Activities In Punta Cana: 15 Most Popular Water-Sport Activities And Tours In Punta Cana
There are so many great activities and excursion to choose from, rather you are interested to start right of the beach or want to join one of the tours that offer snorkeling on the nearby reef or take you for a fun and exciting adventures to the ocean.
We live where you vacation and thought we help you to find the best water sport activities and tours in Punta Cana.
Activities And Excursions In Punta Cana – Top 15 Tours on Water
Snorkeling For Reef Explorer
If you want to see what the local fish and corals look alike you can do this right of your hotels beach. Most hotels have a water sport center offering free equipment rental to snorkel in the marked swimming area right at the beach.
With a little bit of bread or bananas you can feed these tropical fish and admire them in the crystal clear waters without having to take a boat ride.
Depending on the location of your hotel, there might be more or less to see, since Bavaro and Punta Cana have a sandy beach, you might not find that many corals there. It is difficult to go snorkeling in Uvero Alto due the fact that the ocean is quite rough here, good for surfing, but not that much to see under water.
Therefore you might consider a short boat ride to a nearby reef. Almost all water sport center offer excursions of two or three hours including a short ride along the Punta Cana coastline and a stop at one of the shallow reefs inside the coral barrier.
Professional guides hand out snorkel equipment and safety jackets if required and take you for a swim. It’s a great family activity in Punta Cana, since the waters are calm most of the times and your kids get to see a lot of Caribbean fish and colorful corals.
Ocean Adventures does not only offer just another snorkeling trip in Punta Cana.
Get ready to enjoy a 3 hours full entertainment program at sea, with a unique pirate show on a real Pirate Boat with singing and dance shows. You get to visit an ocean platform where you can go snorkeling with nurse sharks and get close to stingray.
This is one of the most popular excursions for families in Punta Cana and children of all ages are actively engaged in the treasure hunt.
We love the fact that this excursions offers great Punta Cana deals and kids are for free until 12 years old.
Glass Bottom Boat Ride With Snorkeling Excursions
This small boats have a glass window in the bottom that let you admire the marine life on a smooth ride along the coast line without the need of getting wet.
This is one of the family friendly excursions in Punta Cana that you can start right from the beach of your hotel.
There is no long transfer drive needed. The boat stays inside the reef where the swell is minimal and even small children will enjoy this ride.
It’s a 2 hours tour with a short stop at a local coral reef where you can jump in for snorkeling if you want to.
Scuba Diving – Let’s Start Your Underwater Adventure!
If you like snorkeling already, you will love scuba diving. Even though it is not the first choice scuba dive destination, the Dominican Republic offers a wide range of dive spots perfect for beginner and excellent for advanced divers that would like to enjoy both, the Atlantic ocean and the Caribbean Sea.
If you have never done this activity before, you can take advantage of the free pool lessons every hotel offers in their all-inclusive Punta Cana packages.
And if you feel comfortable under water and mastered a few basic scuba skills in the pool, you can go with your professional instructor for your first dive on a shallow coral reef.
It is exhilarating to be able to breath under water and take the time to admire all the colorful fish and underwater creatures.
Got hooked and want to become a professional scuba diver? No problem, the water sport and dive center of your hotel offer a great variety on scuba courses with certifications for different levels.
Even experienced scuba diver that don’t want to just book one of the Punta Cana dive packages can take an advanced scuba diver course to improve their skills and explore one of the many sunken ship wrecks or deep dive locations in Punta Cana.
Scuba Diving Tours to Bayahibe and Catalina are very popular and offer both snorkelers and Scuba Diver the opportunity to join a tour together.
Bayahibe dive excursions: this small fisherman town is a great location for advanced scuba diving, since you can find a fantastic ship wreck at around 90 feet, another one at around 40 feet, a natural cave with multiple water filled chambers and many reef dive locations that challenge even skillful scuba divers, due drift currents and depths that not many guests get to experience.
Catalina Island is a great day trip for families that want to take their children either for snorkeling or scuba diving.
You drive around 1 ½ hours to La Romana from where you take a 30 minutes boat ride to the island. During the ride you prepare your equipment and receive safety briefings for your groups.
“The Wall” is your first location and just perfect, the plateau starts at around 6-9 feet and you get to see so many great sponges and fan corals, you can find hundreds of tropical fish, crabs, and lobster and sand rays.
