7 Steps to A BUDGET DREAM Punta Cana Dominican Republic Vacation, without maxing out your credit card!
OMG what a sight…We couldn’t believe our eyes honestly…Yet before we disclose what got us so amazed…We wont make out like its possible to go anywhere awesome or travel with no money coz its not…Today we wanna share with you how you too could afford a budged dream vacation to Punta Cana Dominican Republic or anywhere for that matter without loosing your home! So…
Flights — Check
Passports. Ditto,
Party outfits…of course
Beach wear….Hello
Well guess what, we booked a vacation to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic to attend our good friends & mentors Tanya Aliza and Cesar Rodriguez’s wedding…And what an epic journey it was (we will share some of this awesomeness soonest). What we always hear bandied about “Living the dream.” Honestly when you have great company in a breathtaking location, life simply seems awesome, and it is…but we jump ahead of ourselves.
when you have great company in a breathtaking location, life simply seems awesome Click To Tweet
In order to have a Budget Dream Punta Cana Vacation, you might like to try our amazing proven 7 steps below.
#1. Chose the Best Flight for your Budget
Unless you live in paradise, we assume you might have to drive or fly there. And in our case we had to fly…Inc. a 34 hr return journey, we loved it all!
We can tell you those flights cost a packet if it wasn’t for the travel club discount and price promise…! In fact for most international travel, flights are the highest vacation/travel expense. So either save up a pretty penny and we got you covered with our super travel/vacation money saving tips, or have that credit card ready.
We have found that its much more cost effective and easier on the wallet to travel during off peak seasons outside of children’s holidays, Easter, Christmas seasons and definitely not bang in middle of summer. Signing up for flight alerts and traveling with flexible dates will trim your costs even further. We got our flights for a total of $1015. So much cheaper if you are flying from USA.
Super Tip: Why not try and get a free flight by contacting the Airline customer services and inquire if they would accept volunteers, although with the rise of terrorist attacks this is less likely to work!
#2. Check surrounding airports!
Although Santiago Airport was closer to our destination accommodation, it cost over £200 extra per person to land there. Yet even with airport transfers we still saved £345 by choosing the alternative…
We chose Punta Cana Airport, and nothing could have prepared us for the sight! OMG moment. This airport is a fresh diversion from the usual concrete, tiled international airports. It is truly a unique experience. Having grown up in Africa, seeing the airport roof took us right back to Rural Africa.
For starters, it has an open expansive feel, a portion of the arrivals is palm frond roofed these are called “palapas” (apparently what gives it its name) – a pleasant entry to this tropical paradise. It also has the largest ‘ceiling fans’ we ever saw! And guess what, we were offered a shot of rum as soon as we cleared customs….how cool is that? Real rad right…
a pleasant entry to this tropical paradise, Punta Cana Intl Airport #traveltips Click To Tweet

#3 Transportation & Airport Transfers
Now with the theme of planning a dream Punta Cana vacation on a budget, spending a fortune on transfers and transportation would be counter productive, right! And taxis can be costly depending on your destination…huh!
Yet taking a taxi or shuttle from Punta Cana airport is easy. Paul & I had already checked and compared prices online to ensure we got the best deal even with our travel club, thus our transportation to & from the airport was part of our package! But for those that don’t have access to the travel resources we do, which you can absolutely learn more about here, we highly recommend that you pre-book your transfers online before you travel!
Imagine we were quoted prices raging from $114 – $500 for a round trip taxi/shuttle from the airport to our accommodation in La Romana, Bayahibe which we will be giving you a full review on soonest! It is amazing woot!
Anyhow, guess what it cost us total though…$56 round-trip! Yup so it pays to shop around and if part of an amazing club, well the benefits keep coming!
We didn’t have to wait for a shuttle or bus to fill up with other passengers, and/or stop at other hotels. We had a sleek, air conditioned SUV to ourselves and while the driver spoke more Spanish than English, he was super polite and got us to our Resort in 45 mins flat, we gad expected a 60-90 min ride!!! 🙂
So here is how you can get a Taxi or ride from Punta Cana Airport….
The company that picked us up was “Holiday Taxis” and they are amazing! Use them on your next trip they are available worldwide! After clearing customs & immigration, grab your baggage, there was only one carousel…! Make your way past the duty free store and You will see a row of Travel companies out side on a large veranda. Find yours or check who is holding your name on a placard. If you didn’t pre-book online be ready to be bombarded by shuttle drivers but they are really polite, most speak a bit of English. Make sure to Confirm the rate with the driver before leaving.
