Stay in Punta Cana in April
4 hotels in the Trip.com pool for Punta Cana, from US$99 a night.
Opens Trip.com on Fri 2 Apr to Sun 4 Apr 2027; change the dates there.
April in Punta Cana sits right on the seam between dry season and the wetter months ahead. Morning light on Playa Bávaro still comes in brilliant and low, the sand hot underfoot by 10am, the turquoise water flat enough to spot reef shadow 200m from shore. By early afternoon, clouds pile up over the sugarcane fields inland of Higüey, and a downpour sweeps through the resort corridor for 15 to 20 minutes. You can smell the rain on the warm pool-deck concrete before the first drops land. The trade winds push the cloud cover east over the Atlantic, and by 4pm the beach bars along El Cortecito are pouring cold Presidente and grilling whole red snapper as though the sky never opened.
The biggest variable is whether Semana Santa falls in April that year. When it does, Dominican families pour into the beaches around Arena Gorda and Playa Juanillo by the thousands. Resort lobbies fill with the sound of kids and merengue típico on portable speakers. Nightly rates for that single week climb back toward February highs, and the pescaderías in El Cortecito run out of fish by 1pm. Outside Holy Week, April is noticeably quieter than the February-March peak. You might have a long stretch of Playa Macao to yourself on a Tuesday morning. Jellyfish, one of Bávaro's better-known beachfront restaurants, seats walk-ins at dinner without the 45-minute wait it carries in February.
That said, April is not the single best month for Punta Cana. January through March delivers lower humidity, calmer seas, and consistently clearer skies. March's 56mm total rainfall makes it the driest of the twelve, and the sargassum seaweed that starts washing onto some Bávaro beach sections in April is mostly absent earlier in the year.
Why visit in April
- Resort rates along the Bávaro strip drop 25-35% from the winter peak. April is one of the better value months for an all-inclusive Punta Cana trip, and properties that are fully booked in February often show midweek availability.
- Playa Bávaro and Playa Macao thin out considerably once the North American and European winter-escape crowds leave after March. The 2km section of Bávaro between El Cortecito and Cabeza de Toro feels half-empty on weekday mornings.
- Ocean water holds around 27°C (81°F) off the Bávaro reef, warm enough for extended snorkeling sessions at sites near Cabeza de Toro without a wetsuit. Operators like Marinarium Excursions run smaller boat groups than in peak-season February.
- Semana Santa, when it falls in April, brings Dominican culture to the foreground. Gagá processions wind through communities in La Altagracia province with fututo horns and drums, habichuelas con dulce appears on every table from roadside stands to resort buffets, and packed public beaches around Arena Gorda offer a window into local life that peak tourist months rarely provide.
Worth knowing
- Afternoon showers can disrupt catamaran tours and other fixed-schedule excursions out of Marina Cap Cana. Most operators, including the Saona Island catamaran services departing from Bayahibe, do not refund for weather delays shorter than a full cancellation.
- Sargassum seaweed starts washing onto sections of Playa Bávaro in April. Some resorts deploy tractors to clear it at dawn. Others do not, and stretches between Los Corales and El Cortecito can accumulate brown mats that carry a sulfur smell by midday.
- If Semana Santa falls in April, the Holy Week spike brings domestic crowds, higher nightly rates for that one week, and fully booked properties around Arena Gorda. La Yola at Marina Cap Cana and Jellyfish in Bávaro fill their reservation books days ahead.
- High ambient moisture pushes the heat index to 34-35°C (93-95°F) by midday. Walks through unshaded stretches like the Punta Cana Village shopping complex or the Boulevard Turístico del Este get sticky fast.
Best for
Think twice if
April averages a high of 27.8°C (82°F) and a low of 23.4°C (74°F), with 108mm of rain spread across roughly 18 days. Humidity sits around 77%. Sunrise hits near 6:20am, and mornings typically start clear with a warm breeze off the water. You can feel the moisture in the air by 9am, that particular Caribbean weight where your sunglasses fog when you step out of an air-conditioned resort lobby. Clouds build through early afternoon, and a shower arrives between 2pm and 4pm most days. You will hear the rain on the palm fronds before you feel it. These bursts rarely last more than 30 minutes before the sun returns and steam rises off the pavement along Boulevard Turístico del Este. Ocean temperatures near the Bávaro reef hover around 27°C (81°F), warm enough for hour-long snorkeling sessions. Easterly trade winds pick up occasionally, and the windier stretches near Uvero Alto feel it more than the sheltered sand at Playa Juanillo to the south.
