Are you looking to experience a warmer climate for a week or two? Is your life at home becoming too routine, and you need a break from it all? We’ll compare Punta Cana and Cancun to help you decide where to spend your next vacation.
Latin America is a fantastic vacation destination, but choosing between Cancun, Mexico, and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic can be complex.
Today, we’d like to introduce you to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, and Cancun, Mexico, and break down the differences between these vacation spots.
To be honest, both of these places are breathtaking, so you can’t go wrong with either. Which of these popular vacation destinations will be your next vacation destination? Read on to find out!
We’ll discuss the differences between Punta Cana vs Cancun to help you decide which vacation spot is best for you!
One of the most critical parts of choosing your dream vacation spot is where exactly it’s located. Cancun is a city in southeast Mexico, specifically on the coast of the Yucatan peninsula, looking out to the Caribbean Sea.
Gorgeous Punta Cana is a resort town in the east of the Dominican Republic. 120 miles (193.9 km) from Santo Domingo. It is ideally located to overlook both the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.
Punta Cana is best known for its miles of white sand beaches, dream resorts, and tropical vacation vibe. In addition to the expected tropical beaches, you can also find lush mountain regions to investigate.
Are you more of a city trooper? Fantastic, you can get on your best pair of sneakers and explore Santo Domingo on a city tour and marvel at the oldest city in the Americas. Many people who visit Punta Cana enjoy leisurely horseback rides by the beach.
Punta Cana is also known for its family-friendly (and all-over-friendly) vibe due to its many outdoor activities.
Cancun is best known for its vibrant nightlife and as one of the best places in Latin America to let loose. Many people believe that any Cancun vacation must include at least one night of clubbing in order to truly claim to have visited Cancun.
There’s a reason it’s such a popular spring break destination! Even resorts get in on the nightlife action, with everything from foam parties to beer pongs on offer.
The next day, you can sleep off your hangover (thank you, open bar!) and relax at the Mayan ruins.
More than ten million tourists visit Cancun each year, making it a very buzzy and busy place to visit on vacation.
The Riviera Maya is the picturesque name of Cancun’s Caribbean coastline. Most of Cancun’s beaches are within the hotel zone, making them easily accessible and fully decked with food opportunities. In turn, this does mean that some beach areas will be inaccessible to you unless you’re a guest of a particular hotel.
Beaches in Punta Cana have characteristic perfect white sand and palm trees unlike any you’ve ever seen before. Enjoy looking over sunsets and sunrises to remember for a lifetime. Beaches in Punta Cana tend to be more naturalistic and less tourist-centered than Cancun’s beaches.
The Dominican Republic, as a whole, tends to be more expensive than Mexico at the moment. However, most of the metrics this is measured by applies more to people looking to relocate to another country rather than simply looking to have a good time.
When we look at our specific vacation hot spots, Punta Cana and Cancun, it’s a different story. Punta Cana is cheaper than Cancun due to the lower average cost of accommodation, restaurants, and entertainment. Go on, treat yourself to some extra excursions in Punta Cana!
Top Tip: whichever vacation you choose, stick to eating local fruits and vegetables and local products. It’s the perfect time to try what the locals love! Stay away from imports to avoid high markups. One of those mean tourist traps gets you to pay triple for the same coffee you have back home. Branch out a little!
Punta Cana and Cancun are both completely safe for tourists and have tourist security divisions within their police forces.
Theft of valuables is the most common type of crime in Punta Cana. Be aware of your belongings, as you would in any tourist city.
While Cancun is mostly safe, there has been some reported violence and drug use in the resort areas.
Tourists generally feel safe in both locations, but Punta Cana may be preferable to Cancun if you want to be less cautious about safety as a result there is no need to be overly cautious.
The reason for this is that Cancun was named one of the world’s most dangerous cities in 2022, by murder rate per 100,000 inhabitants socring a 64.47 per Statista while Punta Cana is not even on the list.
The US Department of State has issued the Dominican Republic with a level 2 (exercise increased caution) travel advisory similar to most European countries and Mexico with an ‘other’ due to the vast differences between different areas.
Both Punta Cana and Cancun have an abundance of excellent dining options. The main difference is in the cuisine.
Cancun specialises in Mexican cuisine, whereas Punta Cana specialises in authentic Dominican cuisine. Of course, all-inclusive resorts offer a wide range of cuisines, restaurants from Japanese to Brazilian to American.
