Punta Cana
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| Coordinates: 18°32′N 68°22′W / 18.533°N 68.367°W | |
| Country | Dominican Republic |
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| Province | La Altagracia Province |
| Population (2008) | |
| - Total | 325,244 |
Punta Cana is a municipal district in La Altagracia, the easternmost province of the Dominican Republic. The area is best known for its beaches, which face the Caribbean Sea, and is a popular tourist destination. The Punta Cana area has an estimated population of 100,023.[citation needed] To the north, it borders the village of Bávaro and El Cortecito beaches. The nearest town, Higüey, is 28 miles (45 km) away, and it takes about an hour to drive there. Europeans, particularly the Spanish, tend to own the resorts of Punta Cana. Resort architects have been likely to make some nod to Spain or colonial Mexico. Areas bordering Punta Cana include Cabeza de Toro, Cabo Engaño and, further west, Juanillo. The coastline tends to be mildly windy. The ocean waters are mainly shallows, with several natural marine pools in which visitors can bathe.
North to South the main beaches are: Playa de Arena Gorda, Playa Bávaro, Playa Ubero Alto, Playa Macao, Playa de El Cortecito - all north of the cape - and Cabeza de Toro, Cabo Engaño, Punta Cana, Juanillo - south of the cape.
Bávaro is a village developed in cooperation with the resorts of Punta Cana, as a town for workers. As the hotels started to rise along the East coast, Bavaro itself became a center of services.
Punta Cana has one of the busiest and best connected airports in the region (the Punta Cana International Airport), serving about two million tourists per year and sometimes receiving more flights than the Santo Domingo airport, Las Américas International Airport.
The weather is fairly constant, with an average temperature of 30°C. The hottest season lasts from May to December, and during the day temperatures might reach 35°C. From December to March, temperatures during the evening are around 20°C. Very little rain falls around the area, mostly because of the flat landscape.
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high °F (°C) | 81 (27) |
81 (27) |
82 (28) |
83 (28) |
85 (29) |
86 (30) |
86 (30) |
87 (31) |
87 (31) |
86 (30) |
84 (29) |
82 (28) |
84 (29) |
| Avg low temperature °F (°C) | 71 (22) |
71 (22) |
71 (22) |
72 (22) |
73 (23) |
75 (24) |
76 (24) |
76 (24) |
75 (24) |
74 (23) |
73 (23) |
72 (22) |
73 (23) |
| Rainfall in. (cm) | 2.2 (5.6) |
1.5 (3.8) |
1.9 (4.8) |
3.0 (7.6) |
7.0 (17.8) |
6.1 (15.2) |
6.1 (15.2) |
6.4 (16.3) |
6.8 (17.2) |
6.5 (16.5) |
4.4 (11.2) |
2.5 (6.3) |
43.4 (110.3) |
| Source: The Weather Channel | |||||||||||||
[edit] Activities
Punta Cana is considered the major resort area in the Dominican Republic. Several professional golf courses have been built in the region.
The nightlife inside the resorts is very lively. Outside of the hotels, several plazas and discotheques allow tourists to interact with local residents.
Other tourist attractions have also been installed in the area, among them Manatí Park (a waterpark), Plaza Bolera Punta Cana (a shopping mall and bowling center), a Marina, and the Palma Real Shopping Center in Bávaro, housing well known retailers such as Quiksilver, Hard Rock Cafe and Tony Romas. Saona Island, located nearby, is popular for scuba diving.
[edit] External links
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