Scams, problems, booking errors – all things you don’t want to have during your all-inclusive vacation in Punta Cana. That’s why I have created – with all my experience from living many years in the Dominican Republic and working for more than a decade in the industry – this list of common mistakes travelers tend to make, which can turn out pretty costly or might ruin your holiday. For sure there are more traps and problems which can arise, but I have chosen the most common ones – mistakes I see every day, either online in reviews or questions addressed to me or while staying at resorts in Punta Cana and observing other travelers.
Mistake No. 1) Attending time share sales pitches at the resort
What’s the problem:
You’ve finally arrived at your resort in Punta Cana after a long flight, are happy the check-in was pretty quick and are looking forward to your first appearance at the pool and the swim-up bar. You don’t know yet how the resort properly works, which is why you’re grateful that someone approaches you, offering to show you the resort, tell you more about it and even invite you for a free breakfast, a complimentary spa massage or an excursion of your choice. Sounds too good to be true? Probably yes!
The problem here is that these people approaching you usually want to sell you an expensive timeshare contract. They have uniforms and therefore seem to be pretty legit – but they’re not from the resort. Their goal is to pull you into a high-pressure sales presentation and sell you contracts which usually cost 5-digit numbers (and which buyers often regret).
And even though a simple “NO” should end this presentation, they will continue to hard-sell you their products. People who have attended those presentations report nearly unison that you need to get pretty determining, harsh and partly aggressive to leave those presentation. And even though you usually get your free gift promised at the beginning, it’s not really worth the hassle and especially the hours of vacation time you lose.
How to avoid it:
Whenever someone is approaching you at the resort grounds and offer you something for free, especially breakfasts, gift vouchers or spa services, be vigilant. Try to check the uniform – if they don’t wear the resort uniform but have something written like “Vacations Club”, “Holiday Management” or “Travel Services” or things like that, you’re most likely approached with an invitation for a sales pitch. Simply decline with a firm No, walk away and don’t tell them your room number so they can’t call you.
Mistake No. 2) Not protecting from the sun
What’s the problem:
I guess you all know that the Caribbean sun is pretty intense. After all, you come down here because of the tropical weather and the constant high temperatures. But still, many people underestimate the sun, especially while in the water, as the water cools you down, but your head gets heated up enormously. In the combination with alcohol, this can pretty quick lead to a heatstroke, dehydration, sunburn or other severe effects you definitely don’t want during your holiday.
How to avoid it:
I guess we don’t have to talk about applying sun protection on your skin to avoid sunburn. But, what you definitely should do is to bring more sun protection than you think you might need. I often read from travelers that they easily need half or even 1 bottle a day if they stay out in the sun the entire day.
But sunscreen is not everything. Especially if you’re a lot of time in the water (ocean or pool), a hat is super helpful and recommended. If you love swim-up bars, try to stay in the shade. Definitely make sure to stay hydrated throughout the day – and with hydration I mean especially water, no alcohol. If you want to drink alcoholic drinks while the midday sun is blasting on your head, do it mindful and considerate. If you already pour 4 gin tonic before 2pm into your body, chances are high that you neither go for dinner this day nor to any other pleasant place – except for the on-site resort doctor maybe.
Mistake No. 3) Consuming too much alcohol, fruits, fat, ice and other things
What’s the problem:
When talking about alcohol and the resort doctor, we can directly jump to the next common error many travelers to Punta Cana make: consuming quantities of alcohol, (citric) fruits, ice or any other things hard to digest they’re not used to.
Let’s picture this: your body – especially your stomach – is used to certain quantities and types of food while you’re home. Maybe some cereals in the morning, a coffee on the way to work, a sandwich or salad for lunch and a burger or home-cooked meal for dinner plus maybe 1 or 2 snacks in between. Your digestion system is used to these quantities as well.
And now, only because you’re at an all-inclusive resort in Punta Cana, you think you can completely change this and (over)challenge your body with a dozen of frozen drinks, 3 plates of greasy buffet food per meal, 3 pineapples and 8 shots at the poolbar (Hello, mid-day sun – see the last common mistake I talked about). How do you think your body, stomach and digestion system should handle this?
How to avoid it:
The solution here is quite simple: take it slowly, especially during the first day(s) of your vacation. I know the incredible huge selection at the buffet looks tempting, but 1 or 2 plates to start with are enough.
You definitely can eat fruits, but eat them in limited quantities, especially citric fruits.
You definitely can drink iced drinks, but drink them in limited quantities as well. All ice in the Dominican Republic is made from purified water, but your body just can’t handle 50 ounces of pure ice in a few hours.
