2 weeks in Punta Cana

Greetings all....It has been a while    but I just got back from 2 weeks in Punta Cana. I must say that I was impressed. I chose not to stay in a resort. I rented in Pueblo Bavaro, which reminded me a bit of ProCab in Cabarete, but with more condominium style apartments and a few private houses. The community is more of a middle class to upper middle class neighborhood with mostly dominicans, i saw very little to no expats which was interesting, overall it was more of a working neighborhood. I also spent some time in Verón which is right next door to Punta Cana and that neighborhood had a more local Dominican feel to it. Security is very present in Punta Cana, and that goes for the resort and non resort areas. The airport is very nice, but a lot of construction and remodeling going on there at the moment.

         My arrival got off to a bit of a rough start at the apartment.  I arrived and security handed me the keys. The property manager knew 2 weeks in advance of my arrival, but did not clean or check out what was working and not working in the apartment, so I had to deal with no gas for 2 days to cook, no cable tv, a broken shower head which I had to patch, and a few non working outlets ohhhh and it never fails.....non working batteries for the remotes! She apologized profusely and eventually got things fixed. The community pool was not working due to a faulty pump which I later found out was repaired and sitting at the shop awaiting payment for delivery.....mind you the pool has been out of commission for 3 months! Other than these minor inconveniences, the apartment was pretty ok, safe neighborhood with a few delivery services available for convenience.  Pueblo Bavaro is a descent place, but I expected more. Many roads are in bad conditions and there are many empty lots filled garbage and high growing grass, which when it rains might be a breeding groumd for mosquitoes.  The place looks as if when first contructed was an amazing project and has been to some extent semi-forgotten but still has some charm and character. Very quiet neighborhood.

           My impression of Punta Cana not being on a resort. I spent my time with locals riding on the back of a motorcycle, brought my own helmet by the way.  The place reminded me a bit of Florida. The highways are well paved and they have very modern strip malls.  I went to a local beach called playa Bibijagua which was super impressive, could easily rival Sosua and Cabarete beach. Great restaurants and gift shops. The water was so warm that I felt I was entering a jacuzzi.  I also got to visit another area known as the Cortecito and that was also very impressive. I was surprised to see many local spots that have not being taken over by the large hotels, but who knows if that would change with time. Punta Cana has a lot to offer depending on where you reside, but I must admit that construction is growing leaps and bounds, especially the downtown Punta Cana project.  It differs greatly from the North Coast Nature feel, but if you are looking for more of a Miami modernized feel, then it might be just right for you.  I really liked it and will probably be spending my longstay plans there. Punta Cana seems more organized, better patrolled, and offers more amenities than some of the other areas of the island, but also offers plenty of natural beauty in a few hidden spots. It will never compare to the rivers, waterfalls, and mountain scenery of the North Coast, but for some who might want to ease into island living and not experience tooo much culture shock, then Punta Cana is a Viable option.

       My advice to Punta Cana visitors is to not stay at a resort.  Rent a place and explore the area, it has a lot to offer if you know where to go....many gorgeous beaches, night life, and restaurants. I plan to explore more on my next trip and discover life beyond the golden gates. Really liked the town, mostly the sense of security and police presence, the way things have been lately as far as security, it really feels good to see patroling in mumbers. In general I just get the feel that Punta Cana is better managed as a whole, better organization and less chaos.......who does not want those things???? Ohhhh I almost forgot. I found very affordable apartments for $200.00 monthly and up, of course these are non furnished apartments, but in very nice areas with pretty good security......that in itself gets a huge vote from me

    These are just my impressions, perhaps others might differ, but I must say......I was impressed