We’d spent Christmas having a very quiet family white Christmas in Utah.
Growing up in Australia, Christmas usually means summer, and while I still consider it such a treat to experience a proper white Christmas, by the end of December I inevitably start missing sunshine, tropical fruit, pavlova and prawns.
I also reach a point every winter when I decide I’ve had enough cold weather and desperately need some Vitamin D.
So, feeling restless and with very little planning, we booked a last-minute trip to Bávaro Beach in Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic.
My stepson joined us a little later. He’d just returned from Australia to the United States to discover he was locked out of our house. After unsuccessfully trying to get replacement keys cut for the house, he decided that flying to Punta Cana via Miami was preferable to waiting four days for us to come home.
Fair enough.
Where We Stayed on Bávaro Beach
We booked a three-bedroom apartment at Nivia Playa Coral on Bávaro Beach and were literally the first people to stay there.
I’m still not sure whether the apartment was completely new or had just been refurbished, but everything inside was brand new.
And I mean everything.
Nothing had been unwrapped.
We spent the first few hours removing labels from saucepans, stickers from glasses to run through the dishwasher, tags off beach towels and plastic wrapping from lamps, beds and furnishings. We even hooked up the washing machine. It was a beautiful apartment, but it felt slightly like we’d accidentally moved into a furniture showroom before opening day.
The TVs hadn’t been set up, the Wi-Fi wasn’t working properly and we never really managed to work all of it out.
The location, however, was excellent.
We were directly on Bávaro Beach with a pool and easy access to the sand, which was exactly what we’d wanted from this particular holiday.
Beach Days and Jellyfish
One of the best things about where we stayed was having Jellyfish Restaurant right beside us.
It was stylish without being overly formal, with great décor, good food and an easy beachfront atmosphere. We ate there regularly and became very comfortable ordering cocktails to take down to the beach.
There were also local beach vendors offering massages, which became another fairly regular part of our routine.
My husband and I started walking up and down Bávaro Beach every day, and most of the holiday revolved around the same simple formula: beach, swimming, walking, food and cocktails. We rented a private boat for a half day excursion and did some snorkeling with a fun crew.
For the sunshine fix I’d been craving after Utah, it worked perfectly.
An Unexpected Monkey Experience
One of my favourite experiences was a visit to what we knew as the Monkey House.
We somehow ended up doing a VIP monkey experience that was almost a private tour.
I absolutely love monkeys.
We travelled there in an open-air bus and met several different types of monkeys. They climbed all over us, and afterwards we sat in a gazebo feeding them and watching them interact.
I find monkeys fascinating because of how expressive and human-like some of their behaviour can be.
The whole experience was also wonderfully random. The monkeys weren’t native to the Dominican Republic, so it felt a little as though someone had simply decided that what Punta Cana really needed was a collection of monkeys for visitors to meet.
Whatever the backstory, I loved it.
Exploring With a Local Driver
Another highlight was meeting a local driver who ended up taking us around during the trip.
Rather than planning everything ourselves, my husband would ask him where he thought we should go or where we should eat, and we’d follow his recommendations.
On several occasions, he managed to find us incredibly fresh lobster and fish through people he knew locally.
Those experiences were some of the best parts of the holiday because they took us away from simply staying around the beach and gave us a slightly more local perspective.
New Year’s Eve – And a Very Long Night
We were in Punta Cana over New Year’s, so Bávaro was understandably busy. There was also a considerable amount of construction taking place around the area at the time, which made some parts feel like they were still developing rapidly.
The beach club next door held a New Year’s Eve party. It started late and finished at around 9am the following morning.
I think I may have actually cried.
The bass vibrated through our apartment for the entire night, and no combination of pillows over my head could block it out. By New Year’s morning, I was completely exhausted, which made what happened next particularly well timed.
We broke the lock to our apartment and couldn’t get back inside.
Trying to explain the situation to the property manager and then locate a locksmith on New Year’s Day, when we spoke virtually no Spanish, was challenging, to put it mildly.
That trip was one of those occasions when I really wished I’d learned some basic Spanish before travelling.
The Saona Island Trip That Wasn’t
We’d also booked what was supposed to be a day trip to Saona Island. This one didn’t quite go according to plan either.
We had an early start and travelled to Bayahibe to catch the boat, only to discover that our scheduled departure had been cancelled.
There seemed to be thousands of frustrated passengers trying to understand what was happening, with limited smaller boats available and very little information about how everyone would get to Saona – or, more importantly, get back again. We waited for a while, hoping the situation would become clearer.
