I am so excited to finally share my Punta Cana travel guide with you! If you are looking for outfit inspiration only – you may find this post sharing what I packed more helpful. In this travel guide, I will be giving a full review of our experience staying 1 week in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic at Lopesan Costa Bavaro. This post is different from many of my other travel guides, as this was our first time staying at an all inclusive resort. We were very excited to sit back and relax on this trip, but we did make time for some exciting excursions! I’m sharing below all of the details of our trip including travel and excursions, plus the room, food, and activities at our resort.
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Travel
Getting to the Dominican Republic was fairly easy because we found a direct flight from Charlotte, NC to Punta Cana. Although this isn’t the closest airport to where we live, driving a few hours to the airport was worth it for a direct flight. The ticket was also much cheaper this way! As with many countries, there is an e-ticket you must fill out before entering or exiting the Dominican Republic. You will need this QR code before boarding your flights.
One thing I learned about visiting Punta Cana is that it is better to book transportation to the resort ahead of time. The Uber/taxi lineup was very hectic when arriving to the airport with many people trying to earn your business all at once. We booked transportation to and from the airport with Erica Espo Tours. She was very responsive on Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp. We also booked an excursion with Erica – more on that later!
Resort Room
We did a ton of research about which resort to stay at in Punta Cana. There were so many choices, but the photos and reviews of Lopesan Costa Bavaro stood out from the rest. And they certainly didn’t lie — the resort was stunning! There are a variety of room options so you can easily find something to fit the needs of your family. They even have an adults only section of the resort. We personally went with a junior suite ocean view and loved the spacious room and balcony! If you prefer a room on the bottom floor with a swim up pool, they also have those.
Everyone at the resort was very helpful and friendly, including the receptionists, servers, bartenders, and housekeeping staff. My husband’s first language is Spanish, so it was very easy for us to communicate. However, if you aren’t fluent in the dominant language of the country you are visiting, I always recommend learning a few key words and phrases to make communication easier! The views throughout the entire resort are simply stunning! You can’t turn a corner without seeing a beautiful backdrop for a photo.
Resort Food
Another amazing feature of Lopesan Costa Bavaro is the all-inclusive package which gives you access to unlimited food and drinks. There are many bars throughout the resort, so you never have to be without a drink in your hand! The resort has 2 buffets that we went to several times for breakfast. For lunch, we frequently grabbed snacks at the beach club that was right next to the pool.
My favorite part of eating at Lopesan was trying all of the different restaurants for dinner. We ate Mexican, Japanese, French, Italian, and American, as well as an amazing steakhouse which was my favorite. My sister’s 15th birthday fell during the course of our trip, and the restaurants were great about singing to her and providing special treats. Keep in mind that all of the restaurants require reservations, many of which can be made online through a link you receive after booking. However, the hibachi restaurant and steak restaurant require you to make reservations at reception the morning of due to their popularity. You can also order 24/7 room service which was amazing. I thoroughly enjoyed all of the cuisines I tried at Lopesan.
Resort Activities
Aside from enjoying drinks or relaxing by the beach or infinity pool, there are several other activities to keep you occupied at Lopesan Costa Bavaro. Along the Boulevard at the resort, you will find a waterpark, casino, theatre, and many shops. There are also various sport bars and lounges with shows, music, and events each night. We were always able to find something entertaining to do after dinner. There are also daily games and activities to participate in along the beach and pool, as well as a kid’s club and teen’s club.
Excursions
Although we thoroughly enjoyed spending our days lounging by the beach or pool, we decided to take 2 excursions during our time in Punta Cana. The first excursion was to Saona Island, also booked through Erica Espo Tours. She was very organized and coordinated the driver to pick us up from our hotel and take us to the dock, as well as the tour guide that accompanied us on our boat ride over to the island. The boat we rode was a party boat with drinks included. It was super fun, but if you prefer less of a crowd you may enjoy a private or semi-private boat ride more. Saona Island was absolutely breathtaking and I’m so glad we had the opportunity to spend a few hours there!
Our second excursion was a spur of the moment idea to go snorkeling. Although I like being prepared and having activities planned ahead of time when traveling, it was fairly easy to book an excursion while at the resort. We walked down the strip of beach through many vendors until we were able to find a company that could take us on a private snorkeling tour that afternoon. The resort can also help you with booking excursions.
I had never been snorkeling before and had a fun time! Both of our excursions during the trip had a photographer with us the entire time taking pictures. We decided to purchase the pictures so we could have group photos of our family from the trip. Although the prices vary by person, there is room for negotiation.
Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our time in Punta Cana! Our resort made everything extremely enjoyable and the excursions are memories I will never forget. If you enjoyed this travel guide for Punta Cana, be sure to check out some of my other travel guides here. If you are planning on traveling to Punta Cana and have any further questions, feel free to drop them in a comment below!
