The sea temperature at Punta Cana (Playa Bávaro) today is 29.6 °C (85 °F) – water as warm as a bath. The usual October average is 29.5 °C. Over the last 30 days the sea temperature has held at around 29.6 °C. Swimmable all year – the sea averages 26 °C or more in every month. Source: Sea Temp Map (seatempmap.com) – NASA MUR satellite data and the Copernicus Marine sea forecast.
| Month | Min | Avg | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 26.7°C / 80.0°F | 27.0°C / 80.7°F | 27.4°C / 81.4°F |
| February | 26.2°C / 79.1°F | 26.6°C / 79.8°F | 26.9°C / 80.5°F |
| March | 26.2°C / 79.1°F | 26.6°C / 79.8°F | 27.1°C / 80.7°F |
| April | 26.6°C / 80.0°F | 27.0°C / 80.5°F | 27.4°C / 81.2°F |
| May | 27.2°C / 80.9°F | 27.7°C / 81.9°F | 28.2°C / 82.8°F |
| June | 27.9°C / 82.2°F | 28.4°C / 83.1°F | 29.1°C / 84.3°F |
| July | 28.3°C / 82.9°F | 28.7°C / 83.6°F | 29.2°C / 84.5°F |
| August | 28.5°C / 83.3°F | 29.1°C / 84.3°F | 29.4°C / 84.9°F |
| September | 28.9°C / 84.1°F | 29.4°C / 85.0°F | 29.8°C / 85.7°F |
| October | 28.9°C / 84.0°F | 29.5°C / 85.0°F | 30.0°C / 86.0°F |
| November | 28.3°C / 83.0°F | 28.7°C / 83.7°F | 29.1°C / 84.4°F |
| December | 27.3°C / 81.1°F | 27.8°C / 82.0°F | 28.2°C / 82.8°F |
| Month | Min | Avg | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 24.0°C / 75.3°F | 25.1°C / 77.3°F | 26.3°C / 79.3°F |
| February | 23.7°C / 74.7°F | 24.9°C / 76.9°F | 26.1°C / 79.0°F |
| March | 23.9°C / 75.0°F | 25.3°C / 77.5°F | 26.5°C / 79.6°F |
| April | 24.2°C / 75.5°F | 25.5°C / 78.0°F | 26.7°C / 80.0°F |
| May | 25.4°C / 77.7°F | 26.7°C / 80.1°F | 27.8°C / 82.1°F |
| June | 26.3°C / 79.3°F | 27.5°C / 81.4°F | 28.4°C / 83.2°F |
| July | 26.5°C / 79.8°F | 27.7°C / 81.9°F | 28.5°C / 83.3°F |
| August | 26.8°C / 80.2°F | 27.9°C / 82.3°F | 28.9°C / 84.1°F |
| September | 26.6°C / 79.9°F | 28.0°C / 82.4°F | 29.1°C / 84.4°F |
| October | 26.4°C / 79.5°F | 27.6°C / 81.8°F | 28.7°C / 83.6°F |
| November | 25.5°C / 77.9°F | 26.7°C / 80.1°F | 27.7°C / 81.8°F |
| December | 24.6°C / 76.3°F | 25.7°C / 78.2°F | 26.7°C / 80.0°F |
5-year averages (2021–2025). Min/Max are typical daily lows and highs, not record extremes. (Copernicus ERA5)
Playa Bávaro holidays
Stretching along the easternmost tip of the Dominican Republic, Punta Cana is the resort coast of the province of La Altagracia, with white sand and coconut palms running for dozens of kilometres from Uvero Alto in the north to Cap Cana in the south. Strictly, the name belongs to the cape itself, but in everyday use it covers the whole coast, including Bávaro, where most of the large all-inclusive resorts stand.
Beaches
Bávaro Beach is a long stretch of fine white sand, and an offshore reef keeps much of the water calm and shallow enough for children. Macao, further north, is a public beach with bigger waves that draws surfers, and Juanillo in Cap Cana is a quieter curve of sand. Sargassum seaweed can wash up on the Punta Cana coast, mostly in spring and summer; many resorts clean their beaches, but the amount varies. The sea temperature on this page is measured off Playa Bávaro.
Things to do
Catamaran and speedboat trips cross to Saona Island in the Cotubanamá National Park, often stopping at a shallow sandbank in the sea known as the natural pool. Isla Catalina, off La Romana, is a snorkelling stop. Scape Park in Cap Cana has the Hoyo Azul cenote, a turquoise pool at the foot of a cliff, and the Indigenous Eyes Ecological Park has freshwater lagoons for swimming. Inland, the modern Basilica of Our Lady of Altagracia in Higüey is a major pilgrimage site, and Altos de Chavón, a replica Mediterranean village above the Chavón River near La Romana, makes a half-day trip. The colonial city of Santo Domingo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is about two and a half hours away by road.
Weather and best time to visit
At Playa Bávaro the sea stays above 26 °C / 79 °F all year, even in the coolest month.
Punta Cana is warm all year. The drier months from December to April are the high season, while May to November is wetter, usually with short, heavy showers. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June to November, and the risk is highest from August to October.
Hotels and where to stay
Most visitors stay in all-inclusive resorts. Bávaro and the area around El Cortecito have shops and restaurants within walking distance, Uvero Alto and Macao are more secluded, and Cap Cana is a gated area with a marina, golf courses and upmarket hotels.
Signature hotels: Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana · Barceló Bávaro Palace (Bávaro)
Airport and getting there
Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ) is about 20 to 30 minutes by road from Bávaro and has direct flights from North America and Europe. Most resorts arrange transfers, and taxis run at fixed rates. Santo Domingo's Las Américas Airport is a two-and-a-half-hour drive away, and Expreso Bávaro buses connect Bávaro with Santo Domingo.