Below are the taxi rates as of Nov 2015 from Punta Cana airport.
Remember this is to get you to a Punta Cana Vacation on a budget, and our transfers cost only $56 via Holiday Taxis!
Well ya gotta sleep right so the Accommodation..
#4 Budget Dream Punta Cana Vacation – Accommodation:
Of course you can’t have a budget dream vacation in any destination if your accommodation is pants…! In our case we chose to book the wedding venue, which was highly discounted at amazing rates via the travel app. For 9 days we got all inclusive accommodation at the Dreams La Romana Spa and Resorts, a 5 Star piece of real estate at a total of $896 for a Premium Deluxe Room; inclusive of $200 resort credits, which essentially reduces that figure to $696! A quote on Expedia for the same location for 6 nights was at £3554 for family of 4 that could be in the region of $5k+ (no flights included here)…what! So you must agree we got a stupendous bargain.
And we cannot begin to do the resort justice in a short paragraph. We promise to give you full dibs in a blog post soonest!
shop around some good months in advance on various accommodation including hostels Click To Tweet
But if you consider what we paid a fortune, and wish to have a budget dream vacation in Punta Cana, then we strongly suggest you shop around some good months in advance on various accommodation including hostels. Booking.com gives you some great deals out of season, for instance for 6 nights we found an offer of £454 for 2 people at Los Flamencos Apart Hotel…! That’s Self Catering but still a great price don’t you agree!
So shop around you can still grab a bargain. In UK we also have flight/hotel package deals and these can be a great saver. For purposes of this post we checked Thomson Holidays and yes you can get a budget dream Punta Cana vacation all inclusive to a 3+ star accommodation. And since we are talking budget here, then you might like to spend more time at your awesome all in resort or hotel and save a packet…so why not..
#5 Budget Dream Punta Cana Vacation – Hit The Beach

You don’t have to spend a fortune on activities/excursions to have a dream vacation anywhere to be honest! So unless you rent snorkeling equipment, book a catamaran cruise or go sailing/kayaking or a surfboard, hitting the beach in Bayahibe, Punta Cana is generally free. A number of museums, parks, and destinations in the Dominican Republic are also free. Just ask your hotel concierge to direct you to locations with free entertainment, live music, carnivals and other cultural events.
A group of us attended a night carnival in Bayahibe. We walked along the beach on moonlight, 10 mins to the village and had an absolute blast! Free entertainment, very colourful, welcoming locals, it was great fun!
#6 Budget Dream Punta Cana Vacation – Eating out?
Okay while we went all inclusive 5 star with bells and whistles, to be honest you too can get the same when you shop around. And we have already shown you an example from Booking.com. The best advice we can give on eating out is to check our post on saving for a vacation you will get some awesome tips on how to maximize your food budget on a vacation, without eating junk! Or ending up with holiday tummy yikes, ouch!
#7 Budget Dream Punta Cana Vacation – Getting Round
For a budget dream vacation in Punta Cana, you might opt like we did to spend most of your vacation in and around your hotel or accommodation. Esp. if you stay at an all-inclusive resort and don’t plan on going too far. We took long walks along the beach and the extensive hotel grounds. To be honest according to local living Punta Cana walking in Punta Cana is your best bet. Most resorts are right on the beach, so you won’t need to go too far. Otherwise, if you plan on exploring this amazing tropical paradise on a budget then According to our Hotel concierge, the Guaguas or public buses would be an option!
Taking a local bus is the cheapest option, but not recommended if in a hurry! The hotel concierge confided that the schedules are irregular, sporadic and sometimes buses are 40+ mins late! And there are no clear bus stops…just hail the bus anywhere…What! And they are packed full as its the locals means of transportation! But we were assured that public transport is perfectly safe and way cheaper than taxis. Expect to pay about RD$35 which is like £0.30 pence min for your trip, a bargain. You will travel with Dominicans, who are very friendly! Have some change ready to avoid hassle. Also expect animals like goats & chickens on board as they are transported on buses often times. 🙂 Unique experience or what!
If you are daring and like to live on the edge, you might like to try the motorcycle taxis known as motoconchos, cheapest definitely not the safest. We noticed they have no passenger let alone drive helmets and they drive like the wind– very fast…Hmm if you must, opt for a driver with a orange vest…apparently member of the local drivers union! But in our view your health comes first! Find them at some hotel entrances…(Not ours), shopping centers & street corners!
If you remember your Spanish lessons getting around can be fun, if not why not have your Translator App, we share some awesome tools to get you round in our comprehensive Go To Travel Planning Guide, take a look a it and enjoy your next trip!