For those who dare , swim to the edge and enjoy the fascinating drift dive along the wall, the memorizing blue of the deep ocean on one side and the colorful reef on the other side.
You will find different groups diving along on different depths depending on their skill and experience level.
The second dive location- “The Aquarium” is for relaxation. At a maximum depth of 14 meters you find brains corals and tube sponges, trumped and puffer fish, lobsters and stone crabs and for those with a skillful eye, you might even find the little sea horses.
After this two tank dive you drive to the island where you get to enjoy a delicious Dominican lunch and have have leisure time before heading back to Punta Cana.
Snuba Excursions – Go Beyond Snorkeling
If you and your family are eager to explore marine life in their natural habitat, but don’t want to spend time taking scuba classes, then Snuba is the perfect opportunity for you in a safe underwater setting.
This Punta Cana activity combines the very best between snorkeling and scuba diving.
You don’t need a certification of scuba diver and do not depend on a short air supply like snorkeling.
Snuba allows you to breathe freely through a regulator that provides air from a floating raft that will follow you on the surface.
After a short introduction you will jump in the water geared up and guided by professional instructors and enjoy the underwater world at a maximum depth of 20 feet.
This is a great family activity in Punta Cana since kids starting at 8 years old can do this with you together.
Stand Up Paddle Boarding In Punta Cana – Find Your Inner Balance
Another great way to get close to nature and enjoy actively our tropical island is this Punta Cana activity.
The Kite Club in Punta Cana is easy to find and you can just take a local taxi from your hotel here. It takes around 20 minutes from most Punta Cana hotels and probably around 40 minutes from the resorts in Uvero Alto.
The shallow and very calm water that are protected by the coral reef of Playa Blanca, offer perfect conditions for beginners and advanced surfer.
After a short introductions you will be able to stand up on your own and paddle out to the reef and enjoy the soothing movements of the rolling swells.
This is a great alternative to kite boarding on days that you just can’t find the right wind. You can contact the owners directly to organize as well guided tours to the nearby lagoons in Uvero Alto.
The Uvero Alto Surf School offers as well rental equipment and SUP tours including horseback riding and lunch.
As nature enthusiast you will love this ecofriendly Punta Cana excursions that takes you for a trot along the Uvero Alto Beach, gears you up for a tour on a calm river and through mangroves to see local wild life like crabs, stingrays, pelicans and other water birds.
Enjoy the relaxing calm of a swing in a hammock before riding back to base camp.
Surf Camp Macao – Learn To Ride Big Waves Like A Pro
You have to try it, they said, you will like it they said! But they didn’t tell me that you will fall in love with it.
Macao is a fantastic beach for locals that want to catch a wave or two before heading to work, hang out with friends and enjoy a fresh catch of the day in one of the many local food shacks.
Guest come here with one of the many excursions to refresh themselves after a dusty ride with buggies or a day out to explore the countryside with a Safari Tour.
The instructors make it look easy and after a short stretch to warm up your muscles and a few instructions you get to practice right in the ocean.
With the motivation and helpful tips of the surf instructors you will be able stand up after a relative short time and then it is practice, practice and more practice and yes sometimes a lot of saltwater you are going to swallow, but it is fun and definitely top things to do in Punta Cana.
Surf Yoga – The New And Trendy Excursion In Punta Cana
If you have come to Punta Cana to relax and disconnect for a while form the business and stress of your every days life, than try this new activity in Punta Cana. This private tour is only for early raiser.
You get to Macao Beach before everybody else starts their day to enjoy the sunrise while taking a Yoga class with a professional instructor either right at the beach or for the advanced and more experienced ones directly on a long board at the ocean.
Refresh yourself with a light fruit snack and some juice and get back into the water to ride a few waves.
This tour offers a great way to relax and connect with nature and challenges you to free your mind and exercise both body and mind to balance in perfect harmony.
video by Jonathan Floridia
Scubadoo Excursions – This Is Where The Fun Starts
Have you ever ask yourself what would happen if you combine snorkeling and the thrill of motorbike riding? Well somebody did create this fantastic Punta Cana attraction– Scubadoo!
If you want to spice up your Punta Cana vacation this is the tour you want to sign up your family for.
You get picked up by a speed boat and after a 20 minutes ride from most of the hotels you arrive at a floating platform from where you will be greeted by your instructor.
You get a short safety briefing and training before jumping into the water. It’s extremely easy to do and there is no experience needed.
