03Cities and regions

The east coast

Punta Cana and Bávaro

Punta Cana is a resort district at the far eastern tip of the country in La Altagracia Province; the Verón–Punta Cana district counted about 138,919 people in the 2022 census. It is known for white sand, turquoise water and dense palms along the shore, with Bávaro stretching north as an almost continuous beach strip of hotels and facilities. Punta Cana International Airport sits about three kilometres inland on the road between Higüey and La Romana and handles roughly 64% of flights arriving in the Dominican Republic — more than the capital’s airport. The area ranks second in Latin America for tourist arrivals and first in the Caribbean by the district’s own figures. Cabeza de Toro is a clear landmark on the eastern headland of soft sand and shallow water, and resorts line kilometres of palm-fringed beach. If you come for the sea, allow at least three days for swimming and rest, and keep a day for a Saona trip from the south or a visit to the Colonial City if your schedule allows. Book local transfers early in high season; roads between hotels and the airport grow busy.

About 139,000

Resort-district population

About 64%

Airport share of flights