The shopping in Punta Cana is not exactly what brings the tourists in, but that being said, it is still something that you can add to your list of things to do. The Punta Cana shops are surely growing in number as more and more tourists flock to the eastern coast of the Dominican Republic. In recent years, a new shopping village has opened in Punta Cana, and it’s helping to meet the needs of tourists who are looking to shop. With its coming, the number of stores in Punta Cana increased significantly, so if you haven’t been here in a while, you might be surprised at how much has changed since your last visit. Finding Punta Cana shops is easier than ever.

Unless you are booking a stay at one of the vacation rentals in Punta Cana, you will likely be staying at one of the all inclusive resorts. Most of these resorts offer shops of their own, so when you find yourself with some down time at your respective resort, you can always peruse the goods. If you stick to the resorts when shopping in Punta Cana, you’ll likely find enough in the way of variety to make for an interesting experience. In addition to small grocery stores, the stores at the resorts typically sell souvenirs, clothing items, beach-related goods, and jewelry. It’s also common to be able to buy handicrafts and other locally made products at some of the resorts, including cigars. Speaking of cigars, the Dominican Republic produces more of them than any other country in the world, including Cuba. In case you want to take some cigars home with you, some of the best-known brands are Cojimar, Arturo Fuente, and Romeo and Julieta. While buying select cigars at your resort shops is fine, you might also head to an area shop where they are actually made. After watching cigars being made, you can often try a free sample if that piques your interest.

In addition to cigars, rum is something that many tourists look to buy when doing some Punta Cana shopping. Bermudez, Brugal, and Barcelo are the top rum brands in the Dominican Republic, so you might start by looking for one of their products. Of course, after trying different rums during your trip, you will be free to choose which one is your favorite. Just remember that airlines put restrictions on liquid carry-ons, so if you are taking rum home with you, it will have to go in the suitcase. Don’t forget to wrap something soft around the bottle to help keep it from breaking.

Punta Cana Map

Not everyone will be interested in buying cigars or rum when shopping in Punta Cana. If you like to shop for clothes instead, the Plaza Punta Cana is a good place to head, and if you are looking for locally made handicrafts and such, small markets are always popping up at the different resorts. You can also get some handmade jewelry and other knick-knacks from the beach and street vendors, so Punta Cana shopping definitely isn’t limited to the main stores and shopping centers. Many beach vendors also sell straw hats that offer protection from the hot Punta Cana sun. Bartering with the Punta Cana beach vendors and at the impromptu local markets is encouraged and can only add excitement to your overall Punta Cana shopping experience.

The aforementioned Plaza Punta Cana can be found just across from the Punta Cana International Airport, and it’s just one of the handful of shopping centers in Punta Cana. While it is an excellent place to rummage through a variety of goods, the king of the shopping centers in Punta Cana is the new Palma Real Shopping Village. When looking at a map of Punta Cana, you will find the Palma Real Shopping Village near the Cocotal Golf Course, the Paradisus Palma Real Resort, and the Melia Caribe Tropical. This central Bavaro location has the shopping center close to the bulk of the non-resort restaurants and vacation rentals. The prices at this mall are a bit inflated, but you won’t find as much variety anywhere else when looking for Punta Cana shops. In addition to clothing stores, jewelry shops, and gift shops, the Palma Real Shopping Village is home to restaurants and bars, many of which you might just recognize. There’s even a Hard Rock Café here. It’s one-stop shopping in Punta Cana at the Palma Real Shopping Village.

In addition to hitting the Punta Cana shops at the shopping centers around town, you can also hit the JUMBO store in the nearby village of La Romana. Basically the Dominican Republic’s version of Wal-Mart, the JUMBO stores offer groceries, clothing items, an optometry center, a phone center, a pharmacy, a one-hour photo shop, and even a cigar shop. It’s another kind of one-stop shopping, and if you need some supplies for your vacation rental and have a rental car, it’s worth checking out. There’s more to shopping in Punta Cana than you might have originally anticipated, so should you get the itch to shop during your visit, you can surely do so. As a side note, if you are looking specifically for jewelry when doing some Punta Cana shopping, head to Harrison’s Jewelry Store near the Iberostar Resort. It’s renowned for its quality, and is considered to be one of the top jewelry makers in the Caribbean.