One of the biggest benefits to staying at a megaresort is the wealth of options available right within the property’s gates. There’s a whole world to discover, especially at the Bahia Principe Bavaro Beach complex in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic – and that turn of phrase takes a literal pivot at its whimsical Bahia Principe Fantasia Punta Cana property, one of the seven intriguing properties available to book at this palatial community.

The others include the luxury properties Bahia Principe Luxury Ambar and Bahia Principe Luxury Esmeralda, where the ALG Vacations® marketing team held their annual off-site strategy meeting. Joining these three hotels are the entry level Bahia Principe Grand Aquamarine, Bahia Principe Grand Turquesa, and Bahia Principe Grand Punta Cana resorts, which offer phenomenal value, especially as significant upgrades, improvements, and more amenities continue their big-budget rollout.

How to Choose

The first step once you or your client decides on one of the most is to choose the right stay.

Traveling with kids? Choose Bahia Principe Fantasia, Bahia Principe Luxury Esmeralda, Bahia Principe Grand Turquesa, Bahia Principe Grand Bavaro, or Bahia Principe Brand Punta Cana. For an adults-only hotel, opt for Bahia Principe Luxury Ambar or Bahia Principe Grand Aquamarine. Just remember that although there are adults-only restaurants on the two latter properties, but any shared overall grounds are family-friendly.

Want near-total access? Then you’ll want to stay at the Luxury pair, which offers access to all common facilities and specialty restaurants everywhere but the Fantasia. This brings the total number of options to an unlimited amount of à la carte dinners at 26 available restaurants, 27 bars, and 10 swimming pools. For something more exclusive, the Fantasia offers access to all Bahia Principe Grand hotels for 20 restaurants, 22 bars, and 10 pools to choose from, and excludes guests from any of the other hotels for a more exclusive experience. On the other hand, if inclusions are a priority, adults-only Bahia Principe Grand Aquamarine is the second-most inclusive option, giving guests free rein to all Bahia Principe Grand Hotels plus the specialty restaurants, sports bar, and gym at Bahia Principe Luxury Ambar, which brings the total number of facilities to 19 restaurants, 19 bars, and six pools.

Finally, Bahia Principe Grands Bavaro, Punta Cana, and Turquesa share exchange privileges reciprocally, with amenities that add up to 14 restaurants and 13 or 16 bars (depending on your home base), plus six total pools.

Where to Eat

The list of genres the dining venues at Bahia Principe Bavaro is daunting, to say nothing of the actual amount of restaurants. The best way to make sure you eat in the style you want is to make sure you secure your reservations before you arrive. Remember, at all Bahia Principe Grand hotels, à la carte specialty restaurant experiences are limited based on length of stay, so it’s important to check out your options ahead of time … preferably even before the resort sends you the email letting you know that restaurant reservations are now open! You can pre-book on the Bahia Principe app, which we recommend downloading right away to get excited.

But if this slips your mind, you can also make your restaurant reservations at the hotel on the interactive screens at the resort when you get there. Just note that seats at your first choice may not be available close in for the most in-demand restaurants! However, rest assured – there’s always the international buffet restaurant, which is exclusive to the guests of the hotel they’re staying at.

To whet your appetite, some of the notable highlights to the complex’s dining options include:

• The Greek, a Mediterranean restaurant serving favorites like tabbouleh salad, moussaka, and chicken shawarma
• Fish Market for fresh catches such as snapper, sea bream, and octopus prepared in your preferred style
• Mikado or Maiko Japanese Restaurants for a teppanyaki experience that’s fun for the whole family, plus Mashua Nikkei, which adds Peruvian flair to Japanese food to further excite taste buds
• Restaurant Yurta, a unique experience that fuses Mongolian with pre-Colombian techniques and flavors
• Naan or Thali, which showcase the diversity and creativity of Indian cuisine
• Taino Restaurant, offering a taste of the ancestral flavors of the Dominican Republic, inspired by native techniques and ingredients

Make sure you ask about the culinary activity schedule as well! For instance, comprehensive rum tastings with DIY “molecular gastronomy” accents, cooking demonstrations, and more ought not be missed.

What to Do

In a resort complex of this size, the options for ways to spend your time abound. Of course there’s always the failsafe of laying about to soak in the sunshine and sip cocktails by the water. With six to ten pools (depending on where you’re staying) to pick from plus a soft spread of beach, shielded from the Dominican sun by straw umbrellas, you can spend a day at a different waterfront and still not get to them all in a short stay. But if you get tired of simply relaxing or finish your beach read early, alternative ways to pass the time are only minutes away.

Water sports enthusiasts should check out the Scubaquatics Activities Center to explore options like catamaran sailing, paddle-surfing, snorkeling, banana boats, and the like. Guests get an hour per day of certain activities for free upon request based on availability, so this is a value definitely worth “diving” into. And speaking of jumping in, guests can also receive a complimentary in-pool diving lesson if they ask, too!

Want to stay active but also remain on dry land? This complex has that covered, too, with fitness centers with plenty of modern equipment at the ready. Those staying at Bahia Principe Luxury Ambar are in for a real treat – their gym is expansive, renovated, spacious, and packed with the latest brand-new cardio, strength training, and pulley equipment.

But if you need a workout buddy to feel motivated while on vacation, aerobics, merengue, and yoga classes are also on the schedule every week, and tennis courts are available for booking. Plus, further afield, golfers will find themselves spoiled for choice in this internationally renowned golfing destination. Try Punta Blanca Golf Club, White Sands Golf, Bavaro Golf, and Cocotal Golf and Country Club.

For kids, a big water park with slides and sprinklers plus an expansive Kids Club that provides supervised learning activities keep them busy while parents might perhaps treat themselves to a spa day. At night, the dramatic MATUM show is a headline act that’s not to be missed. Taking place at the beachfront by – and sometimes in! – the lake-like pool, it provides captivating entertainment for all ages as performers dance through the mythology of the land’s Taino people and the blend of cultures that creates the Dominican Republic we know and love today.

And don’t forget to stop at the unique Bahia Principe Village at some point, where local vendors sell all the souvenirs you’d find in town competitively priced and within the resort grounds for your convenience. With #BahiaPrincipeMoments everywhere you turn, it’s worth it to bring home a tangible reminder of the memories.