It didn’t.
Eventually, we decided we’d had enough. We found a local restaurant, had something to eat and ordered an Uber all the way back to Bávaro Beach.
The beach vendor who had sold us the excursion did try to make things right by arranging a deep-sea fishing charter for the family later that day. They went. I stayed behind.
I’d had enough adventure for one day.
What I’d Do Differently
I enjoyed the Dominican Republic, but this was also one of those trips that taught me a few things about how I prefer to travel.
There were moments when everything looked beautifully finished on the surface, but some of the practical details didn’t quite match. Our brand-new apartment was a good example. It looked fantastic, but arriving to find ourselves effectively setting it up for the first time was unexpected.
Communication could also be difficult once we were outside the main tourist areas. While plenty of people we encountered spoke English, there were situations – dealing with the broken lock, asking practical questions or trying to understand what was happening with our cancelled excursion – when not speaking Spanish left me feeling far less confident than I normally do when travelling.
There were also a couple of occasions when I walked alone through quieter areas around construction sites to reach the shops and didn’t feel entirely comfortable. In hindsight, I would have taken a taxi or arranged transport instead.
None of this ruined the trip, but it did make me a little more cautious than I’ve felt in some of the other Caribbean destinations we’ve visited.
Interestingly, some of our easiest interactions were with the beach vendors. We got to know a few of them, booked massages and excursions through them, and generally found them friendly and helpful.
Final Thoughts
Punta Cana gave us exactly what we’d originally gone there looking for – sunshine, warm weather, a beautiful beach and a very welcome break from winter.
Bávaro Beach was ideal for a relaxed family holiday, and I loved having somewhere we could simply walk out of our apartment and spend the day beside the water.
There were also plenty of moments we’ll always remember: the monkeys, fresh lobster, daily beach walks, massages, my stepson unexpectedly appearing in Punta Cana and a New Year’s party that I’m fairly certain I will never forget.
Would I visit the Dominican Republic again? Yes.
But next time I’d plan things slightly differently. I’d choose established accommodation with recent reviews, organise transport rather than walking in unfamiliar areas, learn a little more Spanish before arriving and probably avoid sleeping next door to a beach club on New Year’s Eve.
Most importantly, though, I got the Vitamin D fix I’d been looking for. After a cold Christmas in Utah, that was really the whole point.
Mrs Globetrotter Tips
Best for: Families, couples and groups looking for an easy beach-focused Caribbean holiday.
How long to stay: Five to seven nights works well if you’re mainly looking to relax, with a couple of days for excursions.
Where we stayed: A three-bedroom apartment at Nivia Playa Coral on Bávaro Beach.
What we loved: Bávaro Beach, Jellyfish Restaurant, beach massages, our monkey experience and exploring with a local driver. We also did a great day half day private boat trip with snorkeling that we booked on the beach.
Good to know: Some basic Spanish would have made our trip considerably easier. I’d also arrange transportation for exploring beyond the main tourist areas rather than relying on walking.
Would I return? Yes, but I’d do a little more planning next time — and check exactly what’s happening next door before booking over New Year’s Eve.
The Dominican Republic offers an idyllic setting for a memorable New Year celebration, particularly in Punta Cana. With its stunning Bávaro Beach and vibrant local culture, it caters to families, couples, and groups seeking a relaxing beach-focused getaway. A stay of five to seven nights is ideal for those wishing to unwind while also enjoying excursions, such as private boat trips for snorkeling. Knowledge of basic Spanish and pre-arranged transportation can enhance the experience, ensuring easy exploration of the surrounding areas beyond the main tourist spots.Punta Cana gave us exactly what we’d originally gone there looking for – sunshine, warm weather, a beautiful beach and a very welcome break from winter.
Bávaro Beach was ideal for a relaxed family holiday, and I loved having somewhere we could simply walk out of our apartment and spend the day beside the water.
There were also plenty of moments we’ll always remember: the monkeys, fresh lobster, daily beach walks, massages, my stepson unexpectedly appearing in Punta Cana and a New Year’s party that I’m fairly certain I will never forget.
Would I visit the Dominican Republic again? Yes.
But next time I’d plan things slightly differently. I’d choose established accommodation with recent reviews, organise transport rather than walking in unfamiliar areas, learn a little more Spanish before arriving and probably avoid sleeping next door to a beach club on New Year’s Eve.
Most importantly, though, I got the Vitamin D fix I’d been looking for. After a cold Christmas in Utah, that was really the whole point.
