You are staying in Punta Cana, you have a few free hours, and you want to see more of the coast than the stretch in front of your hotel. This guide helps you choose between the morning and the afternoon start, pick a month, pack the right bag and decide whether four hours on the beaches is the right use of your time.
Morning or afternoon
The tour runs twice a day. You are collected at 07:00 or at 13:00, and you are back four hours later. The choice says a lot about the day you will have.
The early start puts you on the sand at Macao at around 07:30, before the midday heat. You are back by late morning, with the rest of the day free for the pool or a long lunch. It is the better slot if anyone in your group does not cope well with strong sun.
The 13:00 start suits a late riser, or a day when you check out at noon and fly in the evening. You arrive at Macao in the hottest part of the day, so the shade under the palms at the back of the beach matters more. By the time you reach El Cortecito the light is softer and the fishing boats make better photographs.
Either way, the UV index on this coast is very high. From March to September it reaches the top of the scale on a typical day. A hat, sun cream and a shirt for the walk are not optional.
Which month
Punta Cana is warm all year, with daytime highs of around 28°C in winter and 32°C from July to September. The sea stays between 26°C and 29°C, so swimming is pleasant in any month.
Rain comes in two peaks. May and October are the wettest months by volume, while February and March are the driest. Even in the wettest months the climate record shows around eight hours of sunshine a day. Tropical storms are the bigger risk, and on the record they are most likely from August to October.
Seaweed is the other thing that changes with the season. Sargassum, a floating brown seaweed, washes up on east-facing beaches in the warmer months. Bávaro, which faces due east, takes the most of it, usually from about June to August, with little from November to March. Macao is more open, and its currents tend to carry the weed away faster. The amount varies a great deal from year to year, so look at recent photographs before you set your heart on one beach. If you want the calmer Caribbean side instead, see our Bayahibe and Dominicus beach day.
How the four hours fit together
This is a short loop with very little driving. The run north to Macao takes about half an hour, and the beaches take up most of the rest.
- Macao gets the longest stop, close to two hours. It is a public beach, wide and open, with dunes shaped by the wind behind it, fishing boats on the sand and food shacks under the palms. People come here to learn to surf. You can swim, walk or simply sit.
- Bávaro and Los Corales come next, with about an hour on the long beach in front of the hotels and the small streets behind it, where the cafés and bars are.
- El Cortecito is the last stop, at the fishermen's end of Bávaro beach, with boats pulled up on the sand and simple seafood places.
The car is yours, so the balance can shift. If Macao is perfect, stay there longer and drop a stop. If the sea is rough, spend more time in Los Corales. At the end you choose where to be left: your hotel, a restaurant or the beach.
On your own, or with a car and driver
Bávaro beach is in front of many of the hotels, so if you are staying there, part of this loop is already within walking distance. Macao is the part that is hard to reach without a car, because it lies to the north, away from the hotel strip.
A car and driver for four hours gives you Macao without planning the return, the freedom to stop where you like on the way back, and a drop-off at whichever place you choose at the end. The car waits nearby while you are on the sand. The price depends on the size of your group; see it on the tour page. Food, drinks, sunbeds and any beach activities are paid on the day.
What to bring
- Swimwear and a towel. Most of the four hours is on the sand.
- Sun cream, a hat and sunglasses. The shade at Macao is limited to the palms at the back.
- Some cash in small notes for drinks at the beach shacks or a snack in El Cortecito.
- Water, especially on the afternoon start.
- A dry bag or a plastic bag for your phone if you plan to swim.
Who it suits, and who should think twice
It suits a first trip outside the resort, a family that wants a change of scene without a long drive, and anyone with a few hours to fill before a late flight. Because you choose where the tour ends, you can also use it to get to a restaurant for dinner.
Think twice in these cases:
- You want calm water for small children. Macao is open to the Atlantic swell, and on a rough day it is a place to paddle near the shore, not to swim out. The Caribbean beaches near Bayahibe are usually calmer.
- You want to see something beyond the beach. This is a beach outing. For a view and a quieter coast, our Montaña Redonda and Playa Esmeralda tour goes north to Miches. For history, our Santo Domingo day takes you to the capital.
- You are more than 16. Two vehicles can travel together on one booking. Message us with your numbers.
Questions people ask
Can we surf at Macao?
Yes. Macao is one of the beaches in the country where you can surf, and a good place to start. Any board or lesson is your own arrangement and is paid on the day, as beach activities are not included. Tell your driver if you want more time there.
Where can we eat?
At the food shacks under the palms at Macao, or in the seafood places at El Cortecito. Food and drinks are not included, so bring cash. If you would rather finish with a proper meal, ask to be left at a restaurant at the end.
We land in Punta Cana that day. Can we still go?
An afternoon start can work after a morning arrival, but it makes for a long day. Our airport transfers take you to your hotel first, and the tour is easier the next morning.
Can we cancel?
Yes. Cancel up to 24 hours before pick-up and you get a full refund. See our cancellation page.
Booking the day
Choose the start time first, then the date with the season in mind. Pack for sun more than for rain. If you are still deciding between beaches, a hill and the capital, our guide to day trips from Punta Cana sets the five side by side. When you are ready, book on the Macao Beach and Bávaro private tour page.
