Punta Cana Live Cam

Located in the extreme of the East Coast of Dominican Republic, located in the middle of a privilege nature of beaches with thin and white sand, bath by the waters of the Caribbean Sea, with its infinity of beautiful blue tones, with its coconuts trees which, standing upright, confront the severity of the burning sun, projecting their silhouettes in the impressed faces of those who can not conceive the idea of so much beauty surrounded by exuberance forests in an ecological reserve, is just ten minutes away from the Punta Cana International Airport.

Punta Cana is located 48 kilometers from Higuey, the nearest town, and 200 kilometers from Santo Domingo city, the capital of the Dominican Republic, in the middle of a property far from the noisy and pollution typical from the big cities.

This Resort of 400 rooms, with his extraordinary natural beauty, offers an invaluable privacy that can only be found in a property conceived, constructed and managed with an ecological conscience.

Punta Cana is not a city, it is not a town or a mega-hotel, but a Destination formed by a private Airport that serves the whole area, a Marina where boats can approach from all nations, an Ecological Foundation, a Cattle Ranch, a Construction Company, and in the near future a golf course, a school, a medical center and a second Hotel also of low density, where the old style of a personalize attention is part of our philosophy. Watching a coconut tree across the roof of a villa is not a coincidence, but a demonstration of the compromise that the Punta Cana Group has committed itself to the conviction of the importance of living in harmony with nature.

In order to preserve these privileged natural sources, that characterize us, we have included in the common areas, designed structures and built with local materials that allow the circulation of wind, refreshing the atmosphere during the whole year, without the need of air conditioners neither artificial lights during the day. We also use low watts bulbs; we recycle paper, cardboard and glass. Our organic waste goes to the pig farm, and part of the vegetables and fruits that are served at our restaurants, come from our own organic garden. In this way, we reduced the use of fuel and the generation of garbage. The hot water that is used in the buildings is heated through solar panels and the sewage’s are processed by a treatment plant that through natural process, purifies the residuals waters, and feeds one lagoon which presently, have fish.

For protection of the integrity of this natural treasure, the Punta Cana Group, besides all his inversions and effort in keeping the respect toward the environment, through the donation of 10 million square meters of land, to be kept as an "Ecology Reserve", have created the Punta Cana Ecological Foundation. In armony with nature, a path has been opened so visitors can explore and know this singular beauty, where red mangrove, lagoon of crystal waters and few endemic species, are preserved in his natural habitat. The hotel has its own organic garden for fruits and vegetables open to the public.

The International Airport, a private company, operated in coordination with the Dominican State, is located in the East Cost of the Dominican Republic. Opened in January 19,1984, has extended his terminal in four opportunities and its runway have been extended from 5,000 to 9,200, and at the end of 1997 was extended up to 10,400 feet of length, allowing the landing of 727, 707, 757, 767, 737, DC-8, DC-10, L-1011, MD-11, MD-80, Air Bus A-300 airplanes, and the Boeings 747.

During its first year of operation received 2,976 international passengers, while in 1990 71,231 passengers arrived by its terminal. By 1993 the International Airport, received 164,717 passengers; in 1994, 226716; in 1995 342,000; in 1996 more than 400,000; in 1997 around 500,000, and in 1998 more that 550,000 international passengers.

At the beginning of 1994, the Airport received an average of 45 weekly flights and receive around 90 weekly flights in summer time and about 125 in winter time, from different countries: Canada, United States, South America and Europe. It has all the facilities and equipment of a modern airport, including radio-assisted equipment, like VOR and ADF and air-land communication. For night operations we’re provided with the regulated lights for the runway and a light system for approaching that offers better security for the airplanes and an additional light for a better landing. We are also prepared with modern ambulances, fireman trucks and ramp equipment that help the operations of the airlines that used the unique Punta Cana Airport.

Right now, the ramp area has the capacity to handle six wide body airplanes at the same time, including the 747, and 18 parking positions for general aviation aircraft. With the new gas construction it will be possible to refill it from the same position.

Among the airlines that fly to the Airport, we can find: Condor, LTU, Lauda Air, Martinair Holland, National, North American, City Bird, Leisure, Sobalair, Air Europa, Air Transat, Balair, Airplus, Britania, Aerocancún, Aces, Spanair, Air Portugal, Lapa, Hapag Lloyd and others. American Eagle offers regular flights from and to Puerto Rico, AOM allows passengers to flight directly Paris-Punta Cana-Paris, and Lanchile has regular flights from Miami. Air Santo Domingo, the only airline with regular flights to all the main cities in the Dominican Republic, also operates from and to Airport.

Water sky, snorkeling, sailing boats, windsurf, kayaks, daytime tennis (4 courts. There is a charge for lightening use), Ping-Pong, volleyball, aerobics, water polo. It is just required previous reservation. We also have free daily instruction, with certification, when a basic level is reached, and the possibility of being part of competitions between the same guests, with prizes and certification awards for participation.

