10-Day East Coast Dominican Republic Itinerary 2026
April 29, 202610 min read
10-Day East Coast Dominican Republic Itinerary: Beaches, Adventure & Authentic Island Life
The east coast of the Dominican Republic is where powdery white-sand beaches meet swaying coconut palms, where world-class resorts sit minutes from sleepy fishing villages, and where every day can feel like a postcard. This 10 day east coast itinerary is designed to give you the perfect mix of bucket-list highlights and slow, soulful moments — without burning you out by Day 4. Whether you're chasing turquoise water in Bávaro, snorkeling in Catalina Island's coral gardens, or sipping mamajuana in Bayahíbe at sunset, this east coast travel plan covers it all.
Trip Overview
Who this itinerary is for: This east coast Dominican Republic trip is ideal for couples seeking a romantic mix of relaxation and adventure, families with kids over 8 who can handle full days, and active travelers who want beach days balanced with snorkeling, ATV rides, and cultural excursions. Solo travelers will also find Punta Cana and Bayahíbe welcoming and easy to navigate.
Budget range (per person, excluding flights):
Budget: $900–$1,200 (guesthouses, local eats, public transport)
Mid-range: $1,800–$2,500 (boutique hotels, mix of tours and DIY)
Luxury: $4,000+ (all-inclusive resorts, private excursions, fine dining)
Best time to visit:Mid-December through April offers the driest weather, lowest humidity, and reliable sunshine. For better deals and fewer crowds, late April to early June is a sweet spot — temperatures are warm, the sea is calm, and prices drop noticeably. Avoid September and October, peak hurricane months.
Base location: This itinerary uses Punta Cana/Bávaro as your home base for the first half and Bayahíbe for the second half. Splitting your stay cuts down on driving, lets you experience two distinct vibes — Punta Cana's polished resort energy and Bayahíbe's laid-back fishing village charm — and puts you closer to the southeast's best excursions.
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Day 1: Arrival in Punta Cana & Beach Welcome
Morning (Arrival)
Touch down at Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ), one of the easiest airports in the Caribbean. Most resorts in Bávaro are a 15–25 minute drive away. Pre-arranged transfers run $25–$40 per person; taxis cost around $35–$45 flat.
Afternoon (1:00 PM – 5:00 PM)
Check in, change into your swimsuit, and head straight to Bávaro Beach. The water is unreal — bathtub-warm and impossibly blue. Grab a casual lunch at Soles Chill Out Bar on the beach (mains $12–$18), where you can dig your toes in the sand while eating fresh ceviche.
Pro tip: Don't overschedule Day 1. Jet lag plus tropical sun is a real combo — let yourself float and nap.
Evening (6:30 PM – 10:00 PM)
Watch the sunset with a piña colada at your resort, then head to La Yola Restaurant at Puntacana Resort for a romantic seafood dinner over the marina (mains $28–$45). Try the grilled mahi-mahi with coconut rice.
Alternatives:
Prefer a livelier first night? Head to Coco Bongo Punta Cana for a Vegas-style show (~$95).
On a budget? Eat at Noah Restaurante in Los Corales for excellent local fare under $15.
Day 2: Saona Island Catamaran Day Trip
Morning (7:30 AM – 12:00 PM)
Get picked up early for the iconic Saona Island excursion — arguably the most photographed beach in the country. The drive to the boat dock in Bayahíbe takes about 75 minutes. Board a catamaran and cruise toward Saona, stopping at the famous natural pool where you can stand in waist-deep water surrounded by starfish.
Tours run $85–$120 per person and include lunch, drinks, and snorkeling.
Afternoon (12:00 PM – 5:00 PM)
Lunch is served buffet-style on the island — typically grilled chicken, fish, rice, beans, and tropical fruit. Spend the afternoon swimming, hammock-napping, or walking the powder-soft shoreline. Speedboats return to Bayahíbe by mid-afternoon.
