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Punta Cana what to pack

Not sure what to pack when traveling to Punta Cana? The best thing to do is to start a list of what items you want to bring as soon as you book your tickets to Punta Cana. Whenever something pops into your mind – throw it on the list. Most people forget something important when traveling – this is a good way to make sure you get there with everything you wanted to bring.

What to pack when traveling to Punta Cana depends on who you’re traveling with. The things you’ll need when traveling with kids are much different from what singles or couples may need. However, there are a few staples that everyone traveling to Punta Cana should have. For example, sunscreen and insect repellent are must haves in Punta Cana and will cost you a fortune if you have to buy them there. Any medication that you take on a somewhat regular basis is a good idea to bring as pharmaceuticals are expensive and somewhat difficult to find at your resort.

Making a complete list of what everyone traveling to Punta Cana needs would be impossible, but here’s a list of suggestions broken down by type of traveler.

Punta Cana what to pack lists

What to pack in your carry-on

  • If there is anything that you can’t be without make sure it’s
  • in your carry-on.
  • Passports
  • Wallets/driver’s license etc.
  • Insurance info
  • Cancellation numbers for credit cards
  • Snacks
  • One beach outfit in case your luggage gets delayed
  • Emergency numbers for where you’re staying
  • Don’t put any valuables in checked luggage

What to pack for adults

  • Dress up clothes for dinner: At almost every resort in Punta Cana, there are a la carte restaurants with a semi-casual dress code. Men have to wear pants, so make sure you have enough pairs for dinner every night. You can usually go to the buffet restaurants in shorts, but you will hit the fancier restaurants at least a couple times during your stay.
  • Good walking shoes for when you go on excursions.
  • The beach in Punta Cana goes on forever: make sure you have comfortable sandals for those long walks.
  • Long sleeves: some of the air-conditioned buses or restaurants get quite chilly.
  • Super light t-shirts: sometimes you need to wear a shirt to cover up your sunburn even though it’s boiling hot out.
  • Sunscreen/lip balm
  • Insect repellent
  • Aspirin
  • Imodium/Pepto Bismol
  • Cold medication/allergy meds
  • Sun glasses
  • Hats
  • Bathing suits
  • Water shoes
  • Books
  • Toiletries
  • Room deodorizer: hotel rooms in tropical climates often have a really humid musty smell; a cheap room deodorizer is a great way to solve the problem.
  • Bring lots of small bills for tipping.
  • A bag full of dollar-store make up and hair elastics is a great thing to leave for the maids.

What to pack for kids

  • Beach toys: there usually aren’t a lot of sand toys available at the resorts.
  • Snorkeling gear isn’t very expensive and the kids will use it all the time while you’re there. The gear provided by the hotels doesn’t tend to fit kids very well, isn’t clean, and is only available for 30 minutes at a time.
  • Ear drops in case kids get water in their ears.
  • Full body swim suits are a good idea as they are great for swimming and protect kids from the sun.
  • Lots of PJs, kids often wear them to the nightly shows before bed.
  • Whatever electronics they’re used to using (mp3, video games, etc)
  • Snacks: While the resorts in Punta Cana have great food, they don’t have a very good selection of snacks. Sneaking a couple bags of your kids’ favorites into your luggage is a good idea.

What to pack for babies

  • Bring a whole pack of diapers, they’re a pain to find at some resorts (and not very good)
  • Cream for diaper rash
  • Baby sunscreen
  • Some kind of umbrella tent to keep your baby in the shade is a good idea.
  • Long sleeve bathing suits are a good idea.
  • Baby wipes
  • Bring lots of: bibs; receiving blankets; face cloths
  • Sippy cups and/or baby bottles
  • Snacks/juice
  • Baby food jars
  • Baby spoons and bowls
  • Car seat for cab rides
  • The smallest stroller you can find
  • A night light is a good idea.


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