Five checks before you book any excursion
Anyone can post excursion photos online. These five checks take two minutes and rule out almost every problem operator in Punta Cana.
- Ask for the company's RNC (Dominican tax registration). A legitimate operator gives it immediately — ours is 133-24855-7.
- Confirm the tour is operated in-house, not resold. Ask who owns the vehicles or the boat.
- Check that a phone number answers on WhatsApp before you pay, not just after.
- Read recent reviews on TripAdvisor and Google, and look for replies from the operator.
- Confirm the cancellation policy in writing. Free cancellation up to 24 hours is standard for serious operators.
ATV and buggy safety in Macao
The countryside route to Macao is unpaved and dusty, not technical. No previous experience is required: guides give a full briefing, ride at the front and at the back of the group, and set the pace for the slowest driver.
Helmets and goggles are provided and mandatory. Drivers must be 18 or older with a valid licence; children ride as passengers with an adult. Alcohol before or during the ride is not permitted, which is exactly why the drinks are served after the tour, not before.
Catamaran and water safety
Boats carry life jackets for every passenger including children, and crews are trained in first response. Snorkeling stops happen in shallow, sheltered water with the crew in the water alongside the group.
If the port authority closes the marina because of weather, the tour does not run. In that case you are rebooked for another day or refunded in full — a reputable operator never sails against a port closure.
Health, sun and what to bring
Most incidents on excursions are not accidents; they are sunburn and dehydration. Punta Cana sits at 18° latitude and the UV index is extreme by mid-morning.
- Reef-safe sunscreen applied before pick-up and again after swimming.
- Closed shoes for ATV and zipline, sandals for the catamaran.
- Clothes you do not mind ruining — the red countryside dust does not always wash out.
- Water: we supply it, but bring your own bottle for the ride back.
- Tell your guide about asthma, back problems, pregnancy or heart conditions before departure.
Is it safe to leave the resort in Punta Cana?
Yes. The excursion corridor between Bávaro, Macao, Punta Cana and Uvero Alto is tourist territory patrolled by CESTUR, the Dominican tourist police. The practical advice is ordinary travel sense: go with an identified operator, leave valuables in the hotel safe, carry a copy of your passport rather than the original, and use small bills.
Pick-up should always happen at the hotel lobby with an identified vehicle and a named driver. If someone asks you to meet outside the resort or to pay in advance in cash to a personal account, walk away.