Lets wrap up your Budget Dream Vacation to Punta Cana!
So the basics are covered but — wait, you may ask how about spending money? Well that’s down to you, if you go all inclusive you might not spend much at all. We came back home with 3/4 our spending money even after buying quite a few trinkets and touristy mementos that filled one of our hand luggage bags! The Dom Republic is not expensive at all esp. if you eat local (don’t forget your charcoal tablets.) In fact we spent the majority of the 1/4 on food in Transit in Atlanta USA!
So there you have it…a budget dream vacation in Punta Cana or any other location to be honest, all you need to do is Research. But we do all that for you so why not subscribe to our blog here and let us know your travel needs. If you enjoyed or got value, why not like, share and comment below on your own budget vacation experiences?
The Dominican Republic is not expensive at all #budgettraveltips Click To Tweet
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See, Do, and Be more!
Julie Syl & Pauli Kalungi
Email: support[at]Juleskalpauli.com
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I might just be able to work in a dream vacation there by using your budget friendly tips. I love your photos and I know by looking at them that I’d have the best time there.
Hi Terri,
Absolutely work in a vacation. Its your life, your time, your resources, Giev yourself a Huge Treat, you deserve to
See, Do and Be more 🙂
~PKJW
I am dreaming of a vacation like yours! I am so glad that I find your post, very informative!
Hi Nicole,
Glad you are inspired. Not only Dream, take action and we are here to help 🙂
~PKJW
I never heard of Punta Cana but your post makes me want to go there!
Hi Danne,
Glad you learnt about it here, Happy to help you plan your trip or share some resources that may help you get more from your travel bucket list! thanks for your time 🙂
~PKJW
Wow, I never thought of going abroad and have a vacation until I see your post. Thanks for sharing!
There is always a first time Ryan. Glad to inspire, and thanks for stopping by! 🙂
~PKJW
Fantastic! I haven’t been to Punta Cana myself but everyone I know who has, loved it.
We hope you too will soon enjoy it Maria 🙂
~PKJW
really good post and very helpful to have a good vacation
Hi Nazma,
Glad you got value Thanks for your time 🙂
~PKJW
Wow, I would love to have a vacation there it really look relaxing.
Excellent post, the pictures are really bringing out the beauty from the sights and there’s a lot of useful information. I’ve never really stayed in Dominican Republic for a long time and I intend to do that in Punta Cana someday. Thanks for the recommendation!
Great tips! Planning vacations really take a lot of work.
Hi Sara,
Planning vacations is so much fun for us, We enjoy the journey way before it begins 🙂 and way after it ends!
~PKJW
What a beautiful summer vacation spot! Thanks for the tips, I just might be able to convince hubby to take me somewhere nice 🙂
Hi Lalaine,
How about you take Hubby somewhere nice lady? Its sometimes an awesome Strategy to plan and offer and get him into the groove 🙂
~PKJW
Punta Cana looks so beautiful. I’d have to pack a ton of sunscreen, but it definitely seems like a spot I would add to my travel bucket list.
Hi Cindy,
Punta Cana is absolutely superb and you need lotsa sunscreen for sure. Add it to your Bucket list and Make sure to go and have a blast!
If we can help in any way just shout out! 🙂
~PKJW
Hubby and I are looking into a vaca this fall and your post has given me a lot of suggestions. Thanks for sharing this. I have never gone internationally before and I’m so excited to venture out.
Hi Tammy,
Awww you are gonna love it and hope you and hubby have a total blast. Thanks for stopping by!
~PKJW
My husband just booked our vacation for November and Punta Cana was high on the list. It didn’t win this year, but maybe next year 🙂
I had neve head of this place… looks stunning and love your tips of do it on a budget.
Hi Di,
Neither had we until friends invited us to their wedding. we always dreamt of visiting the Caribbean, and I must say we will do more 🙂
Its amazing and somewhere one could get really used to and want to return again and again 🙂
Definitely on my list! Looks beautiful, thanks for the tips.
Our Absolute Pleasure Audra,
Thanks for stopping by too! 🙂
PKJW~
A great trip is wonderful. A great trip on a budget is even better. Great steps. Thank you for sharing.
Our Pleasure Kenny,
Glad you agree 🙂 PKJW~
[ Smiles ] The Dominican Republic looks lovely.
But, their taxi fares look somewhat exorbitant.
Thats why we gave an alternative and encourage you to pre-book your transfers online Renard 🙂
Ta for stopping by!
PKJW~
Great information Julie, thanks for sharing
Our pleasure Yemisi thanks for swinging by!
