Best Time to Visit Punta Cana

Punta Cana: Planning a warm, water-loving playtime in the Dominican Republic

If you’ve been planning a Caribbean vacation, especially an all-inclusive vacation, Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic is a great choice. However, in addition to getting the most for your money, you also want to have the best vacation possible. Therefore, you should decide what's most important to you. The winter could provide the best weather, while summer could bring big savings.

Book a winter getaway

When the cold temps and snowy weather start to get to you, there’s no better time to head south to enjoy some fun in the sun on the beaches of Punta Cana. With beautiful beaches like Bavaro Beach and Macao Beach, finding your tropical paradise won't be hard. And, from November through April, you'll enjoy some of the best weather of the year at Punta Cana.

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According to the Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism, during these winter months, Punta Cana experiences some of the lowest humidity it has all year. This low humidity, combined with the tropical breezes blowing off the Atlantic Ocean, make the average winter high temps of 81 degrees F feel quite pleasant.

Be prepared to bring a sweater or light jacket, though, to keep away the chill in the evening. When the sun goes down, so, too, do the temps, with an average winter low temperature of 65 degrees F. These long sleeves also will come in handy when having dinner inside some of the air-conditioned restaurants found at many of the all-inclusive resorts.

Enjoy a warming trend

Thanks to its Caribbean location, average high temperatures in Punta Cana don’t fluctuate much throughout the rest of the year. In fact, the yearly average high temp is 86 degrees F, which means you won’t see much change in the weather from season to season. However, what does change is the humidity level, which increases in the warmer months. Not only will this make it seem hotter than the temperature indicates, but it also could make you feel more sweaty.

If this doesn’t bother you, then feel free to book a vacation during the summer months. Why? The summer months are actually Punta Cana’s off-season, which means you’ll find better travel deals throughout these months. One note of caution: Hurricane season runs every June 1 through Nov. 30 during the summer and early fall, which brings passing rain on a regular basis, usually during late afternoon or at night. While hurricanes generally are sporadic, you should keep an eye on the weather (and maybe even buy travel insurance) in the days leading up to your trip so you can stay prepared to change your travel plans.

Escape the crowds

Yes, the winter months usually offer visitors the best weather during their visit, which means a lot of travelers will be in Punta Cana from mid-November through April. To avoid the crowds, plan to visit during the summer months. However, keep in mind that many East Coast cities offer a lot of flights to Punta Cana, so many East Coasters take advantage of this easy access to visit Punta Cana for a quick weekend getaway. To keep crowds to a minimum, consider booking your trip for a Sunday through Friday visit.