Evening (6:30 PM – 9:30 PM)
Back at your resort, opt for a casual dinner. Jellyfish Restaurant on Bávaro Beach is a stunner — torch-lit, toes in sand, fresh seafood (mains $25–$40). Try the lobster pasta.
Alternatives:
Skip the crowds and book a private Saona tour ($180+) for a more intimate experience.
Prefer to stay close? Spend the day at Macao Beach with a surf lesson (~$50).
Day 3: Hoyo Azul & Scape Park Adventure
Morning (9:00 AM – 1:00 PM)
Head to Scape Park at Cap Cana, a 20-minute drive from Bávaro. The crown jewel here is Hoyo Azul, a stunning natural cenote with electric-blue water at the base of a limestone cliff. Combo passes start at $129 and include ziplines, caves, and cultural experiences.
Afternoon (1:00 PM – 5:00 PM)
Lunch at the park's Sunset Restaurant (mains $15–$22) before tackling the zipline circuit or the Eco-Splash water slides. If you're traveling with kids, the Iguabonita Cave tour is an easy hit.
Evening (7:00 PM – 10:00 PM)
Drive 10 minutes to Api Beach Restaurant in Cap Cana for upscale Mediterranean-Caribbean cuisine (mains $30–$45). The grilled octopus is unmissable.
Alternatives:
Trade adventure for relaxation with a half-day at Six Senses Spa (~$150).
Hardcore adrenaline? Book a buggy/ATV tour through the countryside ($75).
Day 4: Higüey Cultural Day & Local Flavors
Morning (8:30 AM – 12:00 PM)
For a break from the beach, take a 45-minute drive inland to Higüey, the spiritual capital of the DR. Visit the soaring modernist Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia, a pilgrimage site that's free to enter. Wander the local market for fresh fruit, cacao, and handmade crafts.
Afternoon (12:30 PM – 5:00 PM)
Lunch at Restaurante El Mesón de la Cava in Higüey for true Dominican comida criolla — try la bandera dominicana (rice, beans, stewed meat) for under $10. Afterward, visit a working cacao or coffee finca; Hacienda La Esperanza offers tours for $25.
Return to Bávaro for a lazy late-afternoon swim.
Evening (7:00 PM – 10:00 PM)
Dinner at La Palapa by Eden Roc for an elegant beachside meal (mains $35–$55). End the night with cocktails at Pearl Beach Club.
Alternatives:
Beach lovers: spend the day at quiet Playa Juanillo in Cap Cana instead.
Foodies: book a Dominican cooking class in Bávaro ($65).
Day 5: Transfer to Bayahíbe & Slow Down
Morning (9:00 AM – 12:00 PM)
Pack up and transfer to Bayahíbe, about a 75-minute drive south. Private transfers run $80–$120; shared shuttles are $30–$40. Check into your guesthouse or boutique hotel — Hotel Bayahibe and Casa Daniel are excellent mid-range picks.
Afternoon (12:00 PM – 5:00 PM)
Have lunch at Mamma Mia on the malecón for wood-fired pizza and pasta with a sea view ($12–$20). Spend the afternoon walking the harbor, watching fishermen mend nets, or swimming at the beach beside the village.
Evening (6:30 PM – 9:30 PM)
Sunset cocktails at Saona Café (drinks $6–$10), followed by dinner at Tropicalisimo for fresh-caught fish ($18–$28). Bayahíbe is sleepy after 10 PM — and that's the magic.
Alternatives:
Skip Bayahíbe village and stay at Dreams Dominicus La Romana for an all-inclusive vibe.
Add a sunset sailing trip from the harbor (~$55).
Day 6: Catalina Island Snorkeling
Morning (8:00 AM – 12:00 PM)
Catalina Island is a snorkeler's paradise — its wall reef drops dramatically and teems with parrotfish, eagle rays, and barracuda. Tours leave from Bayahíbe harbor and cost $70–$95 including gear, lunch, and drinks.
Afternoon (12:00 PM – 4:00 PM)
After two snorkel stops, the boat lands on Catalina's white-sand beach for buffet lunch and free swim time. The water clarity here rivals anywhere in the Caribbean.