You get to see the marine life up close and the guides do their very best to make you feel safe and comfortable, they take fish food to bring the colorful fish close to you so you can take great underwater pictures.
You than change to a bigger glass bottom boat to enjoy a tour along the coastline and you get to see even more corals and fish in the shallow and crystal clear water.
Power Snorkeling – Take Your Snorkel Experience To The Next Level
You are looking at excursions and things to do in Punta Cana that are fun and exciting?
Well you found one of the most innovative tours in Punta Cana that combines a catamaran cruise along the scenic coast line of Bavaro Beach and a new and exciting way of exploring marine life, gliding effortless through the water.
The high tech sea jets take you across the ocean at a speed of max. 5km/hour. They are easy to maneuver and after a short time of practice, you will be able to enjoy the fantastic underwater world of Punta Cana without moving a fin.
Windsurf and Hobby Cat Rental – Free Activities Right At The Beach Of Your Hotel
Almost all beach hotels in Punta Cana include in your Dominican vacation package free use of either hobie cats (small sailing catamarans) or windsurf equipment if you know how to use it.
They will ask for a deposit or pay a daily insurance and you can take it out an hour a day.
If you do not have any experience but still want to take advantage of your all inclusive Punta Cana package, you can take a quick lesson with one of the instructors of the water sport center and then practice on your own.
Cost of the class is around US $ 35.00/person
Kite Surfing – Punta Cana’s Best Kept Secret
Kite Club Punta Cana – located at a beautiful stretch of white sandy beach in Punta Cana, this kite school has the perfect conditions for beginners, mild off shore winds and warm, knee high water that allow even the newly started kite surfers to get up fast and catch a breeze to enjoy the exhilarating feeling of a flight in the air.
Kitesurf Punta Cana KBS School offers professional kite lessons and training packages from beginners to advanced surfer.
Guests that want to get IKO certified have found the right pros to go to.
If this is really your dope, you will have great fun planning kite excursions to Punta Salinas, Cabeza de Toro and Bahia de Miches with those guys.
Kiteology DR Kiteboarding is a professional IKO certified kitesurf school that offers like the other shops kite lessons and equipment rentals in Punta Cana.
For those that came to Dominican Republic to exploit the always windy conditions of our tropical latitudes, plan a day trip to the south west of Punta Cana to Salina.
It is one of the most unknown and best kept secret kite spots in the country and well worth taking a trip there.
The arid and hot weather creates thermal wind and a micro climate that makes it unique among other spots of the Dominican Republic.
Differing from the East and North coast where we have specific wind seasons Salinas is windy all year long with 20+ knots!
Water Parks – Great Fun for Families
Sirenis Waterpark in Uvero Alto– located in Uvero Alto it is a 30-40 minutes’ drive from most of the hotels in Bavaro and Punta Cana.
The entrance fee is moderate and includes drinks and a buffet lunch.
Most of the family friendly hotels have a kid’s area with slides and pools. If they don’t, well than this might be an option for you and your little ones.
There are 4 pools with slides for children of different ages and the main attraction 3 big slides for teenager and adults only.
They are fun, but nothing super special.
Rad Waterpark in Down Town Bavaro is one of the newer attractions in Punta Cana that offer for active families a great variety of activities, like wake-boarding with an obstacle course on a man made lake.
You find a nice beach like area where you, as parents, can relax and enjoy yummi and inexpensive food and refreshing drinks, while your kids have fun.
There are so many activities that will entertain the whole family, and they can cater from kids to adults, from total novice to pro.
Swimming With Dolphins Excursions – Unique Family Experiences
The experience to swim with dolphins is amazing and a, ones in a lifetime, experience that you don’t want to miss while staying in Punta Cana.
There are several parks offering different animal interactions and dolphin or sea lion encounter as Punta Cana family packages or swim and interact, even be trainer for a day passes.
It is a magical bucket list item as you would expect.
Dolphin Explorer is located in Cabeza de Toro and one of the dolphin parks that offers swimming right at an ocean platform. You get to swim and take photos with the cutest little seal named Carmen.
She gives kisses and hugs and dances and waves at you. You get to watch several shows including sea lions and trained parrots.
They hand out bird seed and you can go inside a cage where hundreds of colorful budgies are waiting to fly on your hand to feed.
This is a great experience, especially for smaller children.
Even though it is great to take pictures sitting beside a huge sea lion as he gives you fishy kisses and sticks out his tong, be aware that those pictures are going to cost you a fortune.
