Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

Punta Cana holds the single largest concentration of all-inclusive resorts anywhere in the Caribbean, spread along Bavaro Beach's long, continuous stretch of white sand — which means an unusually wide range of resort styles and price points to choose from for the same basic beach setting.

Saona Island, a boat trip south of the main resort corridor, gives a quieter, less-developed alternative for a day trip, and several inland tour operators run zip-lining and freshwater cenote swimming excursions for families who want a change of pace from the beach.

June through November is hurricane season; December through April brings the driest, most reliable weather. Because Punta Cana handles such high resort volume, competition tends to keep prices more reasonable relative to resort quality than at some smaller, more exclusive Caribbean destinations.

Punta Cana's long stretch of white-sand, palm-lined beach along the Dominican Republic's eastern coast has made it one of the Caribbean's largest concentrations of all-inclusive resorts, with the resort zone extending well beyond the town itself. Excursions to Saona Island, a short boat ride south, are a common day trip for travelers who want a quieter, less-developed beach setting beyond the resort strip.

Five to seven nights, especially for all-inclusive stays. It suits families and groups wanting a straightforward beach vacation, and a Saona Island excursion is worth adding for travelers who want at least one day away from the resort itself.

Getting there: About 3 to 4.5h nonstop from most US gateways. We compare that routing against the alternatives before booking, and help plan the trip's dates around December to April (dry season).

Punta Cana, at the eastern tip of the Dominican Republic, was largely undeveloped coastline until the 1970s, when a group of investors including future fashion designer Oscar de la Renta recognized the potential of its roughly 20 uninterrupted miles of white-sand beach and began developing the resort infrastructure that now defines the region — a deliberate, planned tourism development in some ways similar to Cancún's origin, rather than a town that grew organically. The Dominican Republic shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti, a geography with real historical weight: Hispaniola was the first site of permanent European settlement in the Americas, with Santo Domingo, the Dominican capital a few hours west of Punta Cana, home to the oldest cathedral, university and fortress built by Europeans in the Western Hemisphere. Dominican merengue and bachata, both now internationally popular music and dance styles, originated specifically in the Dominican Republic — merengue was even declared the country's national music by law under dictator Rafael Trujillo in the mid-20th century, who used it partly as a tool of cultural nationalism. Dominican cuisine centers on La Bandera ('the flag'), a daily staple plate of rice, beans and stewed meat, alongside mangú, mashed plantains typically eaten at breakfast with fried cheese, salami and eggs. Higüey, the nearest major town inland, is home to the Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia, the country's most important Catholic pilgrimage site, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors each January for a feast-day celebration most beach-bound travelers never realize is happening just a short drive away.