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REAL DEALS

Recharge in the Dominican Republic

Airfare and three nights at an all-inclusive resort set on the white-sand beaches of Punta Cana.
Thursday, April 12, 2007 |

The Real Deal: Three nights' accommodations and all meals, snacks, and drinks from $475 per person.

When: Depart May 1 to Nov. 18, 2007; Nov. 27 to Dec. 22.

Gateways: Fort Lauderdale; add $150 for Baltimore, Chicago, Newark, Philadelphia; $200 for Dallas, Houston, Kansas City.

The Fine Print: Airport taxes are roughly $120 per person. No airport-hotel transfers are included; expect to pay about $50 per person each way. Resort taxes and gratuities are included. Based on double occupancy; single supplement is $199. For general guidelines on evaluating deals, click here.

Book By: July 31, 2007.

Contact: Leisure Link, 888/801-8808, eleisurelink.com.

Why It's a Deal: In comparison, round-trip airfare to Punta Cana in early May was recently $394 from New York City (American) and $488 from Chicago (American).

Trip Details: The $475 price for this package includes a three-night stay at the Occidental Allegro Punta Cana, an older resort that houses 540 brightly painted rooms in nine 3-story buildings. The clientele is more families and couples than college-age partygoers. One drawback: There are no refrigerators in the rooms. All meals and drinks (including alcohol) are included. Other included activities are horseback riding on the beach, an introductory scuba lesson, and nightly shows, including Dominican dances. Extend your stay for $75 per night per person (based on double occupancy) or $149 per person for a solo traveler.

The Dominican Republic is twice the size of Vermont that is located about 50 miles due west of Puerto Rico. Prices on the island are roughly a third lower than in Puerto Rico and many other Caribbean destinations. According to occasional Budget Travel contributor Paul Balido, "You can drive for hours on end in the Dominican Republic, from undeveloped Barahona on the pleasant southwest coast, past mountains so high that apples grow on their cool flanks, all the way up to the north-coast resorts; this is also the only Caribbean island that offers white-water rafting." For more highlights, visit the Dominican Republic's official tourism site.

Before you go, check out the current forecast by clicking here. Find the exchange rate and local time at BudgetTravelOnline.com.

Related Stories on the Caribbean:

Punta Cana: Penny-wise in Paradise

Secret Hotels of the Caribbean

For Sale: Day Passes to Caribbean Resorts

Note: This story was accurate when it was published. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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