Is Punta Cana good for solo travellers?

Not by default: it's built for resort couples and families. It becomes good if you stay off the resort (Bávaro hostels, Macao guesthouses), join shared excursions and surf lessons, and connect with people before you arrive.

Where do solo travellers stay in Punta Cana?

Hostels and guesthouses in Bávaro (Los Corales, El Cortecito) and near Macao beach, where surf schools and small guesthouses mix people. Not the all-inclusives.

How do I meet Dominicans in Punta Cana?

Leave the resort: Macao beach, a colmado in Bávaro, a bachata night, Higüey's market, or a few hours with a Local Friend from Punta Cana who shows you their side of it.

Is there a community for travellers going to Punta Cana?

Roavi Community: post your trip with dates and see who else is heading to Punta Cana in the next two weeks, ask locals questions, and message Local Friends who live there.

Which excursions are best for meeting people?

Shared Saona Island boats (choose a smaller one), the Santo Domingo day trip, and surf lessons at Macao. Anything with a small group and a long day.

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Travel Guides · Punta Cana

How to Meet Other Travellers in Punta Cana (and Dominicans): Off the Resort, Hostels, Excursions and Posting Your Trip

Punta Cana is built for couples and families in resorts, which makes it the hardest Caribbean spot to meet people alone. Where solo travellers actually find each other (Bávaro's hostels and surf schools, Macao, shared excursions), how to post your trip so people on your dates find you, and how to meet Dominicans.

Oscar Garcia·Founder of Roavi··2 min read

Visiting Punta Cana?

Find a local friend who can help you explore safely, discover food spots, avoid tourist mistakes, and experience the city like a local.

Browse Local Friends in Punta Cana

Punta Cana is the one place on this list where meeting people takes a plan. Resorts are built so you never need to.

Stay off the resort#

Hostels and guesthouses in Bávaro's Los Corales and El Cortecito, or near Macao beach where the surf schools are, put you next to other independent travellers. Where to stay in Punta Cana and Punta Cana off the resort.

Things with a group#

A surf lesson at Macao: the most social hour on the coast.
A shared Saona boat (a smaller one): Saona Island day trip.
The Santo Domingo day: a long day with the same van. Day trips from Punta Cana.
A bachata night in Bávaro: Punta Cana nightlife.

Online, before you go#

Post your trip on Roavi Community with your dates. Travellers heading to Punta Cana in the next two weeks appear in the same place, and Local Friends from here can message you. How the community works. General guides: how to find a travel buddy and solo travel in the Dominican Republic.

Dominicans#

How to meet locals in Punta Cana has the ways. The shortcut is a Local Friend: someone from Punta Cana, a few hours at a rate they set, the colmado, the fish shack, the beach the resorts don't use. Rent a local friend in Punta Cana.

Safety#

Easy here: is Punta Cana safe? The usual rules with new friends apply: public places, your own money, registered taxis.

Meet someone from Punta Cana on day one.

Meet a Local Friend

The groups: Punta Cana Facebook groups.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Punta Cana good for solo travellers?
Not by default: it's built for resort couples and families. It becomes good if you stay off the resort (Bávaro hostels, Macao guesthouses), join shared excursions and surf lessons, and connect with people before you arrive.
Where do solo travellers stay in Punta Cana?
Hostels and guesthouses in Bávaro (Los Corales, El Cortecito) and near Macao beach, where surf schools and small guesthouses mix people. Not the all-inclusives.
How do I meet Dominicans in Punta Cana?
Leave the resort: Macao beach, a colmado in Bávaro, a bachata night, Higüey's market, or a few hours with a Local Friend from Punta Cana who shows you their side of it.
Is there a community for travellers going to Punta Cana?
Roavi Community: post your trip with dates and see who else is heading to Punta Cana in the next two weeks, ask locals questions, and message Local Friends who live there.
Which excursions are best for meeting people?
Shared Saona Island boats (choose a smaller one), the Santo Domingo day trip, and surf lessons at Macao. Anything with a small group and a long day.