Travel Guide
Forget Cancun! This Safe Caribbean Destination Has White Sand Beaches & Cheaper All-Inclusives
Aug
Last Updated
With September quick approaching, it is practically time to begin planning that fall getaway, and if you have not but had the prospect to go someplace good and heat this 12 months already, the place you get pampered and bask within the solar, Cancun is prone to be at the top of your list.
Before you e book that jam-packed resort, nevertheless, you may wish to take a look at this different gem, the place seashores are just as pristine-white, resorts are simply as luxurious, if not considerably extra reasonably priced, and safety is tight.
Leader in bookings within the Caribbean after Cancun, and residential to a well-developed hospitality and leisure trade, Punta Cana is all of the low season enjoyable you want:
Why Is Punta Cana So Incredibly Popular Right Now?
According to David Collado, the Dominican Republic’s Minister of Tourism, the nation is racing in the direction of a record-breaking 2024 in tourism, and this has been largely helped by Punta Cana, its main vacation spot and best-developed resort zone:
As Collado reiterates, the excessive stage of safety vacationers take pleasure in, in addition to the varied vacationer presents, are all a part of the explanation why the nation–Punta Cana included–is so widespread with worldwide guests proper now.
Though they actually love the Caribbean’s infinite miles of white, powdered-sugar-like sands, turquoise waters, and unique nature, U.S. residents nonetheless see the protection points plaguing many nations within the area as a serious deterrent.
Countries like Colombia and Jamaica, for example, have all been slapped with travel warnings in latest months, at present that includes on the U.S. State Department’s Level 3 advisory; in non-technical phrases, as an American, you are urged to rethink visiting.
Punta Cana, alternatively, has not been hit with dire journey advisories, despite the fact that the Dominican Republic shares an island with one of the crucial unstable nation-states in your complete Caribbean––Haiti, we’re looking at you––the place crime and gang exercise are rampant.
Don’t get us flawed, crime can happen throughout the Dominican Republic, however as any beachgoer who’s ever swapped Cancun for Punta Cana will be capable of attest, the touristy a part of city, the place all of the upscale inns, seashore bars, and procuring facilities are positioned is as protected because it will get.
How Safe Is Punta Cana?
The Dominican Republic itself is a Level 2 destination, and this implies U.S. passport holders usually are not discouraged from visiting––as an alternative, they need to train ‘elevated warning’, significantly when venturing out of the resort compound by themselves.
While the identical can’t be stated of sure districts of Santo Domingo or Puerto Plata, that near-20-mile stretch generally known as Coconut Coast, which incorporates Punta Cana and all its five-star listings and leisure facilities, could be very low-risk to go to:
Furthermore, legal acts have dropped 45% final 12 months, as identified by El Nacional, which attributes rising security ranges within the Dominican Republic to efforts by present President Luis Abinader, ‘who has led a direct and fixed technique in opposition to crime’.
This is supported by the official presidency website, which corroborates crime is down throughout a number of areas of the island-nation, in sure areas by as excessive as 9.09%.
Punta Cana Can Be Cheaper To Visit Than Cancun
On high of its higher-than-average security ranges, Punta Cana is a surprisingly-economical tropical getaway for Americans, significantly these primarily based in a Southern state like Florida: as seen on Kayak, there are one-way flights for as cheap as $75 leaving from Miami between September-November.
Though Floridians are higher off, owing to their geographical proximity to the Caribbean and powerful cultural ties to the Hispanic World, different U.S. vacationers can simply as simply get to Punta Cana within the fall, with at the least 22 cities in America internet hosting Punta Cana-bound flights.
Let’s face it, the principle motive why hundreds of thousands of vacationers flock into the Dominican Republic yearly is the world-class service that awaits them in these beachfront resorts, and the unparalleled tropical ambiance.
Connectivity apart, resorts on this a part of the Dominican Republic are not essentially low-cost per se, however they are often surprisingly reasonably priced by American requirements, particularly within the eyes of the common Cancun buyer who’s used to somewhat splurging.
We all know fall journey means cheaper costs anyway, however in Bavaro, a laid-back patch of coast some 5 miles exterior Punta Cana’s important resort space, we’re speaking a mere $479 for a one-week keep on the Tropicana Sol Caribes Hotel Studios.
Granted, it is not Grand Palladium or Iberostar, but it surely is sea-facing nonetheless, with entry to a personal part of seashore!
It has an out of doors pool and spa amenities and as many as 9 totally different eating places on-site.
How Much Does An All-Inclusive Stay In Punta Cana Costs?
A rather-more costly itemizing, the Deluxe Villas Los Corales Beach & Spa declare the title of ‘greatest worth for trip rental’, as seen on Booking.com, they usually’re an excellent decide for {couples} searching for some peace and quiet away from the kid-friendly mega resorts.
The property is provided with a lush backyard, eating places and bars, in addition to a on line casino; all items are reported to have AC, a security deposit field––the place you possibly can go away your valuables as suggested within the Dominican Republic––and room charges embrace a continental breakfast.
As for the extra conventional, established names, the adults-only Serenade All Suites, a secluded oasis inside quick driving distance of all of the outlets and golf programs, with its landmark lagoon-style pool, prices from $1,666 to e book for the week.
In the up-and-coming Cabeza de Toro, a wilder a part of Punta Cana the place inns are positioned additional aside and towering palm timber dominate the panorama, all-inclusive Catalonia Royal Bavaro will set you again by a (slightly affordable) $1,250 for a 7-night keep.
Essentially, common inns can value wherever between $479 and $596 this fall, whereas all-inclusive alternate options, for many who anticipate nothing however the royal remedy and 24/7 catering, vary from $1,163 to $2,310, relying on facilities, location, and providers supplied.
An identical property in Cancun, with the very best scores and lowest room charges on Booking.com can simply run you up $2,912-4,308, even within the low season.
How Do Cancun And Punta Cana Compare?
There’s little question Cancun has the numbers to again it up and a greater diversity of inns, however as Travel Off Path verified in this detailed article, room charges in Punta Cana are typically cheaper, whereas the common person score out of 10 (a.okay.a satisfaction) is not that a lot decrease:
Based on Travel Off Path‘s findings, the common value of a four-star resort in Punta Cana is $239 per night time, versus $276 in Cancun, their respective rankings being 7.22/10 and seven.68/10.
As for five-stars, the worth hole is much more pronounced, with overnights in Cancun averaging a whopping $505, whereas Punta Cana’s are roughly $422––rankings are related as effectively, with Cancun scoring 8.46 and the latter a still-laudable 8.08.
For the thrill-seekers on the market, there are many budget-friendly actions to maintain you entertained exterior the confinement of your resort, from this $39-per-person buggy tour by the jungle with resort decide as much as the best-selling $55.50 Catamaran Tour with open bar and snorkeling.
It’s positively no Mexican Caribbean––do not look forward to finding deeply cultural excursions to pre-Columbian websites or storybook colonial towns, as you’d in Cancun––but it surely’s nice for slowing down, taking a break from the busy life again residence and fascinating in outdoorsy actions.
It appears Punta Cana is in it for the win, and we would not be shocked if it took the lead in bookings come fall.
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This article initially appeared on TravelOffPath.com
Opinions expressed listed below are the writer’s alone, not these of any financial institution, bank card issuer, resort, airline, or different entity. This content material has not been reviewed, accredited or in any other case endorsed by any of the entities included throughout the put up.