Dolphin Discovery – This newly opened dolphin park is located right behind the new Down Town center in Bavaro close to the Coco Bongo discotheque.
The interaction with the gentle animals feels really safe and fun due the professional team that is awaiting you.
The prices range from around US $ 100.00 for children to US $ 200.00 for adults if you choose a royal package- mans you get two dolphins for one hour swimming and doing plenty of tricks with you.
The price includes a really good lunch. Only downside here as well is that you are not allowed to take your camera or cell phone and the pictures the professional photographer is taking are amazing but come with a really hefty price tag.
Dolphin Island starts its excursions from the beach of the Barcelo complex with a short 5 minutes speed boat ride to the platform right at the ocean.
There are lookers to put away your stuff safely and then you are divided in different groups.
While some are having time to snorkel with nurse sharks and stingrays the other enjoy their booked shows and interactions with dolphins or sea lions.
You are about an hour and a half on the platform before heading back.
There is a small shack on the beach where they offer fresh coconuts to drink and then of course the photo shop where you can choose and buy your Punta Cana vacation pictures with dolphins.
Private Party Boats And Booze Cruise Excursions
Hispaniola Aquatic Adventures is one of the top rated boat tours in Bavaro offering private Sail and Snorkeling Tours in Punta Cana along the shore lines of the pristine Beach of Bavaro.
This is not one of the typical overcrowded booze cruise excursions. They offer private charter tours for wedding groups or spring breaker crowd, that are perfect for those who want to have a great time enjoying the scenic ride and the stops to snorkel and Bavaro’s natural pool.
Cool feature: fresh seafood and fruity cocktails are prepared right on deck by the fantastic crew.
Marina Caribe invites its guests to join one of their fantastic catamaran tours in Punta Cana.
There is snorkeling, lots of music/beverages and the animation team that is superb.
It doesn’t feel like a catamaran, rather than a private yacht with a jacuzzi on the top deck.
Lunch includes a lobster or chicken. The duration of the tours are just perfect with the kids, which will have a great time dancing and singing with the animation team.
La Barcaza: many Brides and grooms choose this company to plan their wedding ceremony on the ocean or book the party boat for a welcoming party for our destination weddings in Punta Cana.
The boat takes you to a nice snorkeling spot which has plenty of colorful fish to see.
Then you get to a nice secluded area to hang out in waist deep, warm and clear water, listen to Caribbean music, take pictures and drink.
You continue with a cruise along the shorelines of Bavaro Beach and start the party with your very own DJ and a fantastic crew that know how to rock the boat.
The personalized service and stress free planning with the team makes this the first choice for wedding parties that look for great cruise tours in Punta Cana to celebrate their special occasion.
Bebe Boat – If you are looking for half day cruise and snorkeling tours in Punta Cana where you get to dance, party with free flowing drinks and a short snorkeling stop at a local reef and swim in shallow crystal clear water.
The crew is doing outstanding work making everybody get into the right Caribbean mood.
They bring out a floating bar and make sure everybody has a cool drink in their hand while dancing and laughing and just having an awesome time.
Power Adventures offer a combination of sailing catamaran tours in Bavaro and parasailing experience.
You get to go snorkeling first, where you will be able to see a beautiful reef with lots of fish and with a bit of luck you will find even starfish.
Next stop is the natural pool to relax, and finally parasailing – If parasailing in Punta Cana is one your bucket list, then this is definitely one of the best Punta Cana Excursions to do.
This company offers even one of the new and trendy things to do in Punta Cana – hooka diving.
After a short instruction on how to breathe with a regulator under water, you are able to go on a shallow dive guided by a professional instructor.
Multi-Activity Excursions To Free Your Mind – Smooth Rides To Relax In Caribbean Style
Ocean Adventure Punta Cana – Dr Fish Ocean Spa
If you are planning a with your best friend a girls trip to Dominican Republic and are looking on what to do in Punta Cana – This is a unique and very relaxing experience.
The experience begins already on land where you get to sit on comfortable spa chairs while cute little fish are nipping on your toes. It tickles at first but you will end up with very smooth feet.
Once on the double deck catamaran you get divided in groups and are able to join a yoga class on the top deck with a nice ocean breeze, a really relaxing massage and hydro roller massage that makes you zone out and finish in a deep relaxed state of mind.
The boat stops at the natural pool where the guys help you onto some floats and you get to chill with the soothing rhythm of the ocean waves. Back on board fresh fruits are waiting for you and another detox treatment.
