welcome to our vacation home we comfortable as for we be

Welcome to our Vacation Home We take special pride in keeping our home immaculate and as comfortable as possible for our guests.We sincerely appreciate your leaving it as clean as it was upon your arrival. Please be courteous about using the utilities: Do not leave the air conditioner or electrical appliances on when leaving the premises, for safety, environmental and economical reasons. All trash should be taken to dumpster (see parking map for location of dumpster). Cleaning products are located under all sinks. Kitchen: Please keep counters, stove, oven and sink clean. Bathrooms: Please keep clean and dry. Please wash all used linens and towels. If you cannot finish cleaning all towels and sheets, please leave them in the laundry room. We hope your stay is comfortable and enjoyable. We look forward to your return! Thank You! Sincerely, Fernando Suarez

Villas Mar y Sol – Welcome Book 1

Page Two: Emergency Numbers: Fire and Police, Poison Control Center, Hospital and, where to find first aid kit. Owner’s telephone numbers: home, cell and office.


RENTAL RULES AND REGULATIONS • Renters shall refrain from using loud and abusive language and noise levels at all hours of the day. Outdoor activities shall cease a�er 11pm • No barbecues shall be used on the deck. • All trash must be brought to the dumpster. • Main water valve must be turned off prior to leaving the unit. • No pets allowed on the premises by renters. • The beach area shall be used exclusively for swimming and associated activities. • Open fires are not permi�ed on the beach. • Trash shall not be le� on the beach at any time. • Parents shall a�end the beach with children to supervise their activities. • Parking is only permi�ed in designated parking areas. • No camping is allowed on the beach. Renter acknowledges he/she has read the rules and regulations and agrees to abide by them. Renter’s Signature Date Print


Page Four: Parking Lot Diagram (if applicable)


Helpful Instructions:• Laundry Room: Please use ONLY liquid detergent. We have a septic system and we can ONLY use liquid detergent.• Gas Grill: The gas grill is there for your convenience. Please keep it clean and shut off gas when not in use. • On Day of Departure: please wash all used towels and sheets. If you do not have time to finish, please leave all used linens and towels in the laundry room. Thank you! • Fireplace Instructions: Use fire wood located on patio. Flue needs to be open. The handle is marked to open and close. • Wood Stove: The Wood Stove should not be used, unless you have experience with this type of stove. Do not store wood inside of unit. Keep it on the back patio. • Skis: Store in the shed on the front porch.


Where is Punta Cana?

“Where is Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic”?

The Dominican Republic occupies the eastern two thirds of the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean Sea. Haiti occupies the western third of the island. Hispaniola lies at the edge of the tropical zone, resulting in a very consistent climate. That, coupled with its 1400 km. of coastline riddled with beaches has made it an attractive tourist destination.This map of the Dominican Republic shows the mountain chains of the interior and the amazing amount of coastline.

“Where is Punta Cana”?

The location of Punta Cana is on the very eastern tip of the Dominican Republic in the province of La Altagracia. Here, the waters of the North Atlantic and the Caribbean Sea meet, creating the ultimate mix of holiday activities. Calm Caribbean beaches for relaxing and slightly rougher waters further out provide excellent water sports. You will not find Punta Cana on most maps because it is the name of one of the beaches in the area, not a town, city or province. However, the Punta Cana tourist destination has become known as composing the following areas, listed from north to south: Macao, Arena Gorda, El Cortecito, Bavaro, Cabeza de Toro, Punta Cana, and Cap Cana (or Juanillo). The nearest city is Higuey,about 30 minutes, a popular day trip from Punta Cana.

The following Punta Cana tourist map shows the location of most Punta Cana resorts as well as listing their direct phone numbers. Direct phone numbers to Punta Cana resorts are a very useful


tool when you're on vacation (and very hard to find) so bookmark this page!

\


Restaurants in Punta Cana Why would I want to go out to restaurants in Punta Cana? This is a question we get asked all the time, the answer is simple – sometimes resort food can get a little boring (even if it’s really good), it’s nice to see something different. I mean, everyone loved their mother’s cooking when they were growing up, but still loved going out for dinner, it’s the anticipation and excitement of not knowing what you’re going to get. On our vacations, we’ve ended up eating at restaurants in Punta Cana for several reasons. Most often we just want a break from the resort, see some different scenery and try out some new flavors. Other times, we’ve been off sight-seeing or shopping and just happen by one and can’t resist. The average Punta Cana restaurant isn’t very expensive – give one a try on your next vacation.