Year-round climate
Averages from the last 5 years.
| Month | Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27 | 23 | 69 |
| Feb | 27 | 23 | 72 |
| Mar | 28 | 23 | 56 |
| Apr | 28 | 23 | 108 |
| May | 29 | 25 | 141 |
| Jun | 30 | 26 | 129 |
| Jul | 30 | 26 | 135 |
| Aug | 30 | 26 | 150 |
| Sep | 30 | 26 | 159 |
| Oct | 30 | 25 | 163 |
| Nov | 29 | 25 | 178 |
| Dec | 28 | 24 | 86 |
Headline events
Semana Santa (Holy Week)
Varies by year. Falls in April roughly half the time. The week runs Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday.
The Dominican Republic's most significant religious and cultural week. Beach towns fill with Dominican families on holiday. Churches in nearby Higüey hold candlelit processions, and Gagá groups perform Afro-Dominican drum-and-dance marches through communities across La Altagracia province, their fututo horns audible from blocks away. Habichuelas con dulce appears at every table from the roadside stands along the Higüey highway to the resort buffets in Bávaro. The atmosphere around Arena Gorda's public beaches shifts entirely, with Dominican families setting up under palm trees by 8am.
Best things to do in April
Snorkeling at the Bávaro reef system
water sportsThe coral formations off Cabeza de Toro and the stretch between Bávaro and Arena Gorda sit in 3m to 8m (10-26 ft) of water. Parrotfish, sergeant majors, and the occasional spotted eagle ray patrol the hard coral beds. Marinarium's catamaran route includes a reef stop, a shark-and-ray encounter at a shallow sandbar, and a snorkel over the seagrass beds. For certified divers, Dressel Divers operates out of several Bávaro resorts and runs PADI-guided dives at deeper sites beyond the snorkel line.
Water clarity holds strong before summer rain runoff reduces visibility in late May and June. Fewer tour boats than peak season mean less anchor disturbance on the reef and more room at the sandbar stops.Booking tipMarinarium Excursions runs a popular morning catamaran route that departs around 9am from the Bávaro beach and returns by 1pm, before the afternoon rain window. Book through your resort's tour desk or directly at their office near the Bávaro beach strip. April groups tend to be smaller than the packed February boats.
Freshwater swimming at Indigenous Eyes Ecological Park
natureTwelve freshwater lagoons sit within a 600-hectare private reserve maintained by the Puntacana Ecological Foundation. The water in the limestone cenote-style pools stays a cool 22-24°C (72-75°F) year-round, a contrast to the 28°C air outside. Trails through subtropical dry forest connect the lagoons, and rhinoceros iguanas, some over a meter long, sun themselves on the rocks along the path. Laguna 4 and Laguna 6 are the two designated swimming pools. The others are research-only.
The warming April air makes the cool freshwater lagoons especially refreshing. Shoulder-season visitor counts mean less waiting at Laguna 4 or Laguna 6, where peak-season lines can stretch 15-20 minutes.Booking tipThe park opens at 8am. Arrive for the first entry to swim the lagoons before organized tour groups show up around 10am. Guests at the Puntacana Resort & Club enter free. Outside guests can purchase day passes at the gate.
Hoyo Azul cenote swim at Scape Park
natureA natural sinkhole at the base of a steep limestone cliff in Cap Cana, filled with turquoise groundwater that glows an almost unnatural blue-green from mineral content and filtered light. A wooden staircase descends roughly 75 steps to the pool. Life jackets are mandatory. The surrounding vegetation and the 60m cliff face create an amphitheater effect where sound carries strangely and the air is noticeably cooler than at the surface.
April's water level in the cenote is at a comfortable depth for a proper swim but not so high that the viewing platform floods, which can happen later in the rainy season. The cooler groundwater, around 20°C, contrasts sharply with the warming outdoor air above.Booking tipThe first entry slot at 9am draws the fewest visitors. Scape Park's full-day pass covers the cenote, zip-lines, cave system, cultural trail, and buggy route. Individual cenote-only tickets are cheaper but sell out fast during Semana Santa week.
