Located on the East area of the Dominican Republic, this is the place where the most famous beaches are found (extensive and endless), exhibiting fine and white sand and still, crystal-clear waters.

GETTING THERE By air: Though the most usual practice is to land at Santo Domingo and then to fly on a local flight as Air Santo Domingo. There are some companies that fly directly to Punta Cana airport such as: From Europe: AOM, the French airline whose flights depart from Paris, Marseilles, Niza or Zurich. Air Europe also flies from Spain, Martinair from Amsterdam (Holland), Tap from Lisbon (Portugal). And Condor, Lufthansa and Hapag Lloyd companies fly from Germany. From the Americas: ACES, Colombian airline makes the connection with Punta Cana from Bogota while American Eagle makes it from San Juan de Puerto Rico. By road: Punta Cana is found at some 3 hours and a half with the capital by car.

DOCUMENTATION Citizens of Argentina, Ecuador, Peru and Uruguay can visit the country without a visa or tourism card, by just holding a valid passport. Citizens from Spain, Chile, Mexico, Paraguay and Venezuela may enter the country by purchasing the tourist card (US$ 10.00) at Dominican consulates in the countries of origin at airline desks or at international airports. If additional information is required on visa issuance, visitors can consult the visa section of the Consular Department of the Chancellery. Phone: (809) 535- 6280 Ext. 264

TRANSPORTATION Hotels in this area are located at some kilometers one from the other, and bus services are only available for guests. Without a reservation, there is no possibility to rent a car. You can rent bikes, motorcycles and car available at your hotel to ride along several kilometers of beaches and enjoy food in an original chiringuito (local food sale point).

CAR RENTAL National Interrent. At Bávaro beach, Punta Cana, Higüey. Phone: 221-0286. It is one of the largest car rental networks available, Nelly Rent-A-Car. At Punta Cana Beach Resort, Punta Cana, Higüey. Phone: 221-2262. It offers a personalized service, using modern computadorized systems.

BUSES Metro Tours and Caribe provide an excellent service of transportation between Santo Domingo and the main cities of the country. CURRENCY Dominican peso is the national currency. One dollar is some 15 Dominican pesos.

SHOPPING Quality crafts and painting can be bought as well as jewels, clothing, food and beverages in commercial centers and squares.

ACCOMMODATION Bávaro Beach Resort: In P.O. Box 1, Higüey, Punta Cana RD. Phone: 686-579. It has all kind of services as bars, restaurants, conference halls, swimming pools, one golf course, two discotheques, stores, a casino and a private beach. It offers night shows, tennis, horse riding, water sport facilities.. Punta Cana Beach Resort: P.O. Box 1083. Phone: 541-2714. Located at 8 minutes from Punta Cana International Airport. It has a wide range of rooms as villas, suites, studios and junior suites with air-conditioned rooms and cable TV. Meliá Bávaro Resort (750) Bávaro, Punta Cana, Higüey. Phone: 221-2311. Toll-Free 800 MELIA. The services rendered by this facility are: cafeteria, air-conditioned rooms, restaurants, night club disco, swimming pool, secretarial services, conference hall, casino, children care, sauna, jacuzzi.

LANGUAGE Spanish is the official language and the road signals and menus are written in this language. Tourism employees speak English.

CLIMATE The annual average temperature fluctuates between 20 and 30 degrees..

RESTAURANTS High-quality international restaurants are found at hotels such as La Mamma Venezia. Punta Cana Beach Resort. Higüey. Phone: 688- 4032. Specialties: meats, grills, Creole, international, Italian cuisines as well as seafood. Beach chiringuitos are also typical, especialized in seafood and barbecues. Typical dishes as "la bandera," "fritos verdes," "el sancocho dominicano," "pescado con coco" and "chivo de azúa" are there elaborated.

GOLF COURSE Bávaro. Punta Cana, Higüey. Phone: (809) 686-5797. An 18-hole full course is there found. Some holes are surrounded by vegetation and others, the open ones, are by large lakes. All kind of facilities is there offered.

What to See Around Los Tres Ojos (The Three Eyes) A unique landscape: a cave with three underground lakes with capricious rock formations. Panteón de la Caleta Museum. On the split of the road between Las Américas Highroad heading the Airport is a small museum. It exhibits an archeological sample of diverse human groups that settled in this spot. The museum exhibits 32 prehistorical skeletons. Our Lady of Alta Gracia is a modern basilica located at Higüey City, to reach there is the goal of many pilgrims all over the country. Macao beach is near the city, described as the most attractive.

INFORMATION Omni tours. Phone: 688-0977. Première Tours Punta Cana, C.V. Bávaro. Phone: 1 (809) 687 -5755. Tourism and Information Bureau. Address: Ave. México, e/30 de Marzo. Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Phone: (809) 221-4660.