Dominican Republic Recs?

punta cana

Only been to Casa de Campo. Without reviewing that experience too much, I'll just say I wished I would've gone to Punta Cana and others rather than putting all my eggs in one basket.

Casa de Campo has fantastic everything (except beaches) but you're really stuck there in a massive compound. I tried to leave and drive into town, security kept pulling me over and (mis)directing me away from front gate. I felt trapped in, say, a tropical Hot Springs Village. So I wore myself out day after day on the golf course. Did the hunting/shooting too, wasn't as exciting as anticipated or advertised.

To boot, in low season (June) the faux towns, shops were dead/depressing. Maybe that was the problem.

I've heard of better experiences in Punta Cana, for example. If you like options.

Would return to Casa de Campo under limited circumstances (eg, strictly golf trip) but it's no way to actually experience a new country for the first time, and there are suitable (and probably better) alternatives.