Punta Rucia

Punta Rucia is a small fishing village that is a very quiet place, no raucous party-town here. But when the tour groups come, they descend in droves. Most people who visit here do so on a day excursion from any number of all-inclusive resorts along the North Coast [1] to visit Cayo Arena [2] (Paradise Island).

There are no services in Punta Rucia, so if you plan on staying a night or so, come very prepared. You are now in one of the most remote and disconnected areas of the Dominican Republic [3]. Don’t expect a cell phone to have a signal here.

Getting to Punta Rucia

Since there is no bus service of any kind to this area the only way to get here independently is by driving. To be perfectly frank, reaching Punta Rucia is a veritable nightmare. There are two routes from which to choose. There is the “longer but semi-comfortable” route, or the “shorter but horrifically uncomfortable” route.

The first is a 25-kilometer road from Villa Isabella that is paved for part of the way, and there are two rivers over which you will need to cross. A four-wheel-drive vehicle is best for this journey. You can usually drive right through them, but locals will usually help if you need them. Tipping is customary. Head toward the town Estero Hondo. Playa Ensenada [4] and Punta Rucia are just beyond that.

The second route is from the Santiago–Monte Cristi Highway (Carretera 1). Turn off at Villa Elisa; this is where reality seems to end and it feels more like traveling on an amusement park ride for 14 kilometers. Please hold on to the bar!