Guide to Punta Cana Region

Beaches

The Punta Cana region isn't dubbed the 'Coconut Coast' for nothing. In fact, a better name might be the 'Endlessly Long Coconut Coast', but that's a bit of a mouthful. You see, the beaches here just don't know when to stop. They run for 35 miles or so from El Macao in the north down to Bavaro and Punta Cana in the south and beyond. Okay, they're not one long, uninterrupted expanse. More a series of drop-dead gorgeous strands connected by paths or water taxis. But they're exquisite. Think carpets of snowy white sands that your toes sink into on touch. Curtains of coconut palms swaying in baby-soft breezes. And crystal-clear waters that'll make you want to strip to your cossie on the spot. When you feel a spurt of energy coming on, you can always just stroll along the sands. Between the resort hotels, you'll find empty stretches where it's just you, the palms and the bluest skies ever. Try some of the watersports, too. Take to a surfboard or jetski. Go kayaking or parasailing. Or catch a boat to the outlying reef to dive or snorkel amid iridescent fish, coral gardens and jaw-dropping giant sponges. The locals say the beaches here are the best in the country. And once you've been here, it's pretty hard to argue.

Eating out

• Here on the east coast, the main dining spotlight shines on the hotels. Most are so stuffed with restaurants, cafes and beach terraces that many people never 'eat out' as such. Just criss-crossing the hotel lobby is enough to take your tastebuds on a whistlestop tour of world cooking styles. Asian. Mexican. Italian. Indian. Chinese. Texan. The same holds true outside the hotels, too. You'll find pizzerias, steakhouses and European-style seafood eateries along the sands and in the shopping plazas. Get ready to twirl spaghetti one minute. Curl up scrumptious duck-and-plum pancakes the next. And unfurl a la carte seafood crepes after that. It's a culinary carousel and you're in control of how fast it spins. Of course, you'd be mad not to sample 'comida criolla' - the local food - while you're here. Head for the local bars and cafes to try 'sancocho' - a tasty, tender meat-and-vegetable stew. Dig into 'la banderas' – beans, rice, and fried meat matching the colours of the national flag. Then there's lobster, red mullet and giant shrimps straight from sizzling outdoor grills. Many come drenched in delicately spiced coconut cream. And don't miss the super-sweet desserts. As you'd expect, most revolve around the freshest pineapple, mango and papaya that'll ever pass your lips. Washing everything down is icy-cold Presidente beer and 'jugos', freshly squeezed tropical juices. And for something more potent, take your pick from the countless varieties of local dark and white rum. Sip them slowly, on the rocks, with the sands tickling your toes. Coo over 'banana mamas' – sublime blends of banana liqueur, rum and coconut cream. And don't leave without tasting 'mamajuana'. Made with rum, red wine, honey and herbs, this wicked local brew is a hangover waiting to happen.
  
  
• Captain Cook, Punta Cana – This ramshackle-looking restaurant is a local legend. Rightly so – its happy chefs conjure up perfectly cooked fresh fish and shellfish on outdoor grills overlooking the sands.
  
  
• Jellyfish, Bavaro Beach – Fresh seafood with an Italian twist is the star at this constantly packed gem. Cocooned in coconut palms, it's called Jellyfish because that's exactly what it looks like lit up at night.
  
  
• La Yola, Punta Cana – Smartly dressed diners love this sophisticated seafood eaterie for its tangy fish ceviche and mouth-watering shrimp tempura. Go at sunset and the views will be as breathtaking as your bill.
  
  
• Meson Rocio, Plaza Brizas, Bavaro – Tuck into excellent tapas and steaming paellas at this friendly Spanish restaurant. The wines are great, too.
  
  
• Soles, Bavaro Beach – Popular day and night, this cheerful sand-strewn hangout is an easy-going mix of Caribbean cuisine, live music and cocktails.