Saona Island day trip
excursionSpeedboat or catamaran excursions depart from Bayahibe, about 45 minutes south of Bávaro, to Isla Saona in the Parque Nacional del Este. Speedboats cover the crossing in 25-30 minutes. The slower catamarans take about 90 minutes but include music, rum, and a stop at the natural sandbar pool in the middle of the channel, where the water barely reaches your waist and someone hands you a cup of mamajuana. The island's south-facing beaches have white sand and calm, shallow water warm enough to snorkel off the shore.
Shoulder season means fewer boats at the sandbar stop and less crowding on the island's beaches. Sea conditions tend to be calmer than the windier January-February period, which can make the catamaran crossing rough.Booking tipBook a small-group speedboat over the large catamarans for a less packed experience. Standard group excursions include hotel pickup from the Bávaro resort strip, lunch on the island, and drinks. Departures leave between 7:00 and 7:30am from the Bayahibe dock, about 45 minutes south by van. Compare prices through your resort tour desk and online operators, as rates vary widely by group size and boat type.
Surfing and bodyboarding at Playa Macao
water sportsPlaya Macao sits about 25 minutes north of the Bávaro hotel zone and remains the only unmanaged public beach in the area. No resort fences, no organized lounger service. The shoreline break works for beginners and intermediate surfers, with waves typically between 0.5m and 1.5m (2-5 ft). Several surf schools operate from thatched shelters on the sand, renting boards and offering lessons. The beach itself has a raw, unpolished feel that the resort corridor lacks entirely.
April starts to pick up slightly larger swells compared to the flat winter months. The beach sees far fewer visitors than in February or March, and you will not be competing for wave sets with 30 other beginners.Booking tipNo reservation needed on weekdays in April. Walk up to any of the surf school shelters on the beach. Weekend mornings get busier with Dominican day-trippers from Santo Domingo. Lesson and board-rental rates vary between schools, so compare a couple of shelters before committing.
Basílica Catedral Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia visit
cultureThe main cathedral in Higüey, about 35 minutes west of the Bávaro hotel strip, is the Dominican Republic's most important Catholic pilgrimage site. The modernist concrete arch designed by André Dunoyer de Segonzac and Pierre Dupré rises 69m (226 ft) and frames the entrance in a way that catches the morning light. The interior houses a 16th-century painting of the Virgin of Altagracia behind a glass case above the altar. The surrounding streets in Higüey have small comedores selling rice-and-beans plates for under 300 DOP.
If Semana Santa lands in April, the Basílica holds its most significant services of the year, including candlelit evening processions and a special Easter Mass that draws pilgrims from across Hispaniola. Even outside Holy Week, April draws fewer visitors than the January 21 feast day.Booking tipFree to enter. A taxi from Bávaro takes 30-40 minutes. Dress modestly, with covered shoulders and knees. If you are going specifically for a Semana Santa service, arrive at least an hour early to find a seat.
Evening walk and dinner at Marina Cap Cana
dining and leisureThe yacht marina in the Cap Cana development features a boardwalk stretching roughly 800m along the basin, past docked sport-fishing boats and catamaran charters. La Yola serves Mediterranean-leaning seafood on an overwater terrace with views of the boat slips. Several other waterfront restaurants and bars line the promenade, and the small lighthouse at the east end of the walk makes a good turnaround point. April evenings cool into the low-to-mid 20s Celsius, and the humidity drops enough after sunset that the outdoor tables become genuinely comfortable.
The marina restaurants are easier to get into than during peak season, when reservations fill days ahead. The evening air temperature in April sits in a narrow band between warm and pleasant that makes an outdoor waterfront dinner work without sweating through your shirt.Booking tipA taxi from central Bávaro to Cap Cana runs 20-25 minutes. La Yola, the marina's signature restaurant, takes walk-ins on weeknight evenings in April but books up during Semana Santa. Expect marina restaurant prices to run 2-3x what the beachfront spots in El Cortecito charge for similar seafood.
