This past week, Shannon and I capped off our 10-year wedding anniversary with a trip to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. I previously wrote about how I want to start sharing some of my travel experiences with you, in hopes that it will inspire you to get out and see the world, by taking in new experiences. Those experiences are how we learn about ourselves and others. They allow us to create new memories in a myriad of ways, whether it’s a weekend getaway, or a week-long vacation.
Punta Cana is at the eastern-most tip of the Dominican Republic, touching both the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, and it is known for its stretch of beaches and clear waters. We stayed at the Excellence Resorts, which is the furthest resort from the Punta Cana International Airport. This all-inclusive resort experience included 9 restaurants, each with their own cuisine, 10 bars including poolside and beachside, 2 swimming pools, 2 outdoor jacuzzis, free Wi-Fi (that was very spotty), a nightclub, a fitness center and numerous beach and resort activities.
Vacations are what you make of them, and Shannon and I created some new memories this past week. While I won’t share all of our memories and photos, as I believe that some things should be left for Shannon and myself to enjoy, I did want to share with you five of my favorite photos from our trip to Punta Cana.
The Beach. Just off the pool area of the resort was the public and private beaches. Each area had plenty of cabanas, and other seating options to relax, read or just lay on the beach. And the beachside service was available to bring you tropical cocktails all day long.
The Sunrise. Sunrises are beautiful – period. But when you add in a beach and the ocean, it is definitely worth the early rise, at just a few minutes before 6am.
Horseback Riding. Being from Kentucky, I must confess that this was my first time ever riding a horse. I’m no jockey, but riding that horse was quite the thrill.
The Shows. There are nightly themed shows at the resort, and there was one show that we were excited to see, and that was Michael Jackson. While the MJ impersonator, didn’t know all the words he was lip-synching to (we attributed it to the language barrier), he nailed the moves of MJ, as if he studied under the King of Pop himself.
The People. If you’ve ever been to a resort, specifically one in the Caribbean, you can testify that the workers are some of the nicest people you will encounter all week. Every staff member, from the bellboy to the Public Relations Director of the resort, greeted us with an “Hola” everyday. I took my chance and spit a little Spanish back, as several of the staff thought I was Dominican!
We had a ball at the resort, and we would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a Caribbean getaway.
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