If you’re wondering where I’ve been since September, I can’t really explain BUT I can tell you where I was last week.

Palm trees, beaches, white sand, scorching sun, take a guess… no not Vegas,…, Punta Cana.

This will be a long post so here’s a TL;DR to guide you.

FLIGHT
RESORT
ACTIVITIES
WHAT TO PACK

FLIGHT & ARRIVAL

To make planning easier, you can bundle up and get a flight + resort package, and maybe activities, but where is the flexibility in that?

My flight was with Air Transat. You get one free carry-on and a personal item included. The wifi is just for the entertainment system (so download your movies, music etc in advance), and you can purchase meals in flight.

Special mention to the lads I sat with on the flight because they practically kept me entertained the entire 4 hours. Towards the end of the flight, the host had to come tell us he was surprised no one complained about us chattering at the back.

Upon arrival, we went through customs where they stamped our passports, and then headed out to find our shuttle to the resort.

TIP: There’s an online form you’ll need to fill out for entry into Dominican Republic. It generates a QR code you’d be asked for upon checking in. It’s best to fill it up before you get to the airport to save time.

RESORT

We stayed at Finest Punta Cana, an all-inclusive resort, and I’m going to briefly touch on some of the upsides and downsides of this resort.

The Grounds

Aesthetics-wise, the resort radiates grandeur. The grounds were well maintained; lush trees, exotic flowers, beautiful walkways, and sparkling clean white tiles, there was just this luxurious feel to it. On arrival, they serve you sparkling wine while checking you in and the bellhop tags your luggage and whisks it away.

Food

They were about 13-15 places to eat but they weren’t all open at the same time. We frequented the same place for breakfast (Market Kitchen- An International Buffet), lunch we always missed, and dinner, I tried to restaurant-hop on the last day but only got around to three of them.

So in terms of dining, I really did not explore much, but they definitely have options- seafood, Italian, Mexican, Dominican, Korean, bar food, e.t.c

Drinks

Throw a stone and it’d land at a bar. I don’t know how many pineapple mojitos I had but I know I’m not drinking again till this time next year, Scout’s honour.

Room

Our room was large, had a beautiful view, and the fridge was constantly stocked; it’s an alcoholic’s paradise. We had a large bathroom, a walk in closet, a jacuzzi and outside the sliding door there’s a chaise lounge where you can relax if you’re anything like me and hate the sun.

Entertainment

I found the resort lacking entertainment-wise. They had a bunch of activities like water aerobics (the only one I actually participated in), cooking lessons, yoga, tennis, etc, and daily evening entertainment, like silent disco, tribute to Michael Jackson (I swear this Island has an obsession with Michael Jackson!), live bands, etc but nothing to get the crowd (which might I add was mostly older people and their kids) going.

In short, if you’re looking for a party resort, this isn’t it, but if you’re looking for a relaxing, luxurious stay, this is the place for you.

TIP: Get a translation app on your phone. While the concierge and front desk staff were bilingual, the majority of the hotel staff weren’t, and things can get lost in translation.

ACTIVITIES

TIP: Plan your activities in advance. Don’t book anything till you get there but have a plan in hand.

DAY 1: CHILL

It was late by the time we settled into the resort, so we ended up having dinner at Legends, attended the Michael Jackson show, and then headed off to the resort lounge, where God help me, my liver died.

DAY 2: INFINITY CLUB

We weren’t able to do anything on the second day due to the beaches being closed (something about rough waters), so we had a pool day instead. Lounged by the pool bar the entire day, did some water aerobics, ate lunch at the Market Place, and in the evening headed to one of the popular clubs in the city- Infinity.

I’m not really into the club scene, so it didn’t really do it for me, but the other girls had the time of their lives, so if you’re a club person definitely check it out.

TIP: We bought booth tickets online, which included transportation to and from the club. Like every club, it picked up after midnight, so I’d recommend going sometime around midnight.

DAY 3: PARTY BOAT

We booked a party boat from a vendor at the airport. The party boat came with, snorkelling, dolphin sightings, in-crew entertainment (music/dancing), and finally docking at a ‘natural pool’, which was really just the shallow part of the water where you could get down and enjoy the water.

TIP: Take your own pictures. Do NOT pay for the souvnier pictures. And if you do, NEGOTIATE the price. And when you get your photos emailed to you, if possible, look at the photos there and then to confirm that they were all sent to you because once you step off that boat, your pictures are gone. You’re not going to be able to get in touch with anyone to send any missed photos.

DAY 3 EVENING: COCO BONGO

This was the most unique experience I had, and the one thing off this list I recommend as a must-do. Coco bongo is like a concert, circus, theatre, club, all in one. I did not know 90% of the songs they played there but it was an EXPERIENCE, complete with balloons, confetti, dry ice, haze, fun cams, live performance. I will be seeing it in another city.

TIP: If you can pay for a seated area, I’d recommend that. Otherwise, you’ll be standing for hours.

DAY 4: SCAPE PARK

This was an all-day adventure parked excursion. The bus picked us up at our resort at around 7 in the morning to take us to Scape Park.

We started off with buggy riding; short, but it was an adrenaline rush. Then we took a hike through the park to view the replicas of cultural homes and shrines, saw some exotic animals- monkeys, iguanans, snakes, parrots.

TIP: You need a driver’s license for the buggy rides.

Next, we did the Saltos Azules: which is where you zip in a monkey bar across water and then drop at the sound of the whistle. As someone who can’t swim, this was one of the worst experiences of my life!

Next, we went to the Hoyo Azul, a cenote, the main attraction of Scape Park. It’s an underground cave with COLD blue spring water underneath it. It was a mix of creepy and cool.

Afterwards, we ziplined through four courses and then rode the water hammock countless times. Had the best time of my life in that hammock.

There was also a bat cave that I peered into and came to the conclusion that I would not be going in. Not surprisingly, no one saw the bats.

DAY 4 EVENING.

By the time we got back, it was late evening. With only one night left, I decided to go to as many restaurants as I could in the resort. Unfortunately, I only made it to three because I’m not a ruminant, but after that, we headed back to Taboo- the longe from day 1 where we stayed till closing.

I have to say, while I’m not a beach gal, I had a blast on this trip, and if you’re looking to decompress for a short while, this is the place for you.

WHAT TO PACK

• Beachwear
• Water shoes
• Waterproof phone pouch
• $1s & $5s for tips
• A beach bag
• Advil/Tylenol + something for an upset stomach
• Powerbank
• Dinner wear
• -Hats & Sunglasses
• -Sunscreen obviously (unless you’re me)
• Don’t forget your travel documents.

So that’s that on my Punta Cana trip. Stay tuned to see the other thing I did in October!