Where to stay in Punta Cana
The resort coast runs from Cap Cana, south of the airport, to Uvero Alto, about 41 km north of it by road. The areas differ in what lies outside the hotel: a service town, a planned village, a private development or a line of all-inclusive resorts. Bayahibe, founded as a fishing village on the south coast, is the base farthest away, at about 69 km.
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How the areas differ
Bávaro covers the coast from Cabeza de Toro to Macao and lies about 19 km from the airport by road at Los Corales. As hotels rose along the coast, it became a service centre with malls, supermarkets, restaurants, banks and clinics.
Punta Cana Village sits about 1 km from the airport by road. The Punta Cana Group planned it: low office buildings line the main avenue, the side streets are gated communities, and small apartment buildings stand to the west. Its public beach, Playa Blanca, is about 3.5 km away. Cap Cana, south of the village and about 11 km from the airport, is a private development of about 120 square kilometres with hotels, homes, a marina and Juanillo and Api beaches.
At the north end, all-inclusive hotels line the beaches of Uvero Alto, about 41 km from the airport, and Playa Macao, a public beach popular with surfers, lies about 9 km south of it. Bayahibe, founded as a fishing village in 1874, is the base for the south coast, about 69 km from the airport and the gate to the Cotubanamá national park and the Saona boats.
Staying with a rental car
The Boulevard Turístico from the airport carries no toll booth, so Bávaro, Macao and Uvero Alto are toll-free (via GetCar). Towards Bayahibe, the Autopista del Coral charges DOP 100 for a car at each booth, Coral 2 at km 52 and Coral 1 at km 18.
No municipal meter scheme was found for Bávaro or Punta Cana on an official page (via GetCar), so parking belongs to the hotel, the plaza or the beach access. In Punta Cana Village the side streets are gated communities, and Cap Cana is a private development, so ask the host or hotel how a guest's car gets through the gate and where it parks. Cap Cana's own guide lists car, golf cart and bike hire, a fuel station at Marina Cap Cana Norte and a road assistance team on call 24 hours.
UK travel advice warns that thieves on motorbikes sometimes reach through car windows at red lights, advises keeping windows shut and doors locked, and calls night driving outside the main cities dangerous. GetCar's guide Driving in Punta Cana covers the tolls, the licence and the Dominican road rules.
What the taxes and entry rules mean for a guest
Hotels, apartment hotels, villas and tourist apartments carry ITBIS, the Dominican VAT, at 18%, according to the tax directorate, while renting a dwelling as a home is exempt. The Labour Code also obliges hotels to add 10% to guests' bills as a tip for the staff. No separate per-night tourist tax was found. Airbnb does not list the Dominican Republic among the places where it collects tax itself, so check whether a quoted total includes ITBIS.
EU, UK and US visitors need no visa for 30 days. Every traveller fills in the free E-Ticket online, for arrival and again for departure, and shows it to the airline; the tourism ministry asks guests in a vacation rental to get the host's full address, with province, municipality and sector. The USD 10 tourist card and the USD 20 departure tax are included in air fares. Until 31 December 2026, EU, UK and US passports need to be valid only for the length of the stay.
In May 2026 the Ministry of Tourism put out for consultation, until 22 July, a draft resolution to register short-term vacation rentals and their hosts with the ministry. Whether it has been signed is unverified as of September 2026.
When to book what
Compare totals with ITBIS and, at hotels, the 10% tip included, and ask about parking and gate access before paying for a villa or apartment in a gated community. Fill in the E-Ticket once the flight details are known: the tourism ministry says it can be done months ahead, and the airline asks for it at check-in.
The hurricane season runs from June to November, according to UK travel advice.
Which area for which trip
A first beach holiday with shops and services nearby: Bávaro.
An early flight or a longer stay in an apartment: Punta Cana Village.
A hotel or villa inside a private development: Cap Cana.
An all-inclusive resort at the north end: Uvero Alto and Macao.
The south coast, Saona and the national park: Bayahibe and Dominicus.
Questions
How far is Bávaro from Punta Cana airport?
About 19 km by road to Los Corales, on a road with no toll booth (via GetCar). Punta Cana Village is about 1 km from the airport and Cap Cana about 11 km.
Is ITBIS charged on a villa or apartment?
Yes, when it is let to tourists: the tax directorate lists villas and tourist apartments as taxed at 18%, and only the rental of a dwelling as a home as exempt.
Do hotels add a service charge?
Yes. Article 228 of the Labour Code obliges hotels to add 10% to guests' bills as a tip, shared among the staff.
Can a visitor drive into Cap Cana?
Cap Cana calls itself a private development, and its guide covers getting around inside it by car, golf cart, bike or e-scooter. Whether visitors without a booking may drive in is unverified as of September 2026 (via GetCar), so ask the hotel or host.
Is there a toll between the airport and Bávaro?
No. The Boulevard Turístico from the airport has no toll booth (via GetCar). The Autopista del Coral towards Bayahibe charges DOP 100 for a car at each booth.