It’s been a pretty stellar week in the world of holidays, and it’s largely thanks to one incredible announcement. The world renowned Excellence Hotels Group revealed a brand new resort opening in the latter portion of 2016: Excellence El Carmen, Punta Cana. If you’d like to see the details from the horse’s mouth, check out the official press release.
We’re pretty excited about the whole affair, and judging by the reaction from the holidaymaking community, so are you. We’re hunting out specific details right now, so it’s probably a good idea to do some homework regarding the amazing things you can do in the Dom Rep, ready for that inevitable visit to Excellence El Carmen.
With that in mind, here are 5 amazing things you can do in, around, and nearby Punta Cana that need to be part of your Punta Cana plans.
1. Zipline Canopy Adventure
When you think of a guided tour you probably imagine a walk atop cobblestones following an umbrella-wielding boffin through red-brick streets. Not in Punta Cana, mind you. The Zipline Canopy Adventure shows you the incredible landscapes of the Dom Rep from (quite literally) a new perspective. You’ll take in the great, diverse scenery of the region from the treetops via a system of ziplines, all the while guided by local experts who know all there is to know about the indigenous wildlife. It’s also pretty fun zooming between trees to reach each destination, and the views are out of this world.
2. La Yola
Date night gets some game in Punta Cana. La Yola is one of the most respected oceanfront dining establishments in the Dominican Republic, having earned itself a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence and an AAA Three Diamond Award. Modelled in the vein of a Caribbean boat, the panoramic sea views at La Yola perfectly complement the Mediterranean seafood that inspires the restaurant’s menu. This is some of the best fare in Punta Cana, so if you’re nearby you should definitely consider sampling some of the options. If you think you’d like to drop in you can use this map to get your bearings.
Bonus tip: La Yola is fairly close to AlSol Luxury Village, if you fancy sampling a little luxury before Excellence El Carmen opens its doors.
3. The Samana Peninsula
The green wilderness of the Dominican Republic still thrives in Punta Cana if you go to the right places, and the emerald crown of ecological attractions is won hands-down by the Samana Peninsula. The protected Parque Nacional Los Haïtises is home to verdant mangrove islets, bird-filled caves, and pre-colonial art that predates the Western settlement of the Dominican Republic. Humpback whales calve in the deeper waters just off the coast in January and February, and the Playa Rincon beach is widely considered one of the most beautiful on the island. Off-road treks and epic sightseeing are the fundamentals of the Samana Peninsula, easily one of the most stunning regions in The Antilles. It’s vast, varied, and full of fabulous curiosities, so use this map to get a feel for the lay of the land.
4. Bavaro Splash Speedboats
Bavaro Splash combines two incredible water sports into one exhilarating excursion: speedboating and snorkelling. You’ll speed across the stunning Bavaro beachfront driving your own speedboat as part of a convoy, taking in the flourishing jungle cover on the Dominican Republic’s coastline. Eventually you’ll reach a sea platform where you can get to know the crystalline waters up close and personal via a snorkel trip or a SNUBA session.
5. Saona Island
There’s a little island off the coast of Punta Cana called Saona Island, and it’s a great way to escape the mainstream tourism of Dominican Republic. There are a number of tours that will usher you off the mainland, some of which stop over at a shallow natural lagoon home to a large number of starfish. Once you’re on Saona the speed of the day is entirely yours to choose: get involved with some beach games, or explore the coconut-carpeted island at your leisure. If you want to Tweet some pictures that’ll make your friends truly envious, the white-sand palm-fringed turquoise waters of Sanoa Island are postcard perfect.
Bonus tip: Those travel snaps aren’t just quality Twitter fodder, either. Use them to enter our Photo of the Month competition and you could become the proud parent of your own cuddly Bayley Bear. You can even enter via Twitter, if you’d like to two-bird your digital socialising. Just Tweet us @BlueBayTravel.
Believe the hype
It won’t be long until we have some new intel on Excellence El Carmen, so this buffet of Dom Rep delights should tide you over until more knowledge surfaces.
If you have your own tops tips for the Dominican Republic, or if you’ve got any burning questions about Excellence El Carmen, let us know in the comments below.
Equally, if you have your own Excellence Hotels Group experiences we’ve love to hear those too. Otherwise, stay tuned for more breaking intel on Excellence El Carmen.
All images used in this blog are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0
