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An alternative to Punta Cana? That might sound crazy, but there’s a brand new Dominican airport slated to open by the end of 2025.

Scouring travel forums, there’s already pushback at just the thought of a Punta Cana dupe, especially as Samana, Miches, and Puerto Plata inch closer to becoming mainstream each year.

But the Pedernales Province is one of the Dominican Republic’s last frontiers for tourism, and it might be off-putting to some simply because of its close proximity to neighboring Haiti, which, it goes without saying, is not exactly the postcard paradise it should be.

Home to stunning footprint-free shores, vibrant coastal villages, and far fewer crowds than Punta Cana’s flashy resorts, like it or not, Cabo Rojo is set to become the Dominican Republic’s new vacation hotspot once the Pedernales International Airport cuts the blue ribbon by year’s end.

Pedernales: The D.R.’s Virtually Untouched Shores

Untouched Caribbean seaside? Now that’s a selling point Punta Cana can’t offer.

If there’s one claim to fame in Pedernales, it’s Bahía de las Águilas, often going neck and neck with Punta Cana’s Playa Bavaro as the country’s most beautiful beach.

You’ll find gleaming white sand and vibrant turquoise waters, except there’s minimal development here, offering a better experience than Bavaro for those who don’t like crowds — but who does?

The stunning shores don’t stop there, though. In fact, Bahía de las Águilas is likely hard-pressed for competitors since this side of the D.R. is less frequented by vacationers, often viewed as more of a tight-lipped local escape.

One such place is Playa Blanca, a secret hideaway boasting epic sunsets and only has reviews from locals (all but one is a perfect 5-star rating by the way).

Another is Playa Cabo Rojo in the town of the same name where the new airport is located. Local patrons claim to enjoy the ‘crystal clear waters ‘ and close access to nearby attractions — not to mention ‘soft white sand’ and completely trash-free despite a lack of infrastructure being so isolated.

Most foreign tourists have yet to discover the spectacular shores near Cabo Rojos, but that’s expected to change in 2026 with far more enticements than just the region’s flawless beaches (with the exception of an occasional sargassum invasion).

Genuine Culture & Jaw-Dropping Nature

While there are a few negative aspects of Punta Cana, such as the prices for all-inclusives being more than reasonable, it lacks culture.

From what I saw on my trip, Punta Cana has become a tourist haven solely for its astounding beaches, posh resorts, and seductive vacation home market, while the culture is left to places like bustling Santo Domingo.

That’s not the case for Cabo Rojo, where Punta Cana’s curated experiences far outweigh any cultural delights you might find elsewhere.

That’s not to say there isn’t a slight touristy vibe, though. Just last fall, Port Cabo Rojo was completed, making it more appealing to cruisers to disembark and explore the region.

The town’s goal is to attract 150,000 cruise passengers in 2025, with no telling how many more air travelers come in 2026 once word spreads of this up-and-coming Dominican gem.

With such lush nature like Jaragua National Park, Cabo Rojo National Wildlife Refuge and the breathtaking Oviedo Lagoon (within Jaragua) with scenic boat tours and more flamingos than a Tommy Bahama shirt, it’s easy to see why the Dominican government chose this region to showcase.

The Pro Pedernales Tourism Project: Name-Brand Hotels & New Airport

Information regarding which airlines will serve Pedernales International Airport remains a mystery at this point, but given how the D.R. has been a raging success ever since the pandemic, it would be shocking if no U.S. airlines were among the first to join in.

What we do know is that the airport will open by the end of the calendar year, and if it’s anything like Tulum’s highly anticipated opening, airlines will trickle in month after month, creating a new Caribbean vacation hotspot.

As for hotels, there’s a lot more information with confirmed commitments from household names.

Last winter, it was confirmed such brands as Hyatt and Iberostar are set to develop new properties here with the goal to make Pedernales the Dominican’s next ‘luxury tourist destination’.

But if you’d like to get a head start on your vacation before the crowds take over one day, TripAdvisor currently ranks Hotel Pedernales Italia as the top stay.

