Punta Cana

Punta Cana is one of the best dive sites in Dominican Republic. It is a resort town in the easternmost region of the Dominican Republic. It is part of the Veron–Punta Cana municipal district, in the Higüey municipality of La Altagracia Province. The area is known for its white-sand beaches, blue turquoise waters, and balnearios which face both the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The weather is hot for most of the year, especially in late summer and autumn when the Northern Tropics receive their most direct sunlight.

Because of its location in the Caribbean Sea, diving is one of the tourist activities. The marine area surrounding Punta Cana was declared a marine reserve in 2012. Using reef-safe sunscreens that don't contain oxybenzone, avobenzone, or octinoxate is key to the survival of healthy reefs. Zinc or titanium zinc oxide are the only ingredients not harmful to corals, despite what the packaging containing those other harmful ingredients might say. In Punta Cana, tourists can go spearfishing or take the PADI Invasive Lionfish Tracker Specialty Course to learn about how these Pacific Ocean invasive species compete with local Atlantic reef fish for survival—a great example of how tourism and conservation can work hand-in-hand to save the reef.

Location: La Altagracia, Dominican Republic

Area: 475,3 km²