SHOPPING IN PUNTA CANA

For those who feel that their vacations will not be complete without a shopping expedition, Punta Cana will have you go home with your objectives in this respect more than satisfied. Whether it is the search for typical souvenirs, gifts or wares, the stores of Punta Cana will not let you go empty handed.

Most hotels in Punta Cana feature a souvenir shop as part of their amenities, where you can purchase typical T-shirts, crafts and products from the region. Nevertheless, if you are like those who wish to know what there is beyond their hotels, be sure you will find endless shopping possibilities in Punta Cana.

Punta Cana overflows with street vendors, since informal shopping is what you will come upon the most in Punta Cana. Throughout all the beach there are vendors with all kinds of items, being the most common offers; oil paintings that portray daily life scenes or beach landscapes. Another common paintings are the ones where a person is depicted several times, giving the appearance of a multitude. One third painting category is part of Taino art, which consists of peculiar figures of wood sticks framed in geometric colorful designs.

Fossilized wood is another of the merchandises that the beach vendors will offer you in Punta Cana. It is possible to acquire it raw or already worked on. Sculptures of this material are particularly spectacular. Carved wood with the shapes of animals and humans are also very popular among the visitors to Punta Cana. The wood statuettes are usually Taino art replicas, representing the native deities of fertility or of happiness.

When dealing with a vendor, the bargaining process to get a better price will be the fun part. It is an excellent method to test their negotiating abilities, because if it is conducted well, you can end up saving even half of the initial price.

In addition, there are small informal markets near almost all resorts. Here, the stands are built with light and wood frames shaded by colorful canvas. Haggling with the seller and surrendering to the negotiating process to obtain the lowest price is also recommended here.

Rum is another must-buy in Punta Cana, since it is a national product and it can be well appreciated as a souvenir or as a gift back home.

Tobacco was cultivated in this land by the native Dominicans even before the arrival of the Spaniards who continued with this tradition during all the time of the colony. After the imposed commercial embargo on Cuban products, the cigar industry boomed. Every year 80 million of cigars are rolled in the country. The most well-known brands are: Monte Cristo, Aurora, Arturo Fuente, Thiriet Mercedes and Juan Clemente.

For an incursion in a more exclusive shopping world, the option is Plaza Punta Cana, where you can find cigarettes, a great variety of Dominican art and some boutiques, like Oscar de la Renta, Latin Express and Coco.

Bavaro Plaza is an open air commercial center that boasts souvenirs outlets, boutiques and shops that offer handmade ethnic articles, as well as a multitude of accessories. Additionally, in this Plaza you can find some restaurants, a pair of bars and a pharmacy.

From haute couture to ethnic clothing and from jewelry to carved wooded figures, Punta Cana offers a wonderful variety of shopping options. An expedition in the shopping universe of Punta Cana will let you take the best souvenir to immortalize your incredible vacation in Punta Cana.