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Coco Bongo is a very popular nightclub in Punta Cana, part of an international chain that is present in many tourist areas (Cancún, Cabo San Lucas, etc). It's part of the Downtown Punta Cana shopping center (not a real downtown, but a private center open to the public with that name), the only one outside of Mexico. They also have many live performances that make this place very fun. Across from the nightclub is Calle de la Comida, a collection of food choices also part of the Downtown Punta Cana center. While Downtown Punta Cana is a combined Dominican and Venezuelan investment, Coco Bongo is Mexican.
A resort with nature in mind. Although it has some architectural and scultural aspects that has been a part of Dominican society for centuries, the big focus is on the ecology that dominates this place. There are some animals that roam freely through the place, such as peacocks and flamingos.
The mostly residential community is composed of foreigners having a majority (mostly from several countries in North America and Europe) and Dominicans are a minority, though big enough to be relevant. The community is gated and offers a golf course for public use and is the main attraction. The investors that planned and created the neighborhood are from Spain. Very tranquil place.
A few years ago a gated golf course community market study was done in the Dominican Republic, which has several of these types of places mostly in the eastern region. One of the findings is that most people that live in these types of communities don't really play golf, but like that golf communities almost always have an ample view that goes beyond the backyard and they like the manicured nature that a golf course tends to offer. This applies to Dominican families as well as foreigners, which depending on the place it could be dominated by the former, a nice mixture between the two, or dominated by the latter. Sometimes the places are within a stone throw of each other, but generally there is a different feel depending if its dominated by Dominicans or foreigners. Culture probably explains this.
An amusement park that is focused on natural things. They have some exotic animals shown in dedicated areas, some native to the island and some introduced. It also has a Dominican artesanal place, zip line through the jungle, a natural swimming hole, riding horses, etc. Very nice place to spend an afternoon.
Technically the entire area is known as a municipal district, which is subjected to the municipality of Salvaleón de Higüey. Eventually this area will become its own municipality. The Municipal Palace (City Hall) is this Postmodern building. It's quite new and for now houses the main governing board in this area. On top of the building is the new coat of arms for the area. It's an interesting looking building which is the real reason for pinpointing in this thread. Next to the Municipal Palace is the area's office of the Junta Central Electoral, which deals with Dominican citizens and the various elections. The JCE, as is popularly known, builds the same exact building with the same colors everywhere in the country. The main one is in Santo Domingo and doesn't look like the offices they build all over the place.
A big and very tropical property housing various resorts of BahÃa PrÃncipe, a Spanish investment. The place has a train connecting the beach area with the rest of the property. There are many statues and paintings, the main drag within the hotel is Avenida España (Spain Avenue). There are several pool areas, restaurants, etc. It also has a shopping area with Spanish Colonial architecture predominating and an open plaza in the middle.
Entrance to the property.
The lobby area of the Grand BahÃa PrÃncipe Punta Cana Resort.
The Dominican Republic is one of two places in the Caribbean which produces most of the food it consumes. In resorts most things that are eaten are grown in the DR, whether its a fruit or chicken or something else. The only other place that is capable of doing this is Cuba. Dominican main farmers like to say that they don't produce food for the 11 million people that live in the DR, but also the 7 million tourists every year, plus whatever is exported.
One of the pool areas in the early morning.
Avenida España connects all areas of the resort and passes through a natural preserve area.
The type of architecture and colors that tends to dominate at this hotel.
Another pool area, this time by the beach and at a latter time of day.
One of the entrances to the beach area.
Most of the tourists aren't aware that Christopher Columbus et al sailed off the coast on one voyage of discovery and passed twice near this coast on his way to Spain. A feat that changed humanity forever (in its positive and negative aspects) on both sides of the Atlantic and La Española or Hispaniola was the center of it all during the first half of the 1500. In a way Hispaniola gave birth to Spanish America and made of Spain the superpower that for the first time in history spanned the globe.
White Sands is a large property that includes various resorts on the coast and residential units. Businesses and restaurants open to the public are very limited here. The area has fancy light fixtures and nice landscaping, plus a large gate at the front.
The Hard Rock Resort has over 1,800 rooms, the largest hotel in Latin America and the first Hard Rock resort outside of the United States. This place has it all. The success of this resort is what decided to expand into other markets in the world. This place has multiple restaurants and pools, various bridges, trains that take guests to different part of the property (it is huge), all activities, a shopping plaza on the ground, memorabilia from famous singers worldwide, etc.
An amusement park that as its name suggests, the main feature are dolphins. Not only are the sea creatures a feature that includes swimming with them, but this park is actively in their study and conservation.
The first resort developed on Bávaro beach, the Barceló Hotels company is a Spanish chain (not to be confused with the Dominican Barceló family that founded Ron Barceló) that took a chance when there was nothing in Bávaro and the real Puntacana was very small and not famous in the Western world. It's easy to tell where is the property of this company, because not only did they built the first road in the area and placed on it its own name, but the property has two pillars in white on both sides of the road saying Barceló Hotels & Resorts and then there is a forest and the road becomes palm lined. The main entrance is very grand and includes a rotunda. A few years ago the Barceló chain decided to close its property, merge several hotels, and build a new impressive lobby building and named the new massive resort as the Barceló Bávaro Palace Deluxe Resort. Its definitely one of the largest hotels in the Caribbean with thousands of rooms. Next to this resort is the Barceló Bávaro Beach Resort, which is adults only. The property is big with a golf course, water park, convention center, church over looking a lake, etc.
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