Dominican Republic
Punta Cana in December
🌦️ Shoulder (showers)Warm, humid and some showers.
🎒 Pack: quick-dry fabrics · sunglasses & hat
Why December scores 8.5What goes into the score
How it works- Weather comfort7.8
- ✓Warm (29°C highs / 22°C lows)
- !Very humid/sticky (dew point 22.9°C)
- ✓Mostly dry (~91 mm rain)
- Air quality9.9
- ✓Good (within WHO guideline) (PM2.5 ~6 µg/m³)
- Seasonal hazards10.0
- ·No notable seasonal hazards
- Safety baseline6.5
- ·Increased caution
| Dec | Mar | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 8.5 Excellent | 8.8 Excellent |
| Season | 🌦️ Shoulder (showers) | ☀️ Dry season |
| High / low | 29° / 22° | 29° / 22° |
| Rain | 91 mm | 50 mm |
| Humidity | dew pt 23° | dew pt 22° |
| PM2.5 | 6 µg/m³ | 6 µg/m³ |
Typical-month data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis) 2015–2024 (modelled, not a forecast). Temperatures: Punta Cana Airport weather-station normals. Rainfall: Punta Cana International Airport weather-station normals (national met service).
Holidays & crowdsDecember 2026
Long weekendThere's at least one long weekend. Domestic travel picks up and popular spots get busier over those days.
- Christmas Day 25–27 Dec · 3 days off in a row
National holidays only; regional holidays and school breaks aren't included. Source: holidays (open-source public-holiday calendar).
Explore Punta CanaEvents, sights, food & souvenirs
Check event dates locallyResort area on the eastern tip of the Dominican Republic, known for long white-sand Caribbean beaches, all-inclusive hotels and day trips to Saona Island.
No major events on our calendar for December.
Coming up later
Dominican CarnivalDate variesSundays in February — date moves each year
Parades with masked devil characters (diablos cojuelos) and costumes.
Why go: Resorts may run their own events; the biggest parades are outside Punta Cana.
Where: Towns across the country, with the largest parades in La Vega and Santo Domingo
Independence DayEvery year27 February every year
A national holiday marking independence from Haiti in 1844, often coinciding with carnival celebrations.
Why go: Banks and offices close.
Where: Nationwide
Bávaro Beach
A long stretch of white sand and calm water lined with resorts.
💡 Hurricane season runs from June to November; sargassum seaweed can wash up in the warmer months.
Macao Beach
A wider, less-developed beach north of Bávaro with surf schools.
Saona Island
An island in the Parque Nacional del Este reached by catamaran or speedboat day trips.
Indigenous Eyes Ecological Park
A reserve with freshwater lagoons for swimming, inside the Puntacana resort area.
Hoyo Azul
A turquoise cenote at the foot of a cliff, visited with an adventure park.
Altos de Chavón
A Mediterranean-style stone village and amphitheatre above the Chavón River near La Romana.
La bandera
The everyday Dominican lunch of rice, red beans and stewed meat.
💡 Local comedores
Mangú
Mashed green plantains, often served with fried salami, cheese and eggs for breakfast.
💡 Local eateries and hotel breakfasts
Sancocho
A rich stew of several meats and root vegetables.
💡 Local restaurants, often at weekends
Fried fish with tostones
Whole fried fish served with fried green plantain.
💡 Beach shacks
Mamajuana
A drink made by soaking bark and herbs in rum, wine and honey.
💡 Bars and shops
Larimar
A blue stone found only in the Dominican Republic, set in jewellery.
💡 Jewellery shops; ask for authenticity
Dominican amber
Amber from the north of the country, sometimes with trapped insects.
💡 Jewellery shops
Cigars
Hand-rolled Dominican cigars.
💡 Cigar shops
Dominican coffee and cacao
Locally grown coffee and chocolate.
💡 Supermarkets and gift shops