The addition of Terminal B at Punta Cana International Airport helps the Dominican Republic attract an additional 6,500 travelers each day, and the Carnival Corporation is expanding its presence on the island with an $85 million port, which will debut in Puerto Plata in October. These additions continue to make the Dominican Republic attractive for groups visiting the Caribbean—especially ones looking for a slew of experiential activities.
About four years ago, Bavaro Adventure Park opened for groups visiting the Bavaro-Punta Cana zone. The 110-acre park combines the lush Caribbean landscape with a vast menu of adrenaline-inducing activities, located less than one mile from the coast. One of the Zip Line training courses, for instance, takes attendees up a 39-foot climbing wall, down two zip lines, across a 100-foot suspension bridge and across another 850-foot zip line.
Zip lining not your group’s thing? Climbing, zorbing and biking are other options for groups. Attendees should check out the onsite Pirate Ship, a climbing course filled with ropes that climb to heights of 16 to 49 feet. The climbing garden also offers 26 different challenges with four levels of difficulty. Zorbing encourages attendees to step into a 9-foot flexible plastic ball and tumble down an almost 500-foot course, while bikes are also available for groups that want to explore the tropical forest on their own. The park’s bike course ventures past two natural lagoons, a 3-mile stretch of Caribbean beach and an old abandoned resort.
Before leaving, groups will also want to peruse the Dinosaur World Jurassic Adventure where more than 40, real-scale dinosaurs are on display. The animatronic dinosaurs—Tyrannusaurus rex, Stegosaurus and Diplodocus, to name a few—provide natural movement and sound.
Groups looking to learn about the island’s surf culture can do so at Swell Dominican Republic. The surf camp offers an all-inclusive surf experience, with surfing lessons during the day, a communal lounge for relaxing in the afternoon and then overnight accommodations. While the boutique hotel offers a young-at-heart ambiance—over-sized bean bag chairs, hammocks and comfortable pool lounges—it caters to attendees of all ages and is especially appealing for incentive groups. Plus, windsurfing and yoga classes are also available as well as snorkeling, diving and horseback riding. Cabaret Surf Camp offers a similar experience, but it also offers single lessons for attendees who only have a couple hours to get out on the water.
