10 Best Places to Go Shopping in Punta Cana

Plaza Bávaro is a shopping centre in the neighbourhood of Bávaro. You can find stores selling clothing, jewellery and locally made handicrafts, cigars and other island souvenirs. There is also a pharmacy and DHL shipping station, plus several money exchanges.

Plaza Bávaro is a fun place to mingle with locals as they go about their daily shopping. However, many of the items here are priced for tourists. As a visitor, you must be willing to haggle. It’s best to wander around the shops, bargaining with the vendors until you reach a reasonable price. When you want to take a break, there's a bar in the middle of the mall serving cold drinks and local snacks.

Mundo Autentico is the souvenir shop attached to the Don Lucas Cigar Factory. If you want to bring cigars home with you, Mundo Autentico is the best place to buy them. You can also purchase other authentic and genuine Dominican Republic products, including amber, larimar, paintings, rum, coffee, cacao and mamajuana. Prices are set, so you don’t need to haggle.

You can combine a visit to Mundo Autentico with a free tour of the cigar factory. During the tour, learn more about the Dominican history of cigar-making and the process of hand-making cigars – from gathering and preparing the tobacco leaves to rolling them. Inside the same building, you can also visit the Choco Museo, Coffee Museum, and Rum Lounge.

Plaza Bibijagua is a market on Bibijagua beach, right next to Barcelo Bavaro Beach Resort. On a stroll through the collection of stalls, you’ll find beach clothing, snorkelling masks, beach floats, traditional Dominican souvenirs, jewellery, rum, coffee, and mamajuana – a locally made liquor famously known as an aphrodisiac.

The first price you will be offered on an item is usually very high, so you’ll need to bargain hard to get a good deal. The trick is not to express too much interest in a particular product or the vendor will be reluctant to decrease the price. Visit several booths before settling on a price as other vendors may be more willing to haggle. After shopping, refuel with a fresh coconut beverage or ice-cold Presidente beer. Enjoy a relaxing massage, or have your hair braided!

Chez Nicole Boutique is a high-end store located at the Residencial Palma Real Villas at The Golf Suites. Shoppers looking for high-quality souvenirs, organic wellness products, and locally handmade jewellery could easily spend a couple of hours at this chic boutique.

Besides shopping, you can discover some local culinary traditions – for free. You can sample Dominican chocolate, learn how cacao is made, taste homemade mamajuana drinks, and watch a demonstration to see how local cigars are traditionally rolled.

Galerias at Puntacana Village is a vibrant shopping and dining complex located in front of Punta Cana International Airport and only a few kilometres from the Puntacana Resort & Club. After a day exploring the island, stroll around here and enjoy some window shopping. You’ll find various shops such as Santa Paloma selling items from Latin American designers, Happy Birthday and Gift, and Aurora and Craft.

Puntacana Village is a charming, family-oriented residential area, so families can enjoy the playground, ice cream parlour, and children’s clothing boutique. There are also several excellent restaurants serving local, Mediterranean, and international cuisines. The restaurants here tend to be less expensive than those at most resorts in the region.

San Juan Shopping Centre is a great spot offering a wide range of goods near Downtown Punta Cana. Oriented more towards locals, this mall is a cool shopping destination for any visitor interested in mingling with local Dominicans. You’ll find over 60 stores, including a pharmacy, supermarket, designer shops, and national and international brands.

If you feel like watching a movie, San Juan Shopping Centre has 7 movie theatres. To browse products made by Dominican artisans, make a beeline for Las Americas. The gift shop offers a wonderful selection of locally made arts and crafts. You can also see how tobacco products are made or enjoy a cup of coffee.

Blue Mall Punta Cana is an upmarket shopping mall conveniently located just 2 km from Punta Cana International Airport. The shopping hub is a great place to spend a couple of hours when you feel like escaping the tropical heat.

The single-floor, air-conditioned mall consists of boutiques selling international brands and excellent cafés and restaurants. There's also a fantastic outdoor arena with a central fountain. Stick around to enjoy one of the incredible water shows with lights and sounds.

Downtown Mall Punta Cana is a modern shopping mall in the heart of Bávaro-Punta Cana. It opened in 2018 and has 60 stores spread across 3 floors, plus a wide choice of eateries to suit all palates.

Combine your shopping spree with a visit to the nearby Downtown Punta Cana – a fun-filled amusement and entertainment hub. Go swimming with dolphins and surfing at the aqua park by day. And at night, celebrate your island holiday at Hard Rock Cafe or Coco Bongo, a top nightlife venue with live performances.

Plaza Uvero Alto is a shopping centre that you can find as you head north along the east coast of Punta Cana. Take a stroll through the quaint area and plan to spend a few hours here because it’s packed with handicraft stores. Take your time browsing the colourful stalls full of crafts, ceramics, regional paintings, beautifully designed jewellery made with larimar, and other locally made novelties and souvenirs.

When you find something you like, be prepared to haggle. Though the local shopkeepers here are very friendly, they don’t speak much English, so you can either practise your Spanish or bring someone along to help you.

Cap Cana offers the ultimate luxury shopping experience in Punta Cana. Situated in the south, the real estate and hotel destination is famous for its high-end resorts and the ocean-facing Punta Espada Golf Club with views of the Caribbean Sea. Dotted around Cap Cana are excellent upscale stores selling art, books, music, designer beach gear, and locally made Dominican’s gifts such as cigars and rum.

At the Cap Cana Marina, you can shop for larimar gemstones, unique to the Dominican Republic. Step into the store of breakthrough Dominican designer Jenny Polanco. You’ll be tempted to buy something from her beautiful collection of home décor, clothing, jewellery and accessories.