And the same goes for the alcohol: no problem with a drink at the swim-up bar, but start slowly. There is no reason to already pass out before dinner, you want to ENJOY your holiday in Punta Cana.
Mistake No. 4) Don’t get travel insurance
What’s the problem:
If you have followed the previous mistakes carefully, you can see that No. 2 and No. 3 will lead you straight to the resort doctor or the hospital – depending on how severe it is. However, this might be pretty costly. A simple consultation at the resort doctor costs you easily 200-300 USD and if they send you to the hospital, be prepared to spend 4-figure dollar amounts. Covering these expenses out of your own pocket can ruin every holiday.
How to avoid it:
The solution here is VERY easy. Just get travel insurance BEFORE your trip and you’re completely covered (exceptions may apply, such as pre-existing conditions – check the terms & conditions of your insurer). The cool thing is that travel insurance is much cheaper than you might think. For example, travel medical & health insurance for a week-long trip to Punta Cana with 0 USD deductible is available for less than 20 USD – check prices here*.
Further information:
Use this tool from Visitors Coverage to compare dozens of insurers and find the best and cheapest insurance* for your holiday in Punta Cana.
Mistake No. 5) Taking photos with the parrot and iguana
What’s the problem:
While relaxing at the beach, you will most likely see 1 or 2 guys walking around with a parrot and/or an iguana. They will look for you, place them on your shoulders and take photos of you with YOUR phone. Once they’re done with your entire family or traveling party, they will request an extortionate amount from you, up to 50 USD per person.
How to avoid it:
Just say no when they’re approaching you and send them away (especially considering the poor living conditions of those animals). They will insist in taking the photos, but hey, you know the game now after you have read this blog post here.
Alternatively if you fell into the trap and already took the photo, give them not more than 5 USD for your entire party (not per person) and walk away (ideally, you only have 5 USD in your pocket, so there won’t be any further discussions. These guys can be pretty aggressive and unpleasant, so just walk into your resort grounds if you feel uncomfortable, they can’t follow you there.
Mistake No. 6) Relying on the weather forecast (and getting crazy about it)
What’s the problem:
If I would have to choose the most common mistake travelers do – at least according to the posts and questions in our Facebook group – it might be the weather app error. Every day questions are being asked if it will rain everyday or if they should cancel their entire vacation because the forecast looks similar to the photo shown below with a lot of rain.
How to avoid it:
Just don’t use the weather app – especially before your trip. Especially between May and December and also partly during the other months, it nearly always shows a rainy weather forecast for Punta Cana, even though it is hardly raining.
The background of this problem is that just the slightest chance of rain or a 2-minute tropical downpour will count as a rainy day for the weather statistics – and that’s the reason why most apps show a rainy forecast even though you will have 8 hours of sun during the day.
More information:
If you’d like to learn more about the weather in Punta Cana, have a look at this article here, where I am explaining the typical weather situation for each month and also put the numbers in relation with each other.
Mistake No. 7) Getting scammed with the e-ticket
What’s the problem:
So you shouldn’t use the weather app before your trip, but what’s even more important before your vacation in Punta Cana is to not getting scammed with the e-ticket. Nearly every day I get messages or notifications of travelers who where charged for their e-ticket – even though it is free.
The e-ticket is the official online immigration form for Punta Cana and replace the older paper forms you were used to get in the plane when flying to the Dominican Republic. It is mandatory to fill out your e-ticket BEFORE your trip to the Dominican Republic. The e-ticket is FREE and shall only be filled out on the official page*.
Unfortunately, there are a couple of scam websites which charge you for the e-ticket especially when looking for it in Google, hence it is recommended to stay vigilant. If you’re asked for credit card details while filling out the e-ticket, you’re NOT on the correct website.
How to avoid it:
Just use the official website here* and you’re good to go. The website might be buggy sometimes, hence you might need 2-3 intends, but it definitely is not necessary to pay for the e-ticket.
More information:
If you need any help or have questions, check out this extensive step-by-step guide, where a lot of FAQs are already answered.
Here is also a video of how to not get scammed and how to fill out the e-ticket*.
Mistake No. 8) Booking the wrong resort
What’s the problem:
Most resorts in Punta Cana are geared towards many types of travelers. Especially brands like Dreams, Majestic, Iberostar, Royalton or Excellence offer a large array of hotels and amenities, guaranteeing a pleasant vacation for visitors of all ages and generations.
However, there are a few resorts which are not for everyone. For example, if looking for a relaxing and romantic holiday, you shouldn’t book Riu República, the biggest party resort in Punta Cana. If you’re on your honeymoon, I would probably not book one of the family resorts, such as Royalton Splash or Melia Caribe. And if you have problems walking, I would not book some of the mega resorts like Hard Rock Punta Cana or the Bahia Resorts. And last but not least, if you’re looking for high-end cuisine and impeccable service, you shouldn’t book one of the cheap resorts in Punta Cana.