What to eat in April
In season: fruit
Mango
April marks the beginning of Dominican mango season. Banilejos and mangos de leche start appearing at roadside fruit stands along the Higüey highway and from the ambulant vendors who walk the sand in Bávaro. The early-season fruit tends to be smaller and more tart than the June peak, but the flavor is concentrated and less fibrous than the later harvest.
Chinola (passion fruit)
Peak chinola season runs through the spring months in eastern Hispaniola. You will find the juice fresh-squeezed at beach bars along El Cortecito and mixed into cocktails at the pool bars along the Bávaro strip. The whole fruit costs almost nothing at the small colmados in Los Corales, usually under 50 DOP per pound.
On menus now
Pescado con coco
Fresh-caught red snapper or mahi-mahi braised in a coconut milk sauce with peppers and cilantro. Spring fishing conditions off the eastern coast bring consistent catches, and the beachfront pescaderías in El Cortecito prepare it over open charcoal grills. The coconut fat and charcoal smoke carry across the sand on the afternoon breeze.
What to drink
Morir Soñando
The classic Dominican drink made from freshly squeezed orange juice, milk, sugar, and crushed ice. The name translates to 'to die dreaming.' April's warming temperatures make this the ideal cool-down between beach sessions. The street carts along the Bávaro commercial strip serve it in tall styrofoam cups for about 100-150 DOP.
Festival food
Habichuelas con dulce
A sweet, creamy dessert made from red kidney beans, coconut milk, evaporated milk, sugar, and warm spices. It appears everywhere during the Semana Santa period, from the roadside stands along Boulevard Turístico del Este to sit-down restaurants in Higüey. Served cold or warm, the texture sits somewhere between a thick smoothie and a porridge. Raisins and small milk-cookie wafers float on top. The best batches tend to come from the older Dominican women selling cups outside the Basílica.
Regular events in April
Gagá processionsFree
Afro-Dominican musical processions rooted in Haitian-Dominican batey (sugar plantation community) culture. Groups march through towns in La Altagracia province with drums, bamboo horns called fututos, and call-and-response chanting. The sound carries blocks, a deep rhythmic pulse under the horn blasts. The tradition is recognized as Dominican intangible heritage, and the processions in communities near Higüey draw participants from across the eastern provinces.
During Semana Santa, especially Good Friday and Holy Saturday. Dates shift with Easter.Día PanamericanoFree
A minor civic observance of Pan-American Day across the Americas. Government offices and some schools close, but commercial life continues normally in the Punta Cana resort zone. Dominican flags appear more prominently along Boulevard Turístico del Este.
April 14Earth Day activities at Indigenous Eyes Ecological Park
The Puntacana Ecological Foundation organizes guided nature walks, reef-education talks, and coral-planting demonstrations around Earth Day. The reserve uses the week to highlight its iguana breeding program and the reforestation work in the surrounding dry forest. Past years have included open-access mornings at lagoons normally closed to the public.
Around April 22Best places this April
Indigenous Eyes Ecological Park (Ojos Indígenas)
nature reserveThe freshwater cenote-style pools in this 600-hectare reserve are especially welcome once April's warmth sets in. Laguna 4 and Laguna 6 are open for swimming, and the surrounding subtropical dry forest shelters rhinoceros iguanas and hutías along shaded trails. The cool 22-24°C water feels startling after the walk in from the gate.
Puntacana Resort & ClubPlaya Macao
beachThe closest thing to an undeveloped beach near the resort corridor. No lounger rentals, no organized vendor presence, and the sand is coarser and darker than the manicured Bávaro strip. Surf schools operate from thatched shelters directly on the beach. April brings slightly better surf conditions and fewer day-trippers than the winter peak. The ATV tours that cross the dunes behind the beach run year-round.
MacaoHoyo Azul at Scape Park
natural attractionThe cenote sits at the base of a dramatic 60m cliff in the Cap Cana development. April water levels stay at a comfortable swimming depth before peak rains raise them later in the year. The blue-green color from mineral content looks artificial but is entirely natural. The park also includes zip-lines and a cave system.