Sam Sears

Sam, our Lead Writer & Journalist based in San Diego has visited 36 countries and written over 1000 articles with a focus on sharing his own travel experiences and shining a light on lesser-known gems.

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Last Updated 6 months ago

When you choose your next beach escape, odds are you’ll be looking where to spend blissful beach days in Mexico or the Caribbean.

One Caribbean nation that has soared to new heights in terms of tourism is the Dominican Republic.

Even the country’s cultural cities have become more popular, like Santiago de los Caballeros and the sprawling capital, Santo Domingo.

Near both cultural hubs are some of the most pristine beach resort towns you’ll find along Caribbean shores.

One that is super easy to reach and continues to thrive is La Romana, home to lavish resorts and stunning beaches.

Move Aside Punta Cana! La Romana Is The Place To Be

As someone who just spent 5 days at a luxe resort in Punta Cana, I can easily compare apples to apples since I also spent some time in La Romana.

If you’ve done any vacation planning along the East Coast or Caribbean, surely you know it’s sargassum season.

Sargassum is an unsightly brown algae that invades coastlines for miles and miles ruining your postcard-worthy photo-ops.

Punta Cana, including world-renowned Bavaro Beach, was teeming with icky piles of sargassum baking in the sun, creating not only an eyesore, but an unpleasant odor and constant annoyances trying to swim in the crystal clear waters.

Taking a day trip to La Romana was like flipping a switch from an okay beach vacation to the dreamy paradise you envision when splurging on a Caribbean getaway.

Perfect Conditions For The Ultimate Beach Escape

Not a flake of sargassum was spotted when I swam in various spots throughout the La Romana region.

Setting sail on a Catamaran from Bayahibe, there were stops away from shore to swim and snorkel.

Water conditions were absolutely perfect with warm temperatures and limpid visibility – no seaweed or trash in sight.

Like Zac Brown said, the ‘Only worry in the world is the tide gonna reach my chair’, the only worry here is stepping on Starfish as they’re a very protected and encouraged by tour guides not to touch.

The only portion not suitable for water activity are the ports of Bayahibe and Isla Saona, where the water is still very clear, but you will need flip-flops to avoid cutting your feet on jagged rocks.

Stunning Tropical Islands

Within close distance from the small resort town of La Romana lies a pair of stunning islands – Isla Saona, and Isla Catalina.

While I can’t speak to personal experience with the latter, tourists have left rave reviews with comments like, ‘Saona Island gets all the cred but this was an awesome excursion’.

Home to gorgeous beaches clear waters for snorkeling and diving, this short journey to the island is definitely worth checking out.

I went to Isla Saona. Beyond simply relaxing with endless poolside pinã coladas, this jaw-dropping island was the highlight of my Dominican vacation.

You are instantly welcomed by towering palm trees and sandy pathways giving access to what feels like secret beaches, and it was some of the clearest water I’ve ever swam in.

No sargassum, jellyfish, garbage, stingrays – nope, just picture-perfect blue waters and white sand.

La Romana’s Lavish Resorts

Punta Cana is great, but everyone wants to be here.

The same way Cancun is an awesome vacation spot since everyone knows about, that’s not to say you won’t have an awesome time in Puerto Escondido.

The same goes for Punta Cana and La Romana. The latter is a very popular resort town but doesn’t hold the same recognition.

Vacationers can come here expecting to have the time of their lives the same as you would in Punta Cana, but the experience may be even better.

With high-end all-inclusive resorts such as Hilton, Dreams, and Iberostar, you can’t go wrong, especially since the beaches don’t find themselves in the path of massive seaweed invasions.

Sam Sears

Sam, our Lead Writer & Journalist based in San Diego has visited 30 countries and written over 400 articles with a focus on sharing his own travel experiences and shining a light on lesser-known gems.

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Sign Up Now For Travel Off Path Premium! No ads, VIP Content, Personal Travel Concierge, Huge Savings, Daily Deals, Members Forum & More!

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Enter your email address to subscribe to Travel Off Path’s latest breaking travel news, straight to your inbox.

This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com

Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.