Getting around · Punta Cana · Dominican Republic
Getting around Punta Cana
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
Punta Cana is spread out along a coastal highway rather than a town, and most visitors use resort transfers, taxis and organised tours. Local guaguas (minibuses) run along the main road between Bávaro, Friusa and Verón for very little, but are basic and crowded. No for a resort holiday: transfers, taxis and tours cover everything.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Taxi
- Airports
- PUJ, LRM, SDQ
- Need a car?
- No
Ways to get around
Taxi
Taxis from local drivers' associations wait at resorts and shopping plazas with fixed zone fares rather than meters; agree the price before you ride.
Ask your hotel's front desk for the posted fare to your destination.
Bus
Guaguas and local buses run along the Bávaro–Verón road and towards Higüey, stopping when flagged down.
Car
Rental cars are available at the airport and hotels; driving is manageable on the main highways but local driving styles are assertive.
Boat
Catamarans and speedboats run excursions from Bávaro beaches and from Bayahíbe to Saona and Catalina islands.
Walking
You can walk long stretches of beach between resorts, but walking along the roads is not practical.
From the airport
Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ), with its distinctive thatched-roof terminals, is about 15–20 minutes from Cabeza de Toro and Cap Cana, 20–30 minutes from Bávaro and 40–45 minutes from Uvero Alto. Most visitors use pre-booked resort transfers; taxis wait outside arrivals. La Romana (LRM) is about an hour away and Santo Domingo's Las Américas (SDQ) about 2.5 hours.
Do you need a car?
No for a resort holiday: transfers, taxis and tours cover everything. A rental car or private driver is useful for exploring Macao, Higüey and Bayahíbe independently.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Saona Island | About 1.5 hours by road, then 30–60 minutes by boat | Organised tour via Bayahíbe by catamaran and speedboat |
| Altos de Chavón and La Romana | About 1 hour by car | Car or organised tour |
| Santo Domingo Colonial City | About 2 hours 30 minutes by car | Organised tour or private driver |
| Catalina Island | About 1 hour 15 minutes by road plus a short boat ride | Organised tour via La Romana |
| Los Haitises National Park | About 2 hours 30 minutes by road and boat | Organised tour via Sabana de la Mar or Miches |
| Montaña Redonda and Miches | About 1 hour 15 minutes by car | Car or organised tour |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Punta Cana?
No for a resort holiday: transfers, taxis and tours cover everything. A rental car or private driver is useful for exploring Macao, Higüey and Bayahíbe independently.
+How do you get from the airport to Punta Cana?
Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ), with its distinctive thatched-roof terminals, is about 15–20 minutes from Cabeza de Toro and Cap Cana, 20–30 minutes from Bávaro and 40–45 minutes from Uvero Alto. Most visitors use pre-booked resort transfers; taxis wait outside arrivals. La Romana (LRM) is about an hour away and Santo Domingo's Las Américas (SDQ) about 2.5 hours.
+What is the best way to get around Punta Cana?
Taxi: Taxis from local drivers' associations wait at resorts and shopping plazas with fixed zone fares rather than meters; agree the price before you ride.