What Not To Do in Punta Cana, Tips From a Local

Many of these tips are completely common sense, but they are very likely to be very useful for many people who are planning to visit Punta Cana for the first time.

Punta Cana basics Dont’s safety tips

• Don’t go to remote places without a guide or an experienced friend.

• Don’t rent a vehicle if you don’t have a lot of experience driving, in Punta Cana and the Dominican Republic, in general, road education is not the best, if you decide to rent a vehicle avoid traveling at night, you could have serious visibility problems on some dark roads.

• Don’t leave your drinks unattended, if you are drinking it in a crowded place, it is a safe practice to keep an eye on what you are drinking all the time.

• Don’t leave your passport with anyone, always carry a copy of your documents with you if required.

• Don’t show off in public, you can use jewelry at the resorts in Punta Cana and places you trust, but if you go out to public places and crowded areas are not recommended, you could expose yourself to being a victim of theft.

• Don’t keep all your money for the vacation in one place, try to divide your money into different parts and keep it in safe places of your trust.

Punta Cana basics Dont’s in shops and restaurants

• Don’t assume that taxes are included in all menu prices of some restaurants and bars, if you are going to eat in Punta Cana outside the resort and visit a restaurant when menu prices pass you must ask if taxes are included, many Bars and restaurants do not include taxes in their menu.

• Don’t accept the first price of local sellers, if you want to buy a souvenir here it is very common to haggle prices.

• Don’t use your credit card in strange places and with an informal appearance and always try to be present when you are going to carry out a transaction with your credit card, some establishments usually take your card and return it after a while, ideally, you are present at the time of making any transaction.

Punta Cana basics Dont’s at the airport

• Don’t use taxis without first knowing the payment rate, if you are going to use a public taxi and you do not know the payment rate in advance, or at least an approximate cost, some taxi drivers will most likely take advantage of your ignorance and your foreigner status to charge more than fair.

• Don’t carry jewelry or valuables in your luggage, if you carry something of great value carry it in your hand luggage.

• Don’t change a lot of money at the airport of Punta Cana, the exchange rate is very unfavorable at the airport, if you are not going to arrive directly at a resort, you can change some money at the airport, just to pay a taxi and eat for a day.

Punta Cana basics Dont’s at the hotel

• Don’t Drink tap water, it is not recommended to consume tap water in the hotels or residences of the Dominican Republic, it is recommended the consumption of bottled water, which is obtained abundantly in any trusted place such as a market, store, or hotel.

• Don’t mix alcoholic beverages with energy drinks, it is not recommended, and don’t mix medications with alcohol, if you are taking medications periodically, please consult with your doctor before making your trip.

• Don’t use much air conditioning if you are not accustomed, some people not accustomed to being in air-conditioned environments can get sick, remember that the Dominican Republic is an island with a very high relative humidity.

The air conditioner raises the humidity in the room, always check that the room where you are going to stay has good ceiling fans and that it has sliding windows or doors that you can open without danger of mosquitoes entering.

• Don’t use your cell phone to send text messages or call your home country while in Punta Cana, the telephone rate is very expensive for international roaming.

Punta Cana basics Don’t at the Beach

• Don’t get drunk when going on excursions that involve beach activity or driving, you could cause an accident.

• Don’t go to the beach naked, it is prohibited in the Dominican Republic, some hotels accept top-less, but I must tell you that this custom is not common among natives.

• Don’t wear earrings or bracelets if you are going to swim at the beach, most likely they will get lost in the water.

• Don’t swim alone on the public beaches of Punta Cana, such as Macao or Uvero Alto, try to be accompanied, these beaches don’t have waves breaker, their waters are not as calm as the others, and any kind of marine life could get close to the shore.

• Don’t rent a scooter in Punta Cana if you don’t know how to drive one.

• Don’t feel very comfortable sunbathing on the beach of Punta Cana without using sunscreen, the sensation of sunbathing is extremely pleasant, but if you do not use sunscreen the burns at next day will not be so pleasant.

Bonus tip

Don’t get paranoid, enjoy your stay in Punta Cana, come with your heart fully open, may the peace of the blue sea last in your heart, and let the energy of the sun fill your life with emotions.