art & culture / arte y cultura
dominoes between bus changes, as can frequently be seen at the bus stops at Verón and Riu. Leave the wool jacket and tie back home. While hotels may ask men to wear a light jacket when dining at one of their a la carte restaurants, leading entrepreneur Frank Rainieri, who coined the name of the Punta Cana destination, has decreed that East Coast etiquette calls for the “guayabera.” The elegant white linen or cotton shirt-jacket goes better with the balmy climate. For women, casually elegant flowing clothes in white or colors will work well for evening. One of the best places to meet Dominicans is at any of Punta Cana’s nightspots that are thronging with locals who mingle with the visitors. There will be time to practice the Latin dance steps that can be learned at the resorts, like merengue, bachata and salsa, and even the now very popular reggaeton. See the list of nightspots in this guide. More and more resorts are opening Dominican and Caribbean food restaurants. Tourists taking excursions into the countryside will be treated to a Dominican meal – probably a delicious rice and stewed chicken with fried plantains. Also check for restaurants that offer the “plato del día”. See the list of restaurants in this guide. For restaurant reviews, see www.dr1.com/travel/puntacana
It’s hot in Punta Cana, making air-conditioning a plus for those who can afford it. But take in the many details by innovative architects who are rising to the challenge by staging the best of the tropics for resort tourists. Some of the country’s top decorators and architects are active in the region, designing resorts and luxury villas for the rich and famous. Even Oscar de la Renta has left his touch in tourism at the boutique hotel Tortuga Bay. Note the many works of Dominican art in the architecture and decor of the area’s hotels. The very colorful houses of El Seibo and La Otra Banda, prior to modernization, have been copied and are now preserved in the tourist shopping hamlets many resorts have recreated for their tourists. Many hotel lobbies make dramatic statements with the work by Jose Ignacio Morales, best known as “El Artístico,” and his impressive metal statues. Take in the artwork created by leading Dominican artist Thimo Pimentel at the Punta Cana Village’s Galería, and his Huellas mural in honor of the original Igneris settlers at Cap Cana. Browse through gift shops for arts and crafts that may catch your fancy to take home. Check out the clothing stores for local designs and details such as amber and larimar-studded fashions. See the Shopping section for information on where to shop.
welcome punta cana
41