If you are not relaxed after a tour like this you definitely need a therapist.
Action Filled And Fun Boat Excursions For Those Who Seek Adventure
A speed boat ride with Bavaro Splash is a must if you are looking for adventure excursions to do in Punta Cana.
These are half day tours including snuba, snorkeling and you get to race a speed boat around in the ocean.
Unlike other snorkeling excursions in Punta Cana that take you get to an overcrowded shallow coral reef with dozens of other boats, this tour takes you outside the coral barrier where you’re on your own.
The speedboats are a lot of fun and families of all ages will enjoy the ride.
Radikal jet boat – You are looking for a thrill?
Well this one will give you just what you are asking for.
This tour combines everything from fast speed to sharp turns to drenching you in water.
You can either book this as part of a swimming with dolphins excursions or as a single ride which cost you around US $ 49.00/ person.
A must adventure for thrill seekers of all ages!
Private Yacht Rental – Caribbean Luxury
Want feel like James Bond and treat your family, your wife or your group of friend with extra special luxury only the Caribbean can offer you?
Have you thought about renting one of the luxury yachts for Half a day or a Full Day charter tour?
Private tours can be organized for a ride along Cap Cana or Casa de Campo.
Renting one of the yachts is for those who demand the ultimate in luxury, exclusivity and service and are willing to pay the price for it.
Besides the Captain and personal crew that is willing to go out of their way to ensure a unique vacation experience, a private chef and gourmet food are waiting for you as well as the obligatory bottle of champagne.
Deep Sea Fishing – The Thrill Of The Big Catch
The Dominican Republic and specially the East and North coast are favored with great currents of the Atlantic Ocean that allow great fishing all year long.
Depending on the season, you will be able to catch Blue Marlin, Sailfish, Mahi Mahi, Grouper, Snapper, Albacore Tuna, Barracuda, Wahoo, and many other species.
There are several great companies that offer fantastic fishing excursions for beginners and experienced fisherman.
If you are looking for shared fishing tours in Punta Cana or charter boats for Deep Sea Fishing Tours in Punta Cana, you will find the right crew and captain that will make sure you have an unforgettable vacation experience while staying in the Dominican Republic.
Private Inshore Fishing Tour Punta Cana
This tour is great for families with children that want to try this exciting activity with their kids without being on the open ocean, which can get quite rough sometimes.
A professional crew with excellent fishing gear is there to help with the bait to assure a great bit.
Prices start from US $ 150.00/person on a shared boat.
You have the option to privatize for 4 fisher man and two observers. Starting point is the Marina in Cap Cana
Deep Sea Fishing Punta Cana – one of the finest fishing companies in Punta Cana is the Canadian owned and operated tour operator called Gone Fishing.
The company offer reasonable prices half day fishing tours on a shared boat with up to 7 fisherman and 3 observers per oat.
Booking is really easy as you communicate directly with the owner Jack. There is never a guarantee that one will catch a fish on a charter, but Anderson and Alex are very professional hands on deck that will do everything to assure that you and your family will have a memorable adventure.
Great detail: if you want to eat the fish you catch, they have an agreement with the beach restaurant right aside and they will prepare the fish for your fishing excursions. If you want to enjoy this adventure in a private setting you can ask for a 5 hour private fishing charter in Punta Cana or a boat for the whole day.
Big Marlin Charters Punta Cana – This professional team will guarantee great fishing experience for anybody that is interested in this great sport.
The boats are very spacious and the equipment professional. There are plenty of lines in the water to give everybody a change to hook on one of the big ones.
Shared and private charters are available and include transportation and beverages all day long.
Mikes Marina Fishing Charters SRL- Even though the waters around Punta Cana and Cap Cana can get quite rough, this does not take away from the amazing experience of deep sea fishing in Cap Cana.
Come prepared and take some sea sickness medicine to avoid disappointment and enjoy a great day out with an amazing crew and a captain that seems to read the ocean like others a good story in their e – book.
The boat’s name says it all- Predator. The deckhand and captain use new high tech equipment and there years of combined knowledge to find the best fishing conditions.
We hope this information helps you to find the tours or attractions in Punta Cana that fit the adventure level of you and your family and that we could save you some precious time sifting through hundreds of offers and advertisement, so you would get ready, pack your bathing shorts and flip flops to head to the nearest airport and start right here and now your next Punta Cana vacation.