PKJW~
I would love to travel to Punta Cana for a visit. I bet the kids would love it too!
The Kiddies would be in all inclusive heaven Rosey, if you chose the accommodation we did 🙂
PKJW~
Thanks for all the steps and tips regarding travel and Punta Cana. It looks like a beautiful place but the name sounds a little dirty. Thanks Julie!
what???? Wow Rory, educate us on the name?
Punta Cana actually refers to Palm Fronds, very common on the Island lol! get ya head outa the gutter man! Glad you like 🙂
PKJW~
awesome tips Julie again you bring a great location I can add on to my bucket list.
Hey Andy,
Glad to Inspire, And Get there already bro, take Babushka, she will LOVEIT 🙂
PKJW~
What a great vacation! I love that you were able to do this on a budget. You just gave me some hope lol.
Hi Christina,
We have access to some real cool resources, so you do have hope, if you are open minded 🙂
Thanks for your time!
PKJW~
Just the place I want to go Sun Beach and Hot !!~ I see myself in this photo !!` thank you for sharing !!`
Keep envisioning Sandra, I see myself in there again Lolol 🙂
JulieS~
Wow, that looks an awesome place to spend your vacation..
It sure was Keith, Thanks for stopping by!
PKJW~
What a beautiful place! It looks fun and enjoyable. I hope I’ll be there this year.
Wohooo Nicole,
You are gonna love it for sure. Glad you like!
PKJW~
Really, I really want to go!!! Sounds so exciting to be there.
Nicole,
Its a choice you make, We are happy to help if you like to have a chat 🙂
~PKJW
Post full of value!
Learned a lot and since I plan on travelling quite a bit this was timely.
Sounds like you had a great time. 🙂
Hi Juanita,
We had a total blast and intend to make it an annual family do…2weeks of pure unadulterated fun all inclusive in paradise…
Yup! Coz we are worth it and so are you 🙂
PKJW~
As one who’s constantly on the go, I believe I haven’t been there and the place looks awesome. I can wholly relate to that spending part, often times you don’t really have to worry about it if everything else is priceless.
Hi Karla,
Tell me about it. Lots of people avoid All Inclusive deals with the excuse that it gets boring…Not this place though. The variety available daily is mind boggling. How do they make any money I dont know…They serve Drinks Of all kinds all day 24/7 bottomless….absolutely awesome. Cant recommend it enough gal! Go for it!
PKJW~
That’s really awesome. These days a lot of airlines offer deals that will get you tickets to a place this lovely for half the price or even less. What I normally do is I subscribe or like the pages of the airlines so I am updated with their latest deals. These are great tips for travelers!
Hey Eliza,
These days Lots of airlines Literally Charge their customers a great deal…you only get the deals if you know where to look and how to get round their “Online and Agents prices” 🙂
Glad you are keeping up to speed!
Pkjw~
These are great step for budget dream Punta Cana vacation. It sounds like you got a real steal on your vacation. Indeed it does pay to research for the right prices. Thanks for sharing the steps and the information.
Hi Rebecca,
We got a steal because we made a decision to have such deals on tap as part of a community of World Travellers. Feel free to check out the details on our “Travel Club” page! 🙂 We simply like to check whats out there and test the price promise we get…we havent yet found it lacking…! Tells yo lots about the benefits! Glad you got value!
PKJW~
So that was where you went off to! 🙂 You world traveller and on a budget! Have to follow in your footsteps! 🙂
Yes it was Claudette,
And it was an amazing 9 days living the dream and knowing I deserve more days of the year doing just that!
Come on then lets go, next one already planned 🙂
PKJW~
My favorite place in the world is Puerto Rico, but you certainly make Punta Cana attractive, Julie. And what a thorough run-down of what to expect as well the cost. It makes me wonder why the whole world doesn’t live in the Caribbean.
Hi Carol,
Thats what we lie to hear, Glad to add a new destination to your list, Puerto Rico is on our Bucket list 🙂
And If we all lived in the Caribbean, it wouldnt be Paradise then would it 🙂 would be over crowded and all that comes with that!
PKJW~
I have been looking at Punta Cana and was going to ask a travel agent where to start! This is such a great tool- thank you!
Hey Chelley,
Believe you me, you can get way better deals than what your travel agent will offer anyday.
Happy to help too if you wish!
PKJW~
Starting to think about where we want to take a winter vacation to next year and Punta Cana is on the short list.
Its hot all year round over there, and boy is it gorgeous Jessica, Do Book it 🙂
Glad to have inspired!
PKJW~