Punta Cana, Dominican Republic Guide
From the crystal clear water rolling up on the velvety sand to the soft breeze through the palm trees, I feel in love with Punta Cana. It was the perfect destination for a short and sweet break from home. I felt completely disconnected from Chicago and I can thank the blazing heat for that! I was there for 3 full days with half days of travel on either side which was perfect because I got the best of both worlds with an amazing trip and a staycation!
Where we stayed:
Villa Tortuga, Punta Cana Resort and Club
We passed by many other villas in the same resort which were just as beautiful and private!
What we did:
We mostly stayed in the house and relaxed by the pool, but we ventured out a few times and it was totally worth it.
I completely suggest going to the ECO, or, Indigenous Eyes Ecological Park and Reserve. From the entrance it definitely does not look appealing. But trust me, inside are the most beautiful freshwater lagoons. They are 20 feet of warm and clear water. If you go, you have to jump off the platforms!!
Go snorkeling or scuba diving! We went scuba diving, but left Punta Cana and drove an hour west to San Rafael Del Yuma which had much clearer water and more exotic fish. We did 2 dives which both explored ship wrecks.
Look for private "beaches". I say beaches in quotes because they aren't really for people to swim and explore, but I couldn't resist and you shouldn't either.
What I wore:
Because I was in the DR, I basically lived in bathing suits. The only time I wore real clothes was for dinner and even then, I kept it casual.
I was looking for a one piece suit with cut outs and a cool fit and it took lots of exploring, but I found one at Princess Polly. I also found these glasses which I think are super retro and make a normal outfit look different.
Of course, Triangl bathing suits are a staple and slowly taking over my closet. Because they are made of neoprene they dry within minutes which I absolutely love!
For dinner, I kept it comfortable with dresses or shorts.
Top: Brandy Melville (they no longer have it)
Shorts: J Crew (last year- out of stock)
Shoes: Marc Fisher (they have so many cute other colors too!)
Dress: Princess Polly
Shoes: Valentino (they no longer have them)
Where we ate:
We stayed in the resort for all our meals and mostly ate at the house, but for the few times we ate out it was amazing.
La Yola in Tortuga Resort- As a doc on the water it is beautiful for both dinner and lunch, but much less lively during the day.
Bamboo in Tortuga Resort- A beautiful poolside restaurant perfect for both dinner and lunch. For lunch it's playful and casual with a view of people splashing in the pool. For dinner, it is much fancier and serene.