Cap CanaMarina Cap Cana
waterfront diningA working yacht marina with an 800m boardwalk, waterfront dining, and sport-fishing charter operations. La Yola, the signature Mediterranean seafood restaurant, occupies an overwater terrace at the marina's center. April evenings after sunset are the right temperature for a slow walk here, and the restaurant scene is more relaxed than in the winter high season.
Cap CanaEl Cortecito beach village
beach villageThe original fishing village that predates the resort build-out. A cluster of beachfront pescaderías, souvenir stalls, and bars line a public stretch of sand between the larger resorts. This is where to eat charcoal-grilled red snapper and drink Presidente beer alongside locals rather than at a resort buffet. The smoke from the open grills drifts across the sand in the late afternoon.
El CortecitoBasílica Catedral Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia
religious landmarkThe national pilgrimage cathedral in Higüey, about 35 minutes from the resort strip by taxi. The 69m concrete arch frames the entrance against the sky. If Semana Santa coincides with your April visit, the Holy Week services here are the most significant religious observances in the eastern Dominican Republic. The surrounding streets have cheap comedores and a produce market worth a lap.
Higüey (day trip)Playa Juanillo
beachA sheltered crescent of white sand inside the Cap Cana development, calmer and less windswept than the open Atlantic frontage at Bávaro. The water is shallow for a long way out, and the beach faces south rather than east, which blocks some of the trade-wind chop that picks up on the Bávaro stretch. A handful of beach restaurants operate along the sand. April weekdays can feel almost private.
Cap Cana
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Insider tips
Dominican beaches are public by law, even where resort fences and security guards suggest otherwise. Walk south along the waterline from El Cortecito past the Riu complex toward Cabeza de Toro. That 2km stretch is wide, often empty on weekday mornings in April, and the sand firms up near the water for easy walking.
The beachfront pescaderías in El Cortecito sell grilled whole fish and tostones at a fraction of what the resort restaurants charge. A whole grilled red snapper with sides and a Presidente typically runs 800-1,200 DOP. Order the fish of the day rather than the menu's fixed options, and confirm the weight before they cook it.
If Semana Santa falls during your trip, plan your Higüey cathedral visit for Good Friday morning. The procession starts around 10am and winds through the streets near the Basílica for about 2 hours. Saturday afternoon is significantly quieter if you prefer to see the building itself without crowds.
Taxi drivers on the Bávaro-to-Higüey run sometimes take the longer inland route through Verón if they sense you are navigating blind. Download offline maps of the Punta Cana-Bávaro-Higüey triangle before you leave the hotel, and confirm the route with your driver before departure.
The colmados (small neighborhood shops) in Los Corales sell Presidente beer for about 100-120 DOP and local Brugal rum at local prices. A 5-minute walk inland from the resort zone puts you into a residential stretch that most visitors never see. The small bodegas on that stretch also sell fresh fruit, empanadas, and prepaid Claro phone cards.
Avoid these mistakes
- Booking a full-day outdoor excursion with a noon departure. April's afternoon showers tend to hit the same 2pm-to-4pm window most days. Morning departures for Saona Island (7:00-7:30am from Bayahibe), the Bávaro reef (9am with Marinarium), or catamaran tours leave early enough to return before the clouds build.
- Assuming Semana Santa week will be quiet because it falls after high season. If Easter lands in April, Dominican domestic travel peaks hard for that week. Beach access around Arena Gorda tightens, the El Cortecito fish spots have 30-minute waits, and excursion boats fill to capacity. Book Semana Santa restaurants and tours at least a week ahead.
- Spending the entire trip inside the all-inclusive and never walking to El Cortecito, Cap Cana, or Higüey. The beachfront fish restaurants in El Cortecito sit a 10-minute walk from the nearest resort gate, and taxis to Cap Cana or Higüey are cheap and plentiful. April's lighter tourist volume makes it easier to move around independently than during the January-March peak.
- Ignoring sargassum forecasts. The seaweed situation varies week to week across different beach sections. Check recent social-media posts tagged at your specific resort's beach before choosing where to spend a day, or ask the front desk about current conditions. The stretches near Cabeza de Toro tend to accumulate less than the El Cortecito-to-Los Corales section.
