Punta Cana

Punta Cana is a resort town within the Punta Cana-Bávaro-Veron-Macao municipal district, in the municipality of Higüey, in La Altagracia Province, the easternmost province of the Dominican Republic. The area has beaches and balnearios which face both the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, and it is a tourist destination. The weather is hot and humid, especially in late summer and autumn when the Northern Tropics receive their most direct sunlight.

Punta Cana
Punta Cana
Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic
Coordinates: 18°32′N 068°22′W
CountryDominican Republic
ProvinceLa Altagracia Province
MunicipalityHigüey
Incorporated (town)27 June 2006[1]
Government
  Mayor of HigüeyRafael Barón Duluc (Social Democratic Institutional Bloc, 2020–2024)
  Director of Verón-Punta CanaRamón Antonio Ramírez (Dominican Liberation’s Party, 2016–2024)
Area
  Total475.3 km2 (183.5 sq mi)
Population
 (2010)
  Total43,982
  Density93/km2 (240/sq mi)
 [4]
Time zoneUTC−4 (Atlantic)
Area code(s)809, 829, and 849

Geography and climate

Sunrise over Punta Cana

The Punta Cana area has an estimated population of 50,000, with an annual growth rate of 6% as of 2009.[5] To the north, it borders the village and beach of Cabeza de Toro, and the Bávaro and El Cortecito beaches. The nearest city, the 500-year-old Higüey, is 45 kilometres (28 mi) away, which takes about an hour to reach by car. European entrepreneurs, particularly Spanish hotel chains, own all but two of the over 50 megaresorts at the Punta Cana tourism destination.

The province’s 100-kilometre (62 mi) coastline tends to be mildly windy. The ocean waters are mainly shallows, with several natural marine pools in which visitors can bathe without danger. From north to south, the main beaches are Uvero Alto, Macao, Arena Gorda, Bávaro, El Cortecito, Las Corales, and Cabeza de Toro, all north of the cape; and Cabo Engaño, Punta Cana, and Juanillo south of the cape.

Bávaro is the area starting from Cabeza de Toro until Macao Beach. As the hotels started to rise along the east coast, Bavaro itself became a center of services with shopping malls, fast-food stores, drug stores, fine restaurants, banks, clinics, workshops, supermarkets, and schools. The major town in the district is Veron, now bigger than Higüey in territory, a spontaneous – and poor – urban development running along the original road from the west. Verón, last name of the French proprietor of a timberline business in the early 1930s, is now the base-city for hotel workers and related. It has, besides Bávaro, one of only four gas stations in Punta Cana: the next one is located 48 kilometres (30 mi) west in Higüey, at the Fruisa crossroads; a new Texaco gas station opened in April 2010, 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) south of Macao beach; and the new Shell gas station close to the airport (on the highway Coral) opened at the end of 2010.

Climate

Punta Cana features a tropical wet and dry climate under the Köppen climate classification. The weather is fairly consistent all year, with an average temperature of 26 °C (79 °F). The hot and humid season lasts from May to October, and during the day temperatures might reach 35 °C (95 °F). From November to March, temperatures during the evening are around 20 °C (68 °F).

Climate data for Punta Cana
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 31.0
(87.8)
30.7
(87.3)
31.2
(88.2)
32.0
(89.6)
33.9
(93.0)
34.4
(93.9)
34.7
(94.5)
34.5
(94.1)
34.6
(94.3)
33.7
(92.7)
32.7
(90.9)
32.5
(90.5)
34.7
(94.5)
Average high °C (°F) 27.7
(81.9)
27.6
(81.7)
28.1
(82.6)
28.7
(83.7)
29.6
(85.3)
30.3
(86.5)
30.5
(86.9)
30.7
(87.3)
30.9
(87.6)
30.5
(86.9)
29.4
(84.9)
28.1
(82.6)
29.3
(84.7)
Daily mean °C (°F) 24.8
(76.6)
24.7
(76.5)
25.0
(77.0)
25.5
(77.9)
26.4
(79.5)
27.2
(81.0)
27.5
(81.5)
27.7
(81.9)
27.6
(81.7)
27.0
(80.6)
26.3
(79.3)
25.2
(77.4)
26.2
(79.2)
Average low °C (°F) 21.9
(71.4)
21.8
(71.2)
22.0
(71.6)
22.5
(72.5)
23.2
(73.8)
24.1
(75.4)
24.6
(76.3)
24.8
(76.6)
24.4
(75.9)
23.6
(74.5)
23.2
(73.8)
22.3
(72.1)
23.2
(73.8)
Record low °C (°F) 16.0
(60.8)
14.0
(57.2)
14.8
(58.6)
15.2
(59.4)
16.0
(60.8)
14.9
(58.8)
19.0
(66.2)
17.9
(64.2)
15.0
(59.0)
15.0
(59.0)
15.9
(60.6)
14.0
(57.2)
14.0
(57.2)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 66.4
(2.61)
54.2
(2.13)
54.2
(2.13)
69.2
(2.72)
124.4
(4.90)
103.9
(4.09)
78.3
(3.08)
103.1
(4.06)
101.7
(4.00)
152.1
(5.99)
116.6
(4.59)
78.5
(3.09)
1,102.6
(43.41)
Average rainy days (≥ 0.1 mm) 10.0 6.8 6.7 6.6 10.1 9.2 9.1 10.0 10.4 11.4 11.5 11.0 112.8
Average relative humidity (%) 82.8 81.4 81.2 82.1 83.0 82.2 82.3 82.6 82.5 83.0 82.2 83.2 82.4
Mean monthly sunshine hours 256.9 241.9 278.8 265.0 249.7 255.1 268.3 271.2 245.2 242.7 238.3 233.2 3,046.3
Source 1: World Meteorological Organization[6]
Source 2: NOAA[7]