We should probably cover the restaurants at your resort before we move into the other restaurants in Punta Cana. Every resort has adopted the same basic system; one or a series of buffet-style restaurants and a few “a la carte” restaurants where you need to make reservations. Some points to keep in mind: the food at resorts in Punta Cana is way better than any other sun destination we’ve been to. Even the pickiest of eaters will find something to eat.

Buffet lines: the North American tradition is to line up like sheep at a buffet and wait our turn to walk by each dish and decide if we want it. That is not the cultural tradition everywhere, the custom in many European countries is to walk around the buffet and just cut in when you see something you like (which actually seems to work better). Remember, we all tend to think our customs are right and everyone else’s are wrong – they’re not, just different! Relax, you’re on vacation; don’t get stressed out waiting to get your paella.

A la carte: These resort restaurants in Punta Cana are organized to give a resort’s clientele a little bit of variety. They tend to be theme restaurants, serving food from a particular nationality. There is also a high demand for them and usually require reservations way in advance. Most resorts allow you to visit a few of them during your stay – the best bet is to make those reservations the first day you’re there as waiting lists can be somewhat long. Even if you change your plans and end up not going, it’s not the end of the world. Keep in mind that many people do this, there is usually at least one table that doesn’t show up for dinner. If you want to eat at one of these “a la carte” restaurants and don’t have a

reservation – go a few minutes late and slip the maitre d’ five dollars. This usually works!

Okay:leaving the resort to find a Restaurant in Punta Cana

We’ve organized these by location somewhat, so you can pick a restaurant to travel to for dinner or one that you can visit on your way out shopping or on an excursion. If you need


more information about one of the restaurants, visit our Contact Us page and we’ll tell you what we know!

Punta Cana Restaurants on the beach

The Jellyfish Restaurant in Punta Cana

Captain Cook’s Restaurant in Punta Cana

Langosta del Caribe in El Cortecito

Bar-Lovento (seafood) in Cabeza de Toro

Punta Cana Restaurants near shopping areas

Babalou Restaurant in El Cortecito

Huracan Café in El Cortecito

Restaurant Cortecito Inn in El Cortecito

Restaurant Rincon Criollo near Bavaro Plaza

Pizzeria La Casita Restaurant Etnia Jalapeño Restaurant


Punta Cana water sports Punta Cana water sports and excursions are available for every possible like or dislike. Whether you’re a super athlete into extreme sports or a couch potato who just wants to do something relaxing and take a break from the beach; you can bet you’ll find water sports in Punta Cana that fit the bill. The water system in Punta Cana, where the Caribbean waters mix with those of the Atlantic, creates a total water sport playground. The constant Punta Cana breeze has made this beach the top destination in the Caribbean for windsurfing & sailing. Most hotels offer free use of small sailboats, but other sailing excursions are available for the serious sailors among us.

Is surfing your choice of Punta Cana water sports? There is a 39 kilometer long coral reef protecting most of the 63 km. stretch of beach, resulting in harder to find locations for surfing in Punta Cana. But you can find them if you know where to look. If you’re looking to surf, pick a good surfing beach first then find a resort close by. You will have to walk, take a taxi or the “gua-gua” (local bus) as the surf locations anot on resorts.

re

asy

This reef also creates an abundance of awesome Punta Cana snorkeling locations with several sunken ships and tropical fish everywhere you look. The easiest is to hop on one of the hourly tours at the resort taking snorkelers out to the reef. I’ve always found these to be overcrowded and offer a limited assortment of fish and other underwater sights. If you enjoy snorkeling it’s eand cheap to set up a great snorkeling excursion in Punta Cana. Most resorts offer courses in scuba diving and will set up scuba diving tours at the reef. If scuba is your thing you should really go to one of the resorts that offer specialized scuba diving tours in Punta Cana as a coral reef isn't the greatest location for serious divers. I've been on a diving excursion to the Islas Saona and Catalinathat was a blast, definitely worth the money.

Looking for other Punta Cana water sports that you can do right from the beach? At many of the resorts you can rent sea-doos, jet boats, get a ride on a banana boat or even go deep-sea fishing. Not to mention that the use of kayaks, canoes, pedal boats and sail boats is included in the all-inclusive-package at most resorts. Whatever type of water sport you’re into, you’ll find an excursion in Punta Cana to satisfy you.


