Punta Cana Carnaval Highlights Art And Culture In The Dominican Republic | Essence (2024)

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Celebrating its 15th anniversary, this vibrant event featured live music, food trucks, and a beautiful display of talent from 1,500 carnival members representing locations from all over the Caribbean.

For many, the town of Punta Cana is the perfect travel destination year round, but during the month of February is when the area is truly special. This year, thousands of local and foreign visitors came to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Punta Cana Carnaval, the event that highlights the region’s artistic and cultural attractions on a global scale.

Held on Saturday, February 3, on November 1st Boulevard, the 2024 Carnaval began by featuring the coronation of King Momo, which was designated to former baseball star George Bell, the first Dominican-born player to win an AL MVP. The festivities continued with a parade that included 37 of the best parade groups and more than 1,500 carnival members representing places from across the Caribbean and beyond.

Amidst the vibrant atmosphere of live music, food trucks, and entertainment, attendees were also able to see the multicolored display of masks and costumes from the parade’s performers, as well as hear horns and percussionists from the youthful bands of the Dominican Republic. The Carnaval was not only fun and exciting, but it also served as testament to the town’s beauty, and an ode to the traditions and folklore of the country itself.

If you’re traveling to Punta Cana for next year’s Carnaval—or to the Dominican Republic in general—you’ll probably need a place to stay. While the region is full of tourist retreats, the Westin Puntacana Resort & Club is a beautiful oceanfront paradise that everyone should have the opportunity to experience. This newly renovated resort offers guests a rejuvenating stay with vitalizing wellness amenities and thoughtfully appointed hotel rooms and suites.

The dining options at The Westin are also second-to-none, especially if you’re a fan of both ambience and taste. For breakfast, Ananí offers a colorful and refreshing space for an exceptional Dominican food experience. Located in front of turquoise waters and a coral reef, Arena Beach Club offers excellent service, craft co*cktails, music, outdoors seating and a friendly atmosphere that’s ideal for a midday meal. For a quick drink, the always-popular Lobby Bar is a great place to meet great people while enjoying selections from some excellent bartenders.

Adding an exclamation point to the evening, visitors can take their pick between the resort’s many restaurants, specifically the dual threat that is Brassa Grill & Bar and Bao. Brassa is a contemporary steakhouse offering the best quality cuts and freshest seafood from around the world, while the latter is a Pan-Asian restaurant offering a unique dining experience, and the menu features a wide selection of fun, delicious and innovative shareable dishes using the freshest ingredients that the Dominican Republic has to offer.

Perhaps the most pleasant part of The Westin experience was Six Senses Spa, which was surrounded by miles of clear blue water and the area’s sandy white beach. The interior of the spa is Asian-inspired, and presents a range of innovative and comprehensive couples and golfing packages, as well as signature treatments and therapies. Its worldly team of masseuses used their patented holistic techniques and unique Six Sphere Philosophy to rejuvenate the mind and body. Whether it’s the locally-inspired signature massages for relaxation, or the refreshing body scrubs for healthier skin, this aims to be a life-changing encounter for anyone who walks through those doors.

During my trip to Punta Cana, I was able to enjoy the Eco Journey experience, a two-hour tour of the different stations of the Sustainability Center. Both fun and educational, the tour included a lesson on iguanas, bees, and the Hispaniolan Hawk. These events were followed by the opportunity to swim in the mythical lagoons of the Ojos Indígenas Ecological Reserve, a collection of 12 freshwater lagoons formed by Yauya, an underground river that breaks the surface due to the geological features of the area.

Between the resort, Carnaval 2024, and the Ojos Indígenas Ecological Reserve, the Dominican Republic will continue to be one of the most sought after tourist destinations in the world.

For more information on The Westin Puntacana Resort & Club, visit puntacana.com.