Activities and landmarks

Punta Cana is a tourist destination,[8] and the area is a key contributor to tourism in the Dominican Republic.

Many of the excursions in Punta Cana are near the water, it being a beach destination. These activities include snorkeling, windsurfing, banana boat rides, speedboats, scuba diving, catamaran cruises, party boats, deep sea fishing, as well as swimming with dolphins and sharks and stingrays snorkeling. Visitors that prefer to see more of the Dominican country side, there are land based excursions such as safari tours, horse back riding and dune buggy.

Visiting the Dominican Republic's smaller Caribbean islands of Saona and Catalina is a day trip from Punta Cana. The capital city Santo Domingo, and Los Haitises National Park, Samaná, are within a couple of hours. The Basilica Catholic Monument, built in 1962 and designed by two French architects, is in nearby Higüey, the 500-year-old capital of the province.

Infrastructure

The electricity is powered by Consorcio Energetico Punta Cana Macao (CEPM), a wind and solar energy producer led by US-based Argentine businessman Rolando Gonzalez-Bunster.[9]

Tourism

Transportation

The Punta Cana International Airport is the primary airport. In 2014, Punta Cana received over 2.4 million passengers, making it the second-busiest airport in the Caribbean.[10] Grupo Puntacana built the Punta Cana International Airport in 1984 to facilitate tourism in the area. It was the western hemisphere’s first privately owned international airport.[11]

Hotels and resorts

Punta Cana has a number of luxury resorts.

Safety

Punta Cana received negative publicity in the summer of 2019 for a series of American tourist deaths.[12] Initially these deaths were reported as “mysterious,” with tainted alcohol and pesticides being rumored as possible reasons. However, with the help of the FBI and United States Department of State, it was found via toxicology reports that the deaths were from natural causes. To further ensure travelers that Punta Cana safety is of the highest priority, a consortium of 50 hotels developed the Punta Cana Promise which reaffirms their commitment to a set of safety and security guidelines.

Punta Cana is generally a very safe travel destination. With regards to unnatural deaths of Americans, Jamaica and the Bahamas are just two destinations in the Caribbean which are more dangerous.[13] Car accidents and drowning are the two leading causes of unnatural deaths to Americans in the Dominican Republic.

Other safety issues to keep in mind include natural disasters such as hurricanes, disease such as the Zika Virus and minor tourist scams.

Diving

Due to its location at the Caribbean Sea, diving is one of the tourist activities. The marine area surrounding Punta Cana was declared a marine reserve in 2012.[14]

Marine biodiversity

The following species have been registered in the waters around Punta Cana:

