I recently went to Punta Cana (PC) in the Dominican Republic and it was absolutely beautiful! I planned this trip when I was just wrapping up my internship at SAP in early June and it was something that I definitely needed in order to regroup and recharge for my next internship at Google. I decided to go on the trip with one of my friends, Naa, who was also in desperate need of a vacation and it really gave us the chance to bond with one another. Since it was our first time in the DR, we did a ton of research before going because we wanted to make sure we were stretching our money as much as we could and found this beautiful resort that was opening up the first weekend in June.

The resort, Riu Republica, was absolutely perfect and since it was their grand opening, we were able to get a deal through Expedia: all-inclusive resort plus flights for 5 days, 4 nights for less than 700 per person, and our room had a pretty nice ocean view, too! This deal was unbeatable and upon arrival, we were greeted with freshly made cocktails and it was delicious! I definitely recommend this resort if you ever find yourself in Punta Cana – trust me, you will not regret it.

After we got settled in to our room, we decided to check out the food (very important to me!) at the hotel and walked around for a bit to see what else was around the area. The beach was extremely clean and the hotel had a lot of free water activities: kayaking, snorkeling lessons, scuba diving, etc. After indulging in a few drinks and good food, we met up with our Expedia representative and booked a few adventure sessions for the duration of our trip.

On Sunday, we decided to do an activity called Adventure Boogies and it was basically driving through the streets of PC on an ATV and stopping at nearby sights to taste fresh coffee, chocolates, etc. Our first stop was at Macao Beach and it was definitely a tourist attraction! Lots of people were selling the usual: jewelry, souvenirs, artifacts and it would have been fine but there were other people who had all these exotic animals and thought it was absolutely okay to just place it on you. I really freaked out a bit at that point because I am not a big fan of animals at all, especially when it is forced upon me. Other than that terrifying experience, Macao Beach was a really great experience.

Afterwards, we rode through the streets again and went to this spot where we saw first hand how they made cigarettes, chocolate, vanilla extracts, coffee, honey, etc. We also got a chance to taste chocolate tea and I honestly did not know that was even a thing until I went to Punta Cana. I do not even think I can describe the taste if I tried but it is HEAVENLY! 

After a full morning and afternoon of adventure, we did not end there and went to a spot called Coco Bongo. Now, Coco Bongo is THE BEST place to be! It is a combination of live shows and a club with nonstop music – props to whoever came up with that idea. I have included a couple of videos for you to get an idea of the atmosphere but I honestly do not think these videos do them justice – you have to experience it for yourself. We ended up not leaving Coco Bongo till around 3am and did not get back to our hotel till maybe 4:30am. We were exhausted and I was particularly hungry, however, we were up by 7am again to go on another adventure – Zip Lining!

Originally, I was meant to do it as part of my #SamuellaTurns21 bucket list but since my birthday was during winter season, I could not do it. I was extremely excited to finally get the chance to go Zip Lining and it was one of the best things I have ever done in my life! We went with Canopy Adventure Zip Line Tours and the entire process was very easy. They picked us up from our hotel and transported us to the Anamuya Jungle next to the Higuey Village where we were given strict instructions on what to expect, how to operate the lines, etc. I found out that we would be going through 8 lines and was really scared at first but it became a lot more fun when we moved from line to line, especially after the adrenaline kicked in.  We successfully completed all 8 lines and by the end of it, I did not want it to end. If I had the option to keep on going, I would have definitely continued because it was really thrilling and it became a lot easier as we moved from line to line.

For the duration of the trip, we just lounged around the beach, pool, and explored the different restaurants at the hotel. This trip was definitely needed and I am so glad I decided to take a few days away from everything and invested in some ‘me-time.’ I am finally learning the importance of taking care of myself and being able to drop everything for a few days in order to regroup. Now I will admit, I did work while on this vacation, however, that was because I had strict deadlines for certain projects I am currently working on and absolutely had to work a few hours in order to meet those deadlines.

If you are feeling guilty about taking some time for yourself, here are a few quotes that have helped me whenever I felt bad for taking care of myself:

“We all deserve happiness and mental clarity, but we have to be proactive.” – Alexandra Elle

You must love yourself before you love another. By accepting yourself and fully being what you are, your simple presence can make others happy.” – Unknown

“Self-care is never selfish, but it may feel that way when you have a frenzied life.” – Arthur P. Ciaramicoli

“Nourishing yourself in a way that helps you blossom in the direction you want to go is attainable, and you are worth the effort.” – Deborah Day

“Self-compassion is simply giving the same kindness to ourselves that we would give to others.” – Christopher Germer

Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions about Punta Cana, the Dominican Republic or just vacations in general! Stay adventurous and always remember to stay golden!

Stay adventurous, dear friends, and always remember to stay golden. All ways, always.

Sincerely,

Samuella

Videos: Coco Bongo, Walking to the Cave, and Streets of PC.

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