Windy Punta Cana?

I have been to DR twice. Last year I went for 10 windy days in Jan/Feb to Punta Cana at the Barcelo Resort. I loved the place - food was best all-inclusive ever, beach was most beautiful I've ever seen, and I got my fill of golf. However, the biggest negative is that for most of those days the afternoons were too windy to spend on the beach. In fact, they had to retrieve sand from the walks and grassy areas to replenish the beach.

I would love to go back there and bring my parents for their 50th Anniversary, but I won't go if there is a good chance for the wind to be like that again. Comments from someone?

Marvin

I would suggest coming in the spring, summer or fall, when there is less wind. Winter months are usually very windy, but you seem to report an extreme situation that probably is not frequent.

I was in Punta Cana the middle of March 1999. There was no wind at all. It was perfect golfing weather. I also believe that you were there during an extreme situration.

We stayed at the Iberostar Bravaro. I have been thing about staying at the Bravaro Place. Could you tell me if the drinks are varied or just free beer and rum?

In all my visits to Punta Cana (April, May, July), it has been windy every day, but not to the extreme that you describe.

Below is an excerpt from my trip report in May of 96, my first trip to the Bavaro Beach Palace:

During my stay (and always, according to some of the staff), there was a constant 25 - 35 mph wind that blows across the entire beach, coming from the sea. This makes for sail boards that zoomed across the water as fast as I was water skiing. It also meant choppy water. The wind never let up during my stay, night or day. I enjoyed it very much though, but not for water-skiing. ... The waves along the beach were 6 inches or less but the water was quite turbulent due to the constant gusting winds. The winds provided plenty of relief from the sun?s heat. As you move in towards the resort, the wind becomes less powerful, and by the time one reaches the pool area, the wind is just a nice breeze. Rooms that faced directly at the beach were subject to the constant pounding of the wind. My room faced to the side, and the wind was not a problem. The wind was a little troublesome for beach side dining.

It was not quite as windy during my subsequent trips.

Jim Hinsch JimHinsch@CSI.COM

Drinks

The drinks were as good or better than any other all inclusive we've been to and we have been to 5 or 6. As with all of them, call drinks are at an extra cost only, but we couldn't think of a tropical drink that they would fix or try to fix. Usually though we just ask them for something new - something they make up or that we haven't heard of before. The beauty is if you don't like it, you leave it.

Thanks Jim,

It was my impression, being far eastern end of the island and all that it did tend to be breezy at the least, but as with many of the islands, and honestly on this message board at times, you don't really get a straight answer. At least I know now that it wouldn't normally be that way. It is amazing how just a short distance inland the wind can diminish so much. We played golf every time we had a chance, and it was rarely windy enough to influence play that much.

Thanks again.

Marv

Unfortunately, I really don't have that flexibility this year. Thanks though for the comment.