Higuey Excursion

Higuey and the Virgin of La Altagracia A Higuey Excursion is the perfect outing to get away from your Punta Cana resort for the day. Higuey is only about 20 – 40 minutes from Punta Cana, depending on what resort you’re staying at. Higuey is a small town that is steeped in 500 years of Dominican history.

Higuey, which means sunlight, in the Taino language was probably named that because it sits on the Eastern tip of Hispaniola and as such is the first spot hit by the morning sun. Higuey is the Capital of the province of La Altagracia, the economy focuses on agriculture and the urban center is built around the waters of the Yuma river.

However, while these elements add to the beauty of Higuey, they are not the reason that people visit by the thousands every year. Higuey is home to the famous painting of The Virgin of La Altagracia, brought by the Spaniards over 500 years ago.

The painting was brought in the late 15th century and until recently was housed in the Iglesia San Dionisio, the main historical element of the town, built in the 15th century. The


painting is the primary symbol of the Mother of all Dominicans – “Our Lady of Altagracia”.

The painting was moved to the modern Higuey Basilica (Basilica Nuestra Senora de la Altagracia). While some say this building is nothing more than a modern Catholic Church, its avant-garde modern architecture make it one of the most stunning buildings in the country. The church was designed by French architects and built in the 1950s. The stunning architectural element is a 75 foot arch.

If you have the chance on your Higuey excursion, I strongly suggest you get a chance to see the Basilica at night. A lighting display was installed in 2002 that bathes the building and the arch in a bright Caribbean sunset once the sun goes down.

The Ultimate Higuey Excursion

12Villas Mar y Sol – Welcome Book

January 21st is Our Lady of Altagracia Day, a national holiday, that is marked by the annual pilgrimage of over 25 000 people to Higuey to

pay tribute to their matron saint. If you decide to take a Higuey excursion anywhere near the end of January, you will see this quiet little town come to life.

How to Get to your Higuey Excursion Higuey is not very far from the Punta Cana resorts and how you get there depends on how adventurous you’d like to be. You can take a cab from the resort for probably $40-$50 each way or you can hop on a bus for about one US dollar. What option you take depends on how much culture you’re looking for – the bus will have you there in about an hour.

A Guide for your Higuey Excursion A guide is a great idea as you can easily walk around aimlessly and not see much or notice the significance. If you have a taxi driver who speaks English well, ask him how much to show you around the town. For those taking the bus into town, expect people to try to sell you things – that’s the Caribbean culture. What we did is talked to people trying to sell us things until we found someone who spoke English well and seemed to know the town well. We paid him $15US to walk us around the town for a couple hours and comment on the sites.

Going to church on your Punta Cana Vacation We’ve had a surprising number of requests from people asking about going to church on their Punta Cana vacation. There are several churches in Higuey. While most of them are Catholic, there are some Protestant churches as well and even a Baptist church. If you’d like to attend service on your vacation, you’ll likely find your denomination in Higuey.


Charter fishing in Punta Cana Charter fishing in Punta Cana is basically undiscovered territory. The waters offer great deep sea fishing for Marlin, Tuna, and Dorado; attracting professionals from all over the world for a big tournament every August. They even hosted ESPN's Billfishing Xtreme tounament last July.

However, there are very few professional crews offering a good service to go charter fishing in Punta Cana. The experience you'll have fishing is all about who you get to take you out; this is one excursion that you're definitely better off setting up before you go! Here is what I've learned about deep sea fishing in the Dominican Republic.

I have had every level of trip imaginable while charter fishing in Punta Cana. My experiences range from being on professionally crewed boats where we hooked huge yellow fin, Marlin and dorado to being on a tiny boat manned by yahoos taking us for a ride (literally). Be very careful who you go with, many of the crews in the area are virtually untrained and are only there to take your money.

While you can luck out on a "bad boat" (even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while), most of the time you'll come back frustrated. If you research it right and book ahead, you can usually get a very professional crew to take you out for about the same price as the yahoos.

TIPS for charter fishing in Punta Cana

1. Don't book the guys hanging out at the beach, there's a reason they're not allowed in the hotel!

2. There are a bunch of crews soliciting behind Captain Cook's Restaurant and Malia Caribe. While a few of them are good, most are not and the crews change around so much that it's hard to know.

3. Don't go on a small boat, the waters here tend to very rough and getting tossed around all day isn't very fun. As a rule, don't book a boat under 33 feet.

