Beyond the Resort: Our Favourite Punta Cana Day Trips
Caribbean Lake Park
We arranged this through the trip organisers on the first floor lobby at Barcelo Bavaro Grand, who were brilliant — super friendly, full of advice and very patient with our “but is this suitable for small children and parents who want a bit of excitement?” questions.
We were collected from the downstairs lobby bang on our agreed 10am pick‑up time and whisked out of the resort on a blissfully air‑conditioned bus. The park was only about 20 minutes away — just long enough for the kids to get excited and for us to enjoy the cool air before the adventure began.
We were really impressed from the moment we arrived —the entrance was beautifully decorated, setting the tone straight away. The staff were friendly and super organised, getting us checked in and talking us through the activities. With just a handful of other groups in this massive “aquapark,” it felt like we’d accidentally booked a private day out.
*Top Tip: They don’t allow any food or drinks to be brought into the park — not even bottled water — so plan accordingly.
Next up — the fun stuff. First stop: Aquakarts. Think go‑karts, but on water, and just as chaotic as that sounds. They were a huge hit with all of us, although the youngest may have drawn the short straw by riding with me… let’s just say my cautious driving didn’t quite match Dad’s need for speed.
Second stop was a zip‑line‑style ride that pulled you across the water on a giant doughnut — and it was an instant favourite. The staff were brilliant, starting off slow when the little ones looked nervous, then cranking up the fun once they found their confidence. By the time they were flipping the kids into the water, I’m pretty sure the staff were enjoying themselves just as much as (if not more than) the children. This was voted the favourite for the day!
After a quick break by the bar — a dip in their infinity‑style pool, cocktails for Mum and Dad, and cold juice for the boys — we were ready for our final adventure of the day: the water assault course. It was definitely a tougher challenge for our four‑year‑old, but we all had such a good laugh trying (and failing) to balance our way across without falling in. The giant trampoline with a slide in the middle was a huge hit too, for both kids and parents.
Our bus was waiting for us right on time to take us back to the hotel at around 1pm — perfect timing for a much‑needed rest after a morning of adventures.
Marinarium Parks
Another adventure booked through our new best friends at the trip office on the first‑floor lobby of Barcelo Bavaro Grand. At this point, they practically knew our family’s holiday style better than we did.
It was a slightly longer journey than Caribbean Lake Park — about 40 minutes — but this time the bus wasn’t just air‑conditioned, it came with the most entertaining driver. He had everyone buzzing for the day ahead, chatting away and playing great music that instantly put us all in the mood.
We had a smooth check‑in process after spending a few minutes admiring some of their “residents” — iguanas and crocodiles included. It definitely added a bit of excitement before the day had even begun.
We then headed to a café‑style waiting area and used the time wisely — making sure all the children had “emptied their tanks” and were topped up with sun cream before boarding. Peak parent efficiency.
After admiring the glass‑bottom section of the boat and feeding a few fish, we arrived at our first stop — the marine park. Time to get our snorkelling gear on! Well… snorkels for the grown‑ups and big kids, and just goggles for our youngest two (ages 4 and 5), who aren’t quite ready for the whole snorkel‑breathing coordination challenge yet. We slipped into the sea and headed straight for the first tank: sharks. I’ll be honest — I was slightly terrified, even after being reassured they weren’t the people‑eating kind. I quietly swallowed my fear so the children wouldn’t notice, clung to the rope for dear life, and tried to get through that section as quickly as possible without actually making eye contact with a single shark. Meanwhile, my husband and the kids were on the complete opposite end of the spectrum… actively hunting for them like it was the highlight of their lives.
Next up was the stingray tank — slightly less terrifying than the sharks, but still not exactly my idea of relaxation. These stingrays were huge. One of the crew members gave everyone the chance to “stroke” a giant stingray, which was equal parts fascinating and nerve‑wracking. It also doubled as a photo opportunity… the kind that will cost you roughly the same as your entire holiday when you exit through the gift shop.
** There’s no photo evidence of this moment — I was fully occupied with the small task of trying to stay alive.
Onto the final stop — but not before plenty of singing, dancing, cogos and Coco Lokos being made (and enthusiastically sampled). The last stop was exactly my idea of a perfect boat trip: bobbing around in the open sea, enjoying the floating bar, and splashing about with the kids. They absolutely loved this part because the water was surprisingly shallow, even though we were fairly far out. We could actually see our hotel from where we were, and it was briefly tempting to grab our bags and just wade back… but the boat vibe was too good to abandon. So we sailed back properly — and rounded off the day by spending an eye‑watering amount on the trip photographs. You only live once… right?!
*Yes, I’ve used the same photo twice — and so would you if you’d spent what felt like your life savings on it.
Would we recommend these trips? Absolutely. There was genuinely something for everyone, and we wouldn’t hesitate to do either of them all over again.
As always, thanks for reading!
Emma x
