IS IT SAFE TO TRAVEL TO PUNTA CANA?

A woman was beaten at a resort. Three tourists that mysteriously died of a heart attack in the same hotel. People using the minibar in resorts and collapsing. Big Papi -David Ortiz- shot in Santo Domingo! Just a few headlines that have been dominating the news in regard to the Dominican Republic. The times where there were reports about pristine beaches and friendly people are long forgotten. Every negative story about the Dominican Republic is dug up out of a deep hole and thrown into the media sphere. But how safe are you really in Punta Cana and the rest of the Dominican Republic? In this article you will find out if it is safe to travel to Punta Cana.

The horror stories that have been getting into the news lately are shocking. Who would want to spend their trip in a place where you cannot even be safe at a resort so it seems. Of course, there are different versions to every story. The truth is sometimes somewhere in the middle. Although the headlines are big and bold, the facts about safety in the Dominican Republic cannot be ignored too.

The Dominican Republic is listed on number 73 on the list of most dangerous countries in the world. Travelling through the United States, Thailand, and other places in South America is more dangerous than relaxing in a resort in the Dominican Republic. In no way are we downplaying the horrible things that occured to the tourists on the island. We are just comparing it to the violence in other parts of the world.

So, the answer to the question if it is safe to travel to Punta Cana, is, YES!

Think about it. After these incidents, resorts have more security and surveillance. In no way do they want these things events ever to happen again. It is understandable that a part of your mind is still doubting to take the trip. To ease that part of your mind we listed the safety measures you can take when staying in Punta Cana.

Watch your surroundings

Walking around in the middle of the night on the beach alone to admire the full moon, might seem like a good idea when you are staying at a resort, but caution is preferred.

Although you are on a resort, just take care of your surroundings. Wandering off by yourself on a deserted beach is never a good idea. Especially since the beaches are public. So, take your friend, loved one, mom or dad and enjoy the beautiful view of the ocean in moonlight together.

Excursions

You can leave the resort to go on excursions. Just make sure you do it with certified Tour Operators, that have their certificate and a good reputation on TripAdvisor.

Go ahead and go on that tour!

Leaving the resort

When you want to go exploring without an excursion, use a certified cab driver: Taxi Veron and Taxi Siutratural are certified. They can bring you to places like shopping malls, special local restaurants, and other hidden gems that only the people that live in Punta Cana know. They will wait for you when you ask them to.

We know it seems like a big step to take the public bus but it is still a safe thing to do in the area of Bavaro Los Corales and Cortecito. Read our article on how to get around with public transport in Punta Cana.

Clubbing

When you want to go clubbing outside your resort, clubs like Coco Bongo and Imagine provide transport from and to your hotel. It always nice to have a chauffeur that brings you home safely.

Friendly people

Don’t let all the stories influence you to look at everyone suspicious. After all Dominican people are by nature friendly people. Just like in your hometown you are also cautious of who to trust.

Minibar

In case that you are afraid of drinking from the minibar. Let the staff check your minibar regularly. Are the dates on the drinks okay? Was it opened before? Just little checkpoints when you are in doubt.

Is it safe to travel to Punta Cana?

So it is safe to travel to Punta Cana? Yes. Just visit the Dominican Republic and Punta Cana and enjoy the nature, the lovely people and all the good things this island has to offer. You can always send us a private message and we will be glad to help you navigate through Punta Cana!

Buen Viaje!