4. Take "Gravol"! I don't care how sturdy your sea legs are, getting sea-sick sucks. I've seen a lot of people throw their money away because they got sick before they even started fishing. A little bit of prevention goes a long way. Remember, you haven't been eating, drinking and sleeping the way you do at home; don't take any chances.

5. I've had mixed results booking through the hotels, remember that they're getting a commission off the sale.


6. If you're looking for blue marlin, the high season is in the summer. While chances of catching marlin are slim in the winter, there are plenty of mahi-mahi, barracuda, and sailfish.

7. Most charters don't supply beer, bring it yourself and they'll keep it cold for you.

8. Tipping is a kind of standard thing in charter fishing. Unless you have an absolutely horrible time, slip them $20 (they don't make very much).

9. Catch and release doesn't exist here. Although the Dominican Republic does have the fastest growing economy in the Caribbean, people working in this industry still make very little money (around $200 US per month). They can double that amount by selling "your" catch.

SUGGESTIONS

Here are two professional charter companies I've gone out with and had great experiences with both; Mikes Marina and Fishing Punta Cana.

Summary of the services they both offer:

1. Fleets ranging from 33 to 42 feet

2. hotel pick-up and return

3. New equipment, fishfinders, radar

4. Professional captain and crew

5. Some English (if you want to be able to talk to the crew ask for the crew with the most English)

PRICES

Half-day charters generally go for $600 US and a full-day for $1100 US You can usually get on a shared charter for $90 US per person.


Top Ten Beaches world wide

What are the top ten beaches world wide? Well, our personal top ten beaches list places 6 of them right here in Punta Cana.

The six beaches that make up the 63 km. stretch of Punta Cana beaches from North to South are (Macao Beach, Areno Gordo Beach, El Cortecito, Bavaro Beach, Cabeza de Toro and Cabo Engano Beach)

You’ll see all kinds of different lists from different souces as to where the top beaches in the world are – they all contain biases. There are many factors that go into choosing the best beach: white sand; water color and quality; sun; wind; the people on the beach and how many of them there are. Whether they’re family beaches, g string beaches, au natural beaches, adult beaches, European bikini beaches or topless beaches in Punta Cana. Sorry, I couldn’t resist. There are so many variables that any list becomes skewed depending on the criteria.

At the Punta Cana Information Guide, we think that the most important aspects of a beach are sand quality and water color as well as average water temperatures and average annual precipitation. Keeping these four criteria in mind, it becomes pretty clear that Punta Cana is the most beautiful beach in the world!


Punta Cana Beaches Sand and water color

When you look at an aerial picture of a Punta Cana beach the first thing that strikes you is the seemingly unending strip of heavenly white sand. The second is the beautiful turquoise waters that change in shade and hue until they meet the shore. When you first look at pictures of the best beaches in the world you may think that the colors have been artificially brightened (some have). Your first trip to Punta Cana will make you a believer though.

Punta Cana has the most consistent weather of any beach destination in the Caribbean, it hardly ever rains. The weather is beautiful and the waters are warm and clean – what else is there to consider?

We’re in the midst of piecing together pages on our top ten beaches world wide and what questions we receive about the beaches in Punta Cana. Here are the questions we’ve been asked and intend to answer. Although some of these topics are a little out of focus with our site (for example, are there Caribbean au natural beaches in Punta Cana?) it’s often a good idea to know what to avoid when you’re planning a trip. If I was planning a family vacation to what I thought was one of the top ten beaches world wide and there was a nude beach right next to the hotel I was staying at


Punta Cana golf courses Punta Cana golf courses? Punta Cana is known for having great all-inclusives and the most beautiful beach in the world, but a lot of people don’t realize that Punta Cana golf courses are the best in the Caribbean. They are spectacular because of the scenery and because they have tracked down some of the best designers in the world to create them. Designers include: Pete Dye; Jack Nicklaus; P.B. Dye; Nick Faldo and Robert Trent Jones to name a few.

Casa de Campo’s Teeth of the Dog Golf Course designed by Pete Dye has been the flagship course of the Dominican Republic for a long time. I mean, who can forget Freddie Couples playing Raymond Floyd there in the early 90’s. Freddie was sitting at 8 under and set to break the course record when the dog’s teeth bit him in the butt, he finished double – bogey – bogey.