GroupCommon nameScientific nameImageNotes
Fishyellowtail snapperOcyurus chrysurus
queen triggerfishBalistes vetula
glasseyeHeteropriacanthus cruentatis
whitespotted filefishCantherhines macrocerus
spotted goatfishPseudupeneus maculatus
yellow goatfishMulloidichthys martinicus
Bermuda chubKyphosus sectatrix
great barracudaSphyraena barracuda
bar jackCaranx ruber
saucereye porgyCalamus calamus
French angelfishPomacanthus paru
southern stingrayDasyatis americana
yellow stingrayUrolobatis jamaicensis
spotted eagle rayAetobatus narinari
Caribbean reef sharkCarcharhinus perezi
goldentail morayGymnothorax miliaris
spotted morayGymnothorax moringa
mangrove snapperLutjanus griseus
mutton snapperLutjanus analis
porkfishAnisotremus virginicus
black margateAnisotremus surinamensis
blue striped gruntHaemulon sciurus
Caesar gruntHaemulon carbonarium
French gruntHaemulon flavolineatum
Spanish gruntHaemulon macrostomum
tomtate gruntHaemulon aurolineatum
white gruntHaemulon plumierii
black grouperMycteroperca bonaci
coneyCephalopholis fulva
Nassau grouperEpinephelus striatus
sergeant majorAbudefduf saxatilis
lucky grouperEpinephelus guttatus
yellowfin grouperMycteroperca venenosa
graysbyCephalopholis cruentata
harlequin bassSerranus tigrinus
princess parrotfishScarus taeniopterus
queen parrotfishScarus vetula
rainbow parrotfishScarus guacamaia
redband parrotfishSparisoma aurofrenatum
redfin parrotfishSparisoma rubripinne
redtail parrotfishSparisoma chrysopterum
stoplight parrotfishSparisoma viride
Spanish hogfishBodianus rufus
hogfishLachnolaimus maximus
bonefishAlbula vulpes
long-spine porcupinefishDiodon holocanthus
red lionfish (invasive)Pterois volitans
yellowtail damselfishMicrospathodon chrysurus
yellowhead wrasseHalichoeres garnoti
Reptilesgreen sea turtleChelonia mydas
hawksbill sea turtleEretmochelys imbricata
MollusksCaribbean reef squidSepioteuthis sepiodea
common octopusOctopus vulgaris
queen conchLobatus gigas
Crustaceansbanded coral shrimpStenopus hispidus
Caribbean spiny lobsterPanulirus argus
spotted spiny lobsterPanulirus guttatus
Scyllarides aequinoctialis
Coralspurple sea fanGorgonia ventalina
sea gingerMillepora alcicornis
blade fire coralMillepora complanata
Millepora squarrosa
Stephanoccenia intercepta
elkhorn coralAcropora palmata
staghorn coralAcropora cervicornis
fused staghorn coralAcropora prolifera
Agaricia agarities
finger coralPorites porites
Montastrea annuligera
Montastrea colemani
Montastrea curta
Montastrea magnistellata
Montastrea multipunctata
Montastrea salebrosa
Montastrea serageldini
pillar coralDendrogyra cylindrus
AlgaeHalimeda opuntia
cactus tree algaCaulerpa cupressoides
Coelothrix irregularis
Haploplegma duperryi
Rhodophyta orden
Dictyota cervicornis
Stypopodium zonale
Sea grassesturtlegrassThalassia testudinum
manatee grassSyringodium filiforme
Echinodermsdonkey dung sea cucumberHolothuria mexicana
black sea urchinDiadema antillarum
MammalsWest Indian manateeTrichechus manatus
Birdsbrown pelicanPelecanus occidentalis
common ternSterna hirundo
great egretArdea alba
green heronButorides virescens
yellow-crowned night heronNyctanassa violacea
killdeerCharadrius vociferus
western ospreyPandion haliaetus
magnificent frigatebirdFregata magnificens

See also

References

  1. (in Spanish) Law -2006. Senate of the Dominican Republic.
  2. https://m.diariolibre.com/actualidad/politica/cholitin-celebra-victoria-electoral-como-nuevo-alcalde-de-higuey-LD17721578
  3. https://www.eltiempo.com.do/quien-es-ramon-ramirez-el-virtual-ganador-de-la-direccion-distrital-de-veron-punta-cana
  4. (in Spanish) 9th Census of Population and Housing (2010), General Report Archived 2012-12-02 at the Wayback Machine. National Bureau of Statistics.
  5. Valdez Architects & Associates. 2008–2009 Zoning Plan assigned by the Hotel Association.
  6. "World Weather Information Service - Punta Cana". World Meteorological Organization. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
  7. "Climate Normals for Cabo Engaño (Punta Cana) 1961-1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
  8. Robinson, William I. (2013). "L'Amérique latine face au nouveau capitalisme mondialisé". Mouvements. 4 (76): 14–24. doi:10.3917/mouv.076.0013 via Cairn.info.
  9. "Company Overview of Consorcio Energético Punta Cana - Macao, S.A." Bloomberg. Retrieved October 20, 2016.
  10. "Punta Cana Facts Sheet" (PDF). Punta Cana International Airport.
  11. "The Official Website of Punta Cana International AirportDominican Republic flights to Punta Cana International Airport". www.puntacanainternationalairport.com. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
  12. "8 questions about the unexplained tourist deaths in the Dominican Republic, answered". The Washington Post.
  13. "Americans are far more likely to be killed in the US than in the Dominican Republic". CNN.
  14. Domínguez Brito, 2017, p. 1
  15. "Yellowtail Snapper - Ocyurus chrysurus - Snappers - - Tropical Reefs". reefguide.org. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
  16. Domínguez Brito, 2017, p.10
  17. Domínguez Brito, 2017, p.11
  18. Domínguez Brito, 2017, p.12
  19. Domínguez Brito, 2017, p.13
  20. Domínguez Brito, 2017, p.14
  21. Domínguez Brito, 2017, p.15

Bibliography

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