Nightlife

• Okay, this isn't the place for let-your-hair down partying. If that's what you're after, then the north and south coasts are probably more your scene. Nights here tend to fairly subdued and sophisticated affairs, with most activity centred on the hotels. The big flashy resort numbers are glittering temples of evening entertainment with everything from cheerful fun pubs and suave piano bars to live merengue to keep non-disco divas happy. Think nights tapping your feet to colourful theme shows. Candlelit dinners to the smoochy sax notes of Latino jazz. Or evenings at a hotel casino, chancing your luck against one-armed bandits and spinning roulette wheels. But having said that, there are some upbeat hangouts. Take Bavaro. Come sundown, young crowds gather at the bars peeping through the palms. We're talking outdoor terraces where you can slurp cuba libres with the sand caressing your feet and the last rays of sunset stroking your face. Casual sand-floored shacks rustle up potent rum punches and hip-swaying 'merengue' tracks. At full moon and on other special nights, lots of waterholes morph into open-air discos with everyone swaying to salsa and bachata under the silvery disc in the sky. Oh, and one last tip on the nightlife front. Some of the liveliest places to go are the shopping plazas. Many of the malls around Bavaro and Punta Cana host sports bars and cocktail haunts that slip into disco mode come midnight. And if some slightly harder partying's on your mind, listen out for the current hip-list of hotel nightclubs. Thumping out everything from techno to hip-swinging merengue, they never reach the same scale or fever pitch of Ibiza or Faliraki. But after a day strolling the sands, they're perfect for some good old-fashioned floor-pounding.
  
  
• Pacha, Riu Bavaro Resort – The name and cherry logo are the only things you'll recognise about this copycat nightspot. Expect bachata beats rather than the original's dance anthems.
  
  
• Casino, Melia Caribe Tropical Hotel, Bavaro – For a night with a difference, hightail it to this flashy casino. Open to all, it's packed with slots and tables to spirit those pesos out of – or maybe into – your pocket.
  
  
• High Wave, Plaza Bavaro – Kickstart the evening at this chic sports-style lounge bar with your eyes fixed on the big screen and your lips on the stellar cocktails.
  
  
• Disco Mangu, Occidental Bavaro Resort – Upstairs house and techno. Downstairs bachata and reggaeton. The clubbing doesn't get much better than here.
  
  
• Huracan Cafe Bar, Bavaro - Live merengue and fun theme nights make this a popular beachfront hidey-hole. A classic Caribbean chill-out spot.

Shopping

Shopping and the Dominican Republic. Okay, it's not exactly a match made in heaven. But it doesn't really matter very much - 99% of people come here for the beaches so serious shopping splurges probably aren't uppermost in their minds. Nevertheless, there's still some great retail roving to be done. First stop? The trinket stalls scattered all around. Stacked with knick-knacks, they're great for snapping up little holiday reminders. Just haggle with their grinning vendors and nab yourself a woodcarving, salsa CD or a macrame thingy-bob. For something more glam, head for the hotel shops or the local plazas. Here you'll find gift stores, jewellers and boutiques crammed with everything from hand-rolled Dominican cigars to eye-popping Haitian art. Then there's the Republic's larimar and amber jewellery. Some amber pieces clasp insects Jurassic Park-like in their orange stones, making them especially covetable. And light turquoise larimar is a semi-precious gemstone only found in the Dominican Republic. Another classic take-home is a Taino doll. Hand-made from clay, these faceless figurines come in all designs – holding bouquets, milling coffee and balancing water pots – to depict everyday life as it once was. Want to widen the retail repertoire? Try Altos de Chavon and Santo Domingo. In Altos, you can waft around weavers' workshops, silk-screen studios, art galleries and pottery shops for hours on end. And in Santo Domingo, there's more than enough to stretch that credit card to its limit. Along the pedestrianised 'Calle Conde', electronic, antique and tourist shops rub shoulders with rocking-chair and rum stores. If you're like everyone else, you'll want to take home some of this silky-smooth nectar. The most popular brands include Barcelo and Brugal, but for a truly special tipple, look for 'Reserva Especial' on the label. It means you're getting a premium quality, barrel-aged vintage.