While Teeth of the Dog is a spectacular course, Punta Cana golf courses have definitely taken over in recent years. The first course to help dethrone the Dog was the La Cana Golf Course designed by P.B. Dye. With seven of the holes at the Punta Cana Golf Course running directly along the shores of the Caribbean, you truly feel that you’re playa seafront course – the views are breathtaking! Thcourse gives you an odd feeling of being at a

tropical Pebble Beach.

ing e

The Cocotal Golf Club is one of several resort style courses that were designed with the tourist in mind. These courses tend to be enjoyable and somewhat forgiving, lending themselves to an under five hour round by tourists renting clubs. Cocotal Golf club is a lot of fun as it weaves through Coconut trees and small lakes, but is not a seafront course. There are 27 holes to choose from, but you should probably tee off early if you want to avoid the busy time of day. Hiring Jack Nicklaus tdesign three new golf courses was a stroke of genius by the developers of the Cap Cana resort complex in Punta Cana. They have given him his pick of the 46 square miles of real estate that the complex

o


owns. Jack revealed the back 9 of his new course Punta Espada Golf Course to the world in August 2006. The course is a spectacular championship course with almost half its holes playing along or to the Caribbean. My first impression was that of the dramatic coastline and views – my second was of just how green the course is. Jack created the first course in the Dominican Republic entirely with Paspalum grass. Nicklaus says that this grass is the best choice as it is resistant to salt-water, heat and remains incredibly green and lush.

Nicklaus describes the course as "Cap Cana's topography represented a challenge in design, but one we embraced. Athe same time, the terrain alsocreated an ideal scenario for a golf course that is unique and should appeal to anyone who has a passion for the game. With the relationship Punta Espada enjoys with its natural surroundings--with almost half the holes playing to or along the coastline, and views of the Caribbean on all but a few holes--this is a stunning backdrop for golf." With these 3 new courses, Punta Cana and the Dominican Republic have definitely lifted themselves above all other golf destinations in the Caribbean.

t

There are eight golf courses in operation directly in the Punta Cana area, and several more slated for opening in the next couple years: El Golf de Bavaro 18 holes par 72 (Barcelo hotels), Cocotal 27 holes par 72 (Melia hotels), La Cana Golf Course (Club Med, Punta Cana Resort & Club, Cabeza de Toro Golf (Catalonia Resort), White Sands Golf (Blue Ocean resort), Punta Espada Golf opened the first 9 holes summer 2006 (the full 18 are now open) at the prestigious Cap Cana complex. The second course at the Punta Cana Resort & Club La Corales Golf Course is under construction and will open in 2008

The courses at Casa de Campo like Teeth of the Dog , the new Dye Fore Golf course and The Links are not too far of a drive to venture to from Punta Cana. The next time you're on vacation, try out a few of the Punta Cana golf courses - you won't be disappointed.


Punta Cana weather Punta Cana weather is the reason, aside from being located on the most beautiful beach in the world, that this is the best tourist destination in the Caribbean. There is very little seasonal temperature difference with highs averaging 32 degrees Celsius at midday and 22 degrees at night. It is never too hot and never too cold, the temperature rarely falls below 18 degrees at night or climbs above 35 degrees during the day. You want your days at the beach to be hot, but you don’t want to burst into flames either.

The “Punta Cana breezes” is always blowing onto the beach, creating the perfect sea and weather conditions for water sports. If you like to do anything with a sail attached, this is the place. Don’t worry about the waves at the beach, the 30km coral reef protects almost all of the Punta Cana shoreline.

I have been to Punta Cana at every time of year and never really noticed a “seasonal” difference, it’s very consistent. Even during the rainy season, I’ve never witness anything more than scattered showers. Never an entire rainy day, but I’ve been told it does happen from time to time. You can expect great weather on your trip, but we tend to be obsessed with weather nowadays so check out a Punta Cana weather forecast for the next 10 days. Forecasts can be comforting information for travelers and they’re great for boasting around the office! A great way to start enjoying your trip before you even leave.

The hurricane season is officially from June to November, but the peak seems to be August and September. The last two hurricanes to hit the Dominican Republic were Georges (a category 3 storm) in September 1998 and Jeanne (a category 1 storm) in September 2004. Statistically, the Dominican Republic gets brushed every 5 years and suffers a direct hit by a hurricane every 17 years. However, most storms that make landfall on Hispaniola tend to hit the western side of the island (Haiti) and DR’s sister island of Puerto Rico. Punta Cana has a much slimmer chance of ever getting hit than all of the Caribbean locations to the west.


welcome to our vacation home we comfortable as for we be

Documents