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September is fast approaching, meaning it’s almost time to start planning your fall getaway. If you haven’t had a chance to visit a lovely, warm place to luxuriate in the sun yet this year, Cancun should be at the top of your list.
In front of you If you’re booking into a fully booked hotel, why not check out this other gem with the beach just a stone’s throw away.Though not quite as impressive as the immaculate building, the resort is just as luxurious, slightly more affordable and has tighter security.
Ranked second only to Cancun in terms of bookings in the Caribbean, and with a developed hospitality and entertainment industry, Punta Cana has all the fun you could want in the off-season.
Why is Punta Cana so popular right now?
According to the Dominican Republic’s Tourism Minister, David Collado, the country is committed to breaking tourism records in 2024, and a major factor in this is Punta Cana, the country’s main tourist destination and best-developed resort town.
As Collado repeatedly stated, the high level of security and diverse tourist resources available to tourists are part of the reason why the country, including Punta Cana, is now so popular with international tourists.
While Americans certainly love the Caribbean islands’ endless sugar-white beaches, turquoise waters and exotic nature, they also see the security issues that plague many countries in the region as a major obstacle.
For example, countries like Colombia and Jamaica have been subject to travel warnings in recent months and are currently under a Level 3 advisory from the State Department — in non-technical terms, Americans are being urged to reconsider traveling there.
Meanwhile, there are no strict travel advisories in place for Punta Cana, even though the Dominican Republic shares an island with Haiti, one of the most unstable countries in the entire Caribbean where crime and gang activity are rife.
Don’t get us wrong: Crime can occur anywhere in the Dominican Republic, but as any beachgoer who’s been from Cancun to Punta Cana can attest, the tourist areas with their luxury hotels, beach bars and shopping centers are as safe as it gets.
Is Punta Cana safe?
The Dominican Republic itself is a Level 2 destination, which means US passport holders do not need to refrain from visiting, but they should exercise “greater caution” when venturing alone, especially away from resort properties.
While the same cannot be said for certain areas of Santo Domingo or Puerto Plata, the roughly 20-mile area known as the Coconut Coast, which includes Punta Cana and its five-star hotels and entertainment venues, is very low-risk to visit.
Furthermore, as El Nacional points out, criminal activity fell by 45 percent last year, attributing the improvement in the Dominican Republic’s security level to the efforts of current President Luis Abinader, who “has led a direct and sustained strategy against crime.”
This is corroborated by the official website of the Presidential Office, which confirms that crime has decreased in several parts of the island nation, with certain areas seeing a drop of as much as 9.09%.
Punta Cana is cheaper to visit than Cancun
In addition to an above-average level of safety, Punta Cana is a surprisingly affordable tropical getaway, especially for Americans living in southern states like Florida, with one-way flights departing from Miami costing as little as $75 between September and November, as seen on Kayak.
Floridians are blessed with geographical proximity to the Caribbean and strong cultural ties to the Hispanic world, but other American visitors can get to Punta Cana just as easily in the fall, with flights to the island available from at least 22 cities in the United States.
In fact, the main reason millions of tourists flock to the Dominican Republic every year is the world-class service and unparalleled tropical ambiance that awaits them at its beachfront resorts.
Transportation accessibility aside, resorts in this part of the Dominican Republic aren’t necessarily cheap, per se, but they’re surprisingly affordable by American standards — especially to Cancun regulars who are used to splurging a little.
We all know that fall travel is cheaper anyway, but in laid-back coastal Bavaro, about five miles from the main resort area of Punta Cana, a week’s stay at the Tropicana Sol Caribe Hotel Studios costs just $479.
Indeed, it is Although it’s not a Grand Palladium or an Iberostar, it still faces the ocean and has access to a private beach section.
There are nine outdoor pools and spa facilities. There are various restaurants on site.
How much does an all-inclusive stay in Punta Cana cost?
Although the Deluxe Villas Los Corales Beach & Spa is a little on the higher side of the price scale, it has earned the title of “Best Price in Vacation Rentals” on Booking.com and is perfect for couples looking for a quiet getaway away from the kid-friendly mega-resorts.
The property features lush gardens, a restaurant, a bar and a casino, all rooms are air-conditioned and have a safe (where you can leave your valuables, as is recommended in the Dominican Republic), and a continental breakfast is included in the rate.
A more traditional, established name is the adults-only Serenade All Suites, a secluded oasis just a short drive from all the shops and golf courses, with a landmark lagoon-style pool and weekly bookings starting at $1,666.
In the up-and-coming Cabeza de Toro, a wilderness area of Punta Cana where hotels are spaced apart and towering palm trees dominate the landscape, a stay at the all-inclusive Catalonia Royal Bavaro will set you back (a very reasonable) $1,250 for a seven-night stay.
Essentially, regular hotel rates this fall range from $479 to $596, while all-inclusive rates for those expecting nothing more than pampering treatment and 24-hour catering range from $1,163 to $2,310 depending on amenities, location and services offered.
Similar properties in Cancun, which boasts the highest ratings and lowest room rates on Booking.com, can easily cost between $2,912 and $4,308 even in the off-season.
How does Cancun compare to Punta Cana?
While Cancun certainly has the numbers to back it up and a wider selection of hotels, Punta Cana generally has cheaper rates and a not-so-low average user rating (satisfaction) out of 10, as Travel Off Path examines in this in-depth article.
According to Travel Off Path’s findings, the average rate for a four-star hotel in Punta Cana is $239 per night, while in Cancun it is $276 per night, with ratings of 7.22/10 and 7.68/10, respectively.
When it comes to five-star hotels, the price difference is even more stark, with Cancun averaging a staggeringly high $505 a night compared to around $422 in Punta Cana. The ratings are similar as well, with Cancun scoring 8.46 points and Punta Cana scoring 8.08 points, both still highly rated.
For thrill-seekers, there are plenty of affordable activities to enjoy outside the resort, from a $39-per-person buggy tour through the jungle with hotel pickup and drop-off to the best-selling $55.50 catamaran tour with open bar and snorkeling.
It’s quite different from the Mexican Caribbean: you can’t expect deep cultural excursions to pre-Columbian ruins and fairy-tale colonial towns like you can in Cancun, but it’s a great place to slow down and take part in outdoor activities away from the busy life back home.
Punta Cana seems to be favored to win, and it would not be a surprise if it tops bookings this fall.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com.
The opinions expressed here are those of the author alone and not of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline or any other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or endorsed by any of the entities included in the post.
