Archive for January, 2008

The sailing

Monday, January 28th, 2008

The sailingYou can practice sailing and windsurfing at Punta Cana. Since it is very windy, it is the right place to practice these activities. But there is a lot of waves so it isn’t really easy for beginners.

The kayak

Sunday, January 27th, 2008

The kayakAt Punta Cana, you have the opportunity to practice the kayak in the sea. The kayak has room for two people but you can use it alone. I have tried once but it was too windy and I ended into the water after only 10 meters. If you try the kayak, pay attention to the sunburn because with the wind, you may not feel directly that the sun is really hot there.

The roller

Thursday, January 24th, 2008

The rollerThe resort has all the required equipments to practice the roller (head protective device, hand protection, roller). There is a ramp dedicated to this sport. There are also some GO available to perform the resort circuit with you. Few times a day, you will cross them as a small group in the resort (they signal themselves by whistling).

The tennis

Tuesday, January 22nd, 2008

Le tennisThe tennis is one of the main sports activities at Punta Cana. It is located next to the archery. There are 14 courts (8 hard and 6 soft). You can play all over the day since some of the courts have some lights (the night comes at 6 PM at Punta Cana).

One hour lessons are given every day (in the morning and in the afternoon). You have three levels : beginner, intermediate and advanced.

The GO team has between 3 and 4 members depending on the season. In December 2007, there was Gaelle (the manager, french), Raymond (from Haïti, very friendly) and Ashley (from Chicago, a bit shy at the beginning but very friendly when you start to know her).

Tournaments are organized at 4:45 PM almost every day. Depending on the day, you have : double, mixed double, surprise double, single and davis cup. The surprise double is very funny because you play each game with a different player. It allows to level the games and to meet new players.

For the sports addicts, the tennis is an inescapable place in the resort. There is usually very good players. Finally, the only problem is the rain because when it rains, the activity closes for few hours (the time required for the courts to dry). The good thing is that it doesn’t rain every day.

The archery

Sunday, January 20th, 2008

The archeryThe archery is located behind the tennis. There is two sites, one for the children and one for the adults. Since the activity is far from the resort center, there is usually only few people. It is excellent to practice archery while the weather is too hot to perform anything else. It is quite simple for a beginner to learn archery basics quickly. The Club has the right level of equipment to practice this activity safely.

The swimming pool

Friday, January 18th, 2008

The swimming poolThe resort swimming pool, located next to the main pub, is one of the biggest I have ever seen. It isn’t really deep because of the numerous children in the resort. From a design prospective, it represents three consecutive rings. The first one is reserved for babies and children. The last one is the biggest and has a central island.

The swimming pool is opened 24 hours a day. It is monitored by pool supervisors. The water temperature is really nice. It is easy to take into it. There are deckchairs all around the pool but since there is a lot of people, you need to wake up early if you want to have one.

The snorkeling

Sunday, January 13th, 2008

The snorkeling can be performed in the sea, next to the kayak. While not being the best one over the world, the marine environment is nice. You can see beautifull fishes just by swimming few meters from the beach in places where the sea isn’t deep. Some people have seen manta rays. I haven’t seen them however I have seen blue and green fishes swimming around me, certainly interested by my presence. You will get a snorkel, a mask and flippers from the Club, so all the required equipment in order to discover the tropical marine environment.

The circus

Sunday, January 13th, 2008

L’école de cirqueThe resort has a circus school where you can try the flying trapeze and the trampoline. It is located next to the body building and the theater. If you like the extreme feelings, don’t hesitate to try it, the security is appropriate. I didn’t had the time to try this activity but all the feedback I had were really positive.

The beach volley

Saturday, January 12th, 2008

Le terrain de beach volleyThe beach volley field is located next to the bocce ball and the fitness. It is obviously on the beach. Everyday, there is a game organized at 10:30 AM and 4:30 PM. The field is a bit small (because of the palm trees). Therefore, you have to be carefull when you serve or you smash the ball, otherwise, it is go outside of the field limits.

I really advise you to go and play the beach volley because it is really excellent. Moreover, the GO who takes care of this activity is simply amazing. He is very funny and friendly. You cannot miss him, this is Tonton Roberson.

The bocce ball

Thursday, January 10th, 2008

Le terrain de pétanqueThe bocce ball is practiced by many GM in Punta Cana as many retired travelers are in the resort. The bocce ball ground is located on the beach, between the night club and the swimming pool. So the ground is made of sand. It is more or less hard depending on the side. So you have to pay attention to this before throwing the ball as it can easily get  stuck or roll more than expected.

Each two days, you have a tournament organized at 3 PM. You have all kind of players from the beginner to the expert. Beware that even if this is only bocce ball at the Club Med, some players aren’t there to laugh and will fight hard for each point.