How to avoid it:
To avoid booking the wrong resource, there are clearly three steps.
No. 1) Inform yourself
There are really helpful resources available here on Punta Cana Travel Blog and elsewhere which will help you to quickly create a shortlist of suitable resorts, for example:
– a general guide of how to find the best resorts in Punta Cana
– a list of adults-only resorts in Punta Cana (do NOT pick these if you’re traveling as a family)
– a list of recommendable affordable resort (pick these if you don’t want to break the bank)
– a list of party resorts (pick one of these if you’re looking for party & entertainment)
– a list of family resorts (pick these if you’re traveling with kids)
– a video with 5 resorts you should NOT book without further investigation*
– etc.
I guess you got the idea.
AND/OR
No. 2) Get help
If you’re unsure of if you picked the right resort or not, get help:
– ask a local travel agent for recommendations
– ask in Facebook groups (be aware: you might get all kind of good and bad (+ partly wrong) suggestions
– send me a message or check my travel coaching services
AND/OR
No. 3) Read SOME reviews
Double-check your selection with some reviews, but don’t put focus on EVERY review, you might get crazy of the many conflicting information (see the next error of travelers to Punta Cana). Just get a general idea of what to expect by reading reviews and ignore the super positive one and the super negative ones. Reading reviews for 15 minutes for each resort is enough.
Further information:
Check the accommodation & resort section here on Punta Cana Travel Blog for many helpful articles about this topic.
You can also watch this video here where I explain some particular resorts and why you should not book them* – and why they might be the perfect fit for you.
Mistake No. 9) Getting crazy about the reviews
What’s the problem:
Talking about booking resorts, once you have decided for one and booked it, don’t do this common mistake a lot of other travelers to Punta Cana do: following each and every review for the resort you have chosen, especially in Tripadvisor and Facebook Groups.
Once you have decided for a resort, your perspective will change and you will immediately notice more negative reviews – probably because obviously you already know the positive ones, that’s why you have decided on this resort. A lot of people get insecure by negative reviews and are questioning their decision. But in most cases, that’s just a misconception as there are still a lot of positive reviews, same as when you booked your resort in the Dominican Republic. You just don’t notice them.
How to avoid it:
The simple solution is to simply not read resort reviews after booking it.
However, if you’re in a resort Facebook group and the algorithm shows you multiple negative reviews, do two things:
– go to Tripadvisor and look for the positive reviews, you will see there are a lot of them
– ignore the overly negative reviews as some people are simply exaggerating and are not telling the truth, they just want to off-load their frustration about a wrong resort choice (see mistake No. 8)
Mistake No. 10) Forget to pack important things
What’s the problem:
There are things which you pack everytime you go somewhere, such like passports, clothes, tech stuff, medications, etc.
But a few things are pretty specific for Punta Cana – and you might forget them.
While you can get all the important things in the resort shop, they’re pretty overprized – and it’s not always easy to find a public store, especially if you’re staying in one of the more remote resorts.
How to avoid it:
Besides the essentials, there are 5 things most people forget when traveling to Punta Cana – and they wished to have had it during their vacation:
- Mosquito repellent
- Plastic or Stainless Steel Straw
- Medicine / First-aid kit
- Insulated Cup / Tumbler
- More than enough sunscreen
More information:
There is a list with more packing items here, all researched according to a “survey” with recent travelers.
And here is a video which explains WHY most people wished to have these 5 items mentioned above* – and if you really need them. Especially the sunscreen fact is pretty interesting.
Do you have further mistakes and errors most travelers commit? Did you make any negative experiences during your holiday in Punta Cana you could have avoided? Feel free to share your tips in the comment to help other travelers!
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CHRIS
Author, Travel Coach & Industry Professional (Bachelor’s degree in tourism)
Hey, I am Chris, a born and raised German, travel-addictive and Caribbean soul, who has been living in the Dominican Republic for 6 years. I’d love to be your Punta Cana expert, as I have stayed at more than 45 all-inclusive resorts in Punta Cana and the country, visited more than 70 beaches, explored more than 40 waterfalls and have seen basically all the attractions Punta Cana has to offer. I have also studied tourism for 3 years and worked in the tourism industry my entire life, which is why I am not only giving you recommendations and tips as a traveler but also the best secrets and travel hacks as an industry professional.
Do you need more information? Read more at my About Me Page, send me a travel coaching request or Contact Me here.
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