Practical tips for April
Book excursions for morning departure slots, especially any boat-based activities out of Marina Cap Cana or Bayahibe, to avoid the afternoon rain window. If your trip overlaps with Semana Santa, reserve restaurant tables at La Yola and other Marina Cap Cana spots at least a week ahead, and confirm excursion availability, as domestic tourists fill capacity. The Dominican peso (DOP) is the local currency. Most resort-zone establishments accept US dollars, but you will receive change in pesos, usually at a rate a few points worse than the ATM rate. ATMs inside the Punta Cana Village complex dispense both currencies. Taxis in the area are unmetered, so agree on the fare before getting in. The Bávaro-to-Higüey run should cost roughly 1,500-2,000 DOP each way. The resort zone's main commercial strip along Boulevard Turístico del Este has pharmacies, supermarkets, and phone-SIM vendors. Buy a local Claro or Altice SIM for data if your international plan charges roaming. Coverage is solid along the Bávaro corridor but drops off north of Uvero Alto. Dress code across the resort zone is casual, but the Basílica in Higüey and any Semana Santa church service expect covered shoulders and knees.
FAQ
Is April a good time to visit Punta Cana?
April works well, though it is not peak. Mornings are warm and clear on Playa Bávaro, afternoons bring a short rain shower most days, and the trade winds keep things from feeling oppressive. It ranks around 5th out of 12 months for visiting. The main advantage is price. All-inclusive rates along the Bávaro resort strip drop 25-35% from the January-March peak, and you will have noticeably more space on the beach and at restaurant tables. The main wildcard is Semana Santa. If Easter falls in April, expect a domestic-tourist spike for that one week, with higher rates and full resort pools around Arena Gorda.
What is the weather like in Punta Cana in April?
Warm and increasingly tropical. Daytime readings near 28°C (82°F), overnight around 23°C (74°F), humidity in the upper 70s. Rain falls on roughly 18 out of 30 days, but the showers tend to roll in from the sugarcane fields between 2pm and 4pm, dump for 15-20 minutes, and clear. Mornings along the Bávaro beach strip are typically sunny. You will hear the rain on the palm fronds before you feel it on your skin. Comfortable for beach activities as long as you carry a packable rain jacket in the daypack.
Is Punta Cana crowded in April?
Outside of Semana Santa week, April is noticeably less crowded than the December-through-March peak. Playa Bávaro has open stretches between the resort frontages, Playa Macao might have 20 people on a weekday, and you can walk into Jellyfish or the El Cortecito fish spots without a reservation. To be fair, even the Semana Santa spike is tamer than what you would experience at a Cancún or Cabo San Lucas resort during the same week, because the Dominican domestic crowd concentrates on the public beach sections around Arena Gorda rather than inside the all-inclusive compounds.
Is April part of hurricane season in Punta Cana?
No. The Atlantic hurricane season officially runs June 1 through November 30. April sits well outside that window. Tropical weather disturbances this early in the year are extremely rare in the eastern Caribbean. The rain increase you will notice in April is part of the normal seasonal transition from dry to wet, not storm activity.
Is it safe to visit Punta Cana alone in April?
Punta Cana's solo-traveler safety rates 6.2/10 (see the TTDI Solo-Safety Index). The resort zone around Bávaro and Cap Cana is well-patrolled and feels secure at all hours. The commercial strip along Boulevard Turístico del Este has foot traffic into the evening. Standard precautions apply after dark in residential areas outside the resort strip, particularly around Verón. April's lighter crowds do not create any additional safety concerns compared to busier months.
Things to Do in Punta Cana in April
Free cancellation Full-Day Santo Domingo City Tour from Punta Cana
Day trip: free cancellation.
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Free cancellation Monkeyland and Plantation Safari Tour from Punta Cana
Day trip: 6 hours, free cancellation.
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Free cancellation Punta Cana Dune Buggy Adventure and Amazing Water Cave
Outdoor experience: 4 hours, free cancellation.
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Free cancellation Half-Day Adventure 4x4 ATV, Water Cave and Dominican Culture
Outdoor experience: 4 hours, free cancellation.
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Free cancellation ATV Adventure to Water Cave and Macao Beach in Punta Cana
Outdoor experience: 4 hours, free cancellation.
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Free cancellation Punta Cana Airport to or from Hyatt Cap Cana
Day trip: 20 minutes, free cancellation.
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