdoor dining area.  The indoors area had windows that made it feel more open then the other buffets we tried.

The room was comfortable, had US power outlets, robe, slippers, hair dryer, iron and ironing board and a safe.  Being our anniversary, we got special treatment.

Hotel room

At night there are shows, a casino and a small disco.  We the parties at the hotel lobbies like the Bavaro.  During the day there was a lot to do beyond the pools and beaches if you desire more than a quiet time in the sun.  Besides long walks along the beach and biking around the resort, we went to the spa a couple of times, borrowed a sailboat, snorkeled, drove dune buggies and mini subs.

  

The main Spa

sailing

 Dune Buggies

Subs