Evening (7:00 PM – 9:30 PM)
Back in Bayahíbe, dinner at Restaurante Bamboo (mains $15–$25). Try the shrimp in coconut sauce — a regional specialty.
Pro tip: Bring reef-safe sunscreen. Cozumel-style mineral-only formulas are tough to find locally and the reefs here are protected.
Alternatives:
Certified divers can book a two-tank dive at Catalina Wall ($110).
Prefer dry land? Book a Cotubanamá National Park hike ($45).
Day 7: Cotubanamá National Park & Padre Nuestro Trail
Morning (8:30 AM – 12:30 PM)
Just outside Bayahíbe lies Cotubanamá National Park (formerly Parque del Este). The Padre Nuestro Trail is a 1.5-mile loop through dry tropical forest leading to two freshwater cenotes you can swim in. Entry is $3 and a guide is optional ($15–$20).
Afternoon (1:00 PM – 5:00 PM)
Lunch at Restaurante Bayahibe Steakhouse ($18–$30) — surprisingly excellent grilled meats. Spend the afternoon at Playa Dominicus, a Blue Flag beach 10 minutes away that's ideal for lounging.
Evening (7:00 PM – 10:00 PM)
Dinner at Captain Kidd for laid-back ribs and seafood ($15–$28), then catch live music at Barco Bar.
Alternatives:
Cave enthusiasts: tour the Manantial de la Aleta sinkhole with a registered guide.
Beach lovers: just spend the whole day at Playa Dominicus with a $30 lounger and unlimited piña coladas.
Day 8: Altos de Chavón & La Romana
Morning (9:00 AM – 12:00 PM)
Drive 30 minutes to Altos de Chavón, a remarkable 16th-century-style Mediterranean village built in the 1970s atop a cliff overlooking the Chavón River. Wander cobblestone streets, visit the archaeological museum ($3), and peek into the amphitheater where Sinatra once performed.
Afternoon (12:00 PM – 5:00 PM)
Lunch at La Piazzetta for handmade pasta with a view ($20–$35). Drive into La Romana for a stop at the Mercado Modelo for souvenirs, or unwind at the Casa de Campo Marina with espresso and superyacht-watching.
Evening (7:00 PM – 10:00 PM)
Return to Bayahíbe for dinner at Saona Café — try the seafood paella for two ($45). Cap the night with mamajuana, the DR's spiced rum infusion.
Alternatives:
Golfers: play the legendary Teeth of the Dog course at Casa de Campo (~$295).
Art lovers: extend time at the Altos de Chavón art galleries and design school.
Day 9: Lazy Beach Day & Spa Reset
Morning (9:00 AM – 12:00 PM)
You've earned this. Sleep in, grab a mangú breakfast (mashed plantains with eggs and salami) at Cafetería La Bahía ($6–$8), and stroll the harbor.
Afternoon (12:00 PM – 5:00 PM)
Book a treatment at Spa La Romana at Dreams Dominicus ($90–$150) or simply post up on the beach with a book. Lunch from a beach shack — fresh fried fish with tostones runs $10–$15.
Evening (7:00 PM – 10:00 PM)
Final big-night dinner at Saona Beach Restaurant (mains $25–$45) — go for the lobster thermidor. Toast to your 10 days in east coast DR with rum cocktails on the sand.
Alternatives:
Book a private fishing charter for the morning ($350 for 4 hours, group).
Take a half-day trip to the Indigenous Eyes Ecological Reserve ($40).
Day 10: Final Morning & Departure
Morning (8:00 AM – 11:00 AM)
Squeeze in one last swim, eat a leisurely breakfast, and pack up. Transfer back to Punta Cana Airport is about 75–90 minutes from Bayahíbe; budget $100–$130 for a private transfer or join a shared shuttle for $35.
Afternoon (Departure)
Arrive at PUJ at least 3 hours before international departures — the open-air thatched-roof terminal
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