Punta Cana, DO

A seafood room shaped like a wooden fishing boat, built out over the water at the Puntacana resort marina. It is the area's most decorated dinner spot, focused on the day's catch, ceviche and Caribbean flavors, with the sea directly under the deck.

A two-level palm-roofed restaurant sitting directly on Bavaro Beach, with sand underfoot and the water a few steps away. The kitchen leans into fresh seafood and Caribbean dishes, and the open-air upper deck is the draw for long lunches and dinners.

A lively barbecue and pub in El Cortecito that locals and repeat visitors treat as the antidote to resort food. Smoked ribs, fish tacos and craft beer come out of a small open kitchen, with attentive service and a buzzy patio.

A small, consistently packed Mexican kitchen in Bavaro run by people who clearly cook the real thing. Shrimp and fish tacos, fresh-squeezed juices and strong margaritas are the order, and the staff are happy to work around allergies.

A relaxed open-air taco bar in Los Corales with a strong vegan and vegetarian lineup alongside the standard tacos and burritos. Caribbean-leaning cocktails, live music some nights and a laid-back outdoor bar make it an easy casual dinner.

A Malaysian and Thai kitchen tucked inside the Cocotal golf community, looking out over the fairways. The menu runs to laing, pad thai and whole fish, and it is one of the few places here doing Southeast Asian cooking with care.

A no-frills Dominican seafood shack in Bavaro where the value and freshness keep locals coming back. Fish soup, fried fish of the day, ceviche and lobster come out of a tiny kitchen onto a shaded open-air patio.

A long-running Los Corales restaurant that crosses Mediterranean, Caribbean and Asian dishes on one menu, with a sushi bar in the mix. Tuna poke, ceviche and seafood pastas are the regulars, and it works for both a casual lunch and a dressier dinner.

A beach-club restaurant on the sand at Cap Cana, known for handmade pasta, house bread and fresh seafood in a polished waterfront setting. It is the dressier option on this stretch, built around the view as much as the plate.

A small beach club on the water at Marina Cap Cana, with a pool, loungers and a kitchen turning out pizza, tuna tartare and grilled fish. It is an easy all-day spot to swim, eat and drink by the marina without a resort wristband.

A small Bavaro cafe and bakery that locals rely on for proper coffee and breakfast away from the buffets. Cafe con leche, fresh juices, pastries and egg dishes come out of a cozy room, and it doubles as a lunch stop for sandwiches and cake.

The walking network inside this private reserve is the best easy nature walk in the resort zone: flat, shaded paths linking a chain of spring-fed lagoons through native dry forest. It is short and manageable for any fitness level, with swimming stops along the way.

The forest path from the center of Scape Park down to the Hoyo Azul cenote, in the Cap Cana area. It is a mostly flat, easy fifteen-to-twenty-minute walk through tropical vegetation that ends at the blue cenote pool.

A long, open coastal walk along an undeveloped surf beach north of the resorts. Cliffs and palms back the wide sand, and you can walk for a while without hitting a hotel wall, which is rare on this coast.

A nature adventure park in Cap Cana built around the Hoyo Azul cenote, with zip lines along the cliffs, a via ferrata, cave swims and forest trails. It is the area's headline outdoor attraction and works as a full-day mix of adventure and nature for families.

A long-established catamaran operator running snorkel and party cruises along the Bavaro coast, with both lively shared sailings and adults-only semi-private boats. Tours hit reef snorkel stops and a natural sandbar, with crew, drinks and music on board.

The go-to surf school at Macao Beach, with patient instructors, beginner-friendly waves and small-group lessons that include shuttle and gear. It suits first-timers and families as much as anyone wanting to actually learn to stand up.

A Jack Nicklaus signature course in Cap Cana laid out along the cliffs and coastline, with several holes playing right against the Caribbean. It is the most celebrated course in the area and has hosted top professional tournaments.

A large eco-adventure park near the resort strip with zip lines, bungee, a flying simulator, paintball and a Segway circuit spread across landscaped grounds. It bundles a lot of activity into one place and is geared to active families and groups.

Beyond the boats, the marina is the area's calmest evening outing: a waterfront promenade of restaurants and bars where you can stroll the docks, watch the yachts and have a sunset drink. It is also where deep-sea fishing charters set out.

A high-energy nightclub and variety show rolled into one, with acrobats, dancers, music tributes and confetti drops between DJ sets. It is the big, splashy adult night out in the resort zone, more spectacle than quiet bar.

A nightclub set inside a real cave system, with several rock-walled rooms playing different music and a surreal natural setting underground. It is the area's signature late-night spot for dancing once dinner is done.

A natural cenote at the foot of a limestone cliff inside Scape Park, with water so blue it looks artificial. You reach it on a short, mostly flat walk through tropical forest, and the pool is open for a cold, clear swim.

A large private nature reserve at the south end of the resort zone, built around freshwater lagoons fed by underground springs, several of which you can swim in. Flat, shaded trails wind past native trees, birds and lizards, and it stays quiet even when the beaches are busy.

A wide, undeveloped public beach north of the resort strip, backed by cliffs and palms rather than hotels. It is the local surf beach, with consistent breaks, beach shacks selling fried fish and a rougher, more open feel than the calm resort sands.

The most walkable public stretch of Bavaro Beach, fronting the old fishing village of El Cortecito. Local fishing boats pull up on the sand, vendors and beachfront restaurants line the shore, and it is one of the few beaches here that feels like a real town rather than a resort.

An upscale yacht marina in the gated Cap Cana enclave, ringed by waterfront restaurants and lined with sport-fishing boats and big motor yachts. It is the most polished public-facing spot in the area for a sunset stroll and a drink by the water.