Of course, all-inclusive resorts offer a wide range of cuisines, restaurants from Japanese to Brazilian to American. Check out these great restaurants in both locations if you want something other than an all-inclusive resort experience:
Address: Playa Bavaro Next to Lopesan Hotel, Punta Cana 23301 Dominican Republic
Telephone: +1 809-551-1451
Website: jellyfishrestaurant.com
Address: squina Carretera Juanillo BlueMall, Blvd. Turístico del Este, Punta Cana 23000, Dominican Republic
Telephone: +1 809-784-4047
Website: https://www.opentable.com/r/sbg-punta-cana-punta-cana
Address: Puntacana Resort & Club, Punta Cana 10000 Dominican Republic
Telephone: +1 809-959-2714 ext. 2234
Website: https://www.puntacana.com/dining/restaurants
Address: Blvd. Kukulcan km 15, Zona Hotelera, 77500 Cancún, Q.R., Mexico
Phone: +52 998 313 4128
Website: https://torarestaurant.com.mx/en
Address: 6 de lado de la laguna, Blvd. Kukulcan KM 12.6, Zona Hotelera, 77500 Cancún, Q.R., Mexico
Phone: +52 998 313 4211
Website: https://labuenabarra.mx/cancun/
The two resort towns are located in different countries, so there are significant travel logistics to take into account. The following are some of the average flight times to Cancun vs Punta Cana from some North America’s top airports.
How far is Punta Cana Vs Cancun from USA?
| USA Airports | Flight to Punta Cana | Flight to Cancun |
| Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport | 3h 30min (nonstop) | 2h 50min (nonstop) |
| Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport | 8h (connecting) | 2h 47min (nonstop) |
| Denver International Airport | 14h 30min (connecting) | 4 hours (nonstop) |
| Chicago O’Hare International Airport | 4h 30min (nonstop) | 4 hours (nonstop) |
| Miami International Airport | 2h 30min (nonstop) | 2 hours (nonstop) |
| John F. Kennedy International Airport | 3h 45min (nonstop) | 4h 15min (nonstop) |
How far is Punta Cana Vs Cancun from Canada?
| Canadian Airports | Flight to Punta Cana | Flight to Cancun |
| Toronto Pearson International Airport | 4 hours 20 minutes (nonstop) | 4h 30min (nonstop) |
| Vancouver International Airport | 17h 50min (connecting) | 19h 30min (nonstop) |
| Calgary International Airport | 6 hours 50 minutes (nonstop) | 5h 30min (nonstop) |
| Montréal–Trudeau International Airport | 3h 45min (nonstop) | 4h 35min (nonstop) |
| Edmonton International Airport | 6h 55min (nonstop) | 5h 40min (nonstop) |
| Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport | 4h 40min (nonstop) | 5hours (nonstop) |
Keep in mind that if your hometown airport does not offer direct flights to Punta Cana or Cancun, you will most likely need to stop at an international airport in a major city before continuing on to either destination.
Punta Cana offers snorkelling, as well as a night out at one of the nearby casinos, horseback riding, and golfing.
Cancun offers great activities such as zip lining, visiting ancient Mayan ruins, and swimming in hidden cenotes.
It all comanes down to what you want to do while you’re here! We’ll cover some of the top things to do in both locations below:
Saona Island excursion from Punta Cana with Open Bar and Lunch
Scape Park in Punta Cana: Hoyo Azul Cenote, Zip Lines, Caves and more
Party Boat and Snorkeling in Punta Cana
Punta Cana ATV Triple Adventure – Ride Through the Beach, River & Mountains (Single)
Santo Domingo City Tour from Punta Cana
Salto el Limón Waterfalls & Cayo Levantado Tour
Tulum, Cenote & Snorkeling Tour
Whale Shark Snorkeling Experience
Here at Punta Cana Adventures, we pride ourselves on being the best facilitators for your vacation. We pick out the best excursions and do all the hard work for you, so you can sit back and enjoy your stay.
We started Punta Cana Adventures because we love the Dominican Republic and want to make it possible for visitors just like you to enjoy it from as many sides as possible.
No worrying about pick-up and drop-off times since we can arrange transportation from any Punta Cana hotel, resort, rental, Airbnb, and beyond!
Want a little taste of private boat life? Why not get on board and set out to explore natural pools?
When planning a vacation to the stunning beach destination of Punta Cana, many travelers often ask us, “Is it safe to leave the resort in Punta Cana?”. The answer is a resounding yes!
Discover affordable all-inclusive resorts in Punta Cana, a tropical paradise with white sandy beaches and vibrant culture, perfect for budget-friendly vacations.
Dive into the luxurious world of Dreams Resorts in Punta Cana. From family-friendly water adventures at Dreams Macao Beach to the intimate boutique experience of Dreams Onyx Resort & Spa, discover the perfect blend of relaxation, luxury, and adventure in the Dominican Republic.
When planning a vacation to the stunning beach destination of Punta Cana, many travelers often ask us, “Is it safe to leave the resort in Punta Cana?”. The answer is a resounding yes!
Discover affordable all-inclusive resorts in Punta Cana, a tropical paradise with white sandy beaches and vibrant culture, perfect for budget-friendly vacations.
Dive into the luxurious world of Dreams Resorts in Punta Cana. From family-friendly water adventures at Dreams Macao Beach to the intimate boutique experience of Dreams Onyx Resort & Spa, discover the perfect blend of relaxation, luxury, and adventure in the Dominican Republic.
