Local Businesses

Discover and support Punta Cana’s vibrant local businesses — from family-owned shops and artisan markets to unique services and hidden gems. Meet the people behind the community, experience authentic culture, and take home memories that go beyond the beach.

21 blog posts foundShowing 1-6 of 21

💎 Larimar: The Gemstone Found Nowhere Else on Earth

Larimar comes from one mountainside in Barahona province and nowhere else in the world. The geology behind that, the 1916 priest who found it first, how to tell real larimar from the dyed fakes sold on beaches, and what you should actually pay.

🚬 Where to Buy Real Dominican Cigars (And Why the Beach Ones Aren't)

The Dominican Republic is the world's largest exporter of premium cigars by volume — and the beach vendor selling you counterfeit Cubans is the worst possible way to experience that. How the fakes work, what to buy instead, and where.

☕ Dominican Coffee: The Regions and Producers Worth Knowing

Dominican coffee is grown at altitude in six main regions and mostly drunk domestically rather than exported — which is why it's underrated abroad. The regions, the brands to look for, how Dominicans actually drink it, and what to take home.

🥃 Dominican Rum: Brugal vs Barceló vs Bermúdez

The three B's explained: Bermúdez from 1852, Brugal from 1888 with 80% of the domestic market, and Barceló from 1930. Which to buy, what the Ron Dominicano denomination of origin actually requires, and how to bring bottles home.

🍫 Dominican Chocolate: From Bean to Bar

The Dominican Republic is the world's leading producer of organic cacao. How the beans get from smallholder farms in the Cibao to a bar, why Hispaniola cacao commands premium prices, what to buy, and where to see it being made.

🏘️ Puntacana Village: Shops, Restaurants & Services Near the Airport

A walkable village near PUJ airport with restaurants, a supermarket, pharmacy, bank, medical clinic, art galleries and a Four Points by Sheraton. Where residents actually eat, and the best place in Punta Cana to spend a few hours before a flight.

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