Scuba-Diving, with our school recognized as a PADI five stars facility, with a recognized instructor offering certification courses under PADI system, in different levels, and we dive at twelve different sites. Horseback riding tours, personal instructors and different routes to be chosen, is another attraction.

Brief General History And Description Of Punta Cana Destination And Future Projects

It all started in 1969, when an American living in Puerto Rico was flying the East Coast of Dominican Republic, looking for a place to establish a Merchant Marine School. Then he found himself in this wonderful extension of 8 kms of white sandy beaches that shined in contrast with the crystalline waters that pick up the intense blue sky, a blue spotted by the whites of the surf, like if they were clouds in the sea after crossing the coral reef barricade which protects the whole extension of this hidden paradise. He just discovered "PUNTA CANA"

Amazed by the beauty of the zone, and advised by the Dominican FRANK RAINIERI, while he was doing as a guide and translator, persuaded others American investors, and together they bought an area that in that time was just an isolated zone, where just twenty rural families were living in a rudimentary condition. Among those visionary investors was THEODORE W. KHEEL, actual Chairman of the Board of "PUNTA CANA GROUP".

Remembering the inaccessibility of the zone, where you could get there by sea, air or mule, FRANK RAINIERI tells us about his first visit in a helicopter: "When we landed, a family ran scare when they saw this amazing flying bird".

The encounter of these men with visionary ideas, totally dishevel in that moment, turned out to be the making of an enterprise that three decades later became the faster growing tourist destination in the Caribbean.

In October 23,1971, it was opened with lots of pride, great hopes, and a lot of work, the first hotel in the zone, the PUNTA CANA CLUB, with twenty simple rooms, a club house, 6 houses for the employees, a restaurant, laundry, bar, a rustic runway and a small electric power plant to light the whole project. This small hotel disappeared, and the land was rented to the first major international renowned Resort in the zone: CLUB MEDITERRANEE PUNTA CANA started in 1978 and finished in 1981.

In 1984, the GPC made true an idea long time cherished: THE PUNTA CANA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. It started its operations at the end of 1984, rewarding the essential need of connecting PUNTA CANA directly with the rest of the world.

The airport designed by architect OSCAR IMBERT, present amazing architectural singularities, a result of the combination of modern and autochthonous elements. In four occasions, it has been expanded, until September 1998, when Hurricane Georges forced us to rebuild the whole terminal, now we have a new airport. The runway also has been extended from 5,000 to 10,200 feet. The AIPC possesses all the equipment and facilities from a modern international airport including gift shops services, cafeterias, catering and free zone

Now owned just by GPC, the AIPC not only has helped in a decisive way to the economic development of the zone, but also it is a model preserving the ecology in his surrounding, reason why it was chosen by Public Broadcasting Service as a model in sustained development.

Actually, PUNTA CANA BEACH RESORT, share the touristical success of the East region of Dominican Republic with others big hotels complex, with an estimate of 16,000 rooms, generating more than 30,000 employment’s and promoting the development of new industries and enterprises. What it was a dream back in 1969, today is a reality.

By 1985, it was started the construction of PUNTA CANA ACUEDUCT, which today provides all the Group facilities.

But the dream did not finished there. In 1987, knowing the need of having our own house, the GPC in partnership with a group of Dominican investors, started the construction of a hotel that would be managed by the same GROUP, under the name of PUNTA CANA BEACH RESORT.

This hotel complex, also designed by Architect OSCAR IMBERT, is an encounter with nature, the perfect union between a privileged natural environment and comfort. The buildings of common use, make an architectonic group that stands out by the respect for the surrounding paradise where is located, and for the use of elements and materials from the primitive and nature architecture of the zone.

Designed with the concept of very low density was built in 420,000 square meters of land, and projected for 500 rooms. Actually we have reached just 400 rooms, a controlled development so we can hold the concept of privacy and low density that characterize us since the beginning. The Hotel has 800 meters of beach of thin and white sand, which makes our Punta Cana a paradise for kids and adults.

Each area, like "Mamma Venezia" restaurant, of Italian cuisine, and the elegant restaurant "La Cana", are a mix where the rustic and the majestic are reconciled. An example of this is the impressive building of "La Tortuga" restaurant, with an imposing arch and thatch, which identify us around the world.

The roofs made with the leaf from the Palma Cana tree are a constant in our buildings. They isolate heat from the sun, no matter how hot is the summer, and they showed us that they could resist the worst storms. That is why common areas are open and have natural ventilation, being "La Proa" Discotheque, the rooms and the offices, the only places where air conditioners are used.

The villas, located between the coconut trees or between the exuberant vegetation that surround the four tennis courts, are little paradise from where, we can enjoy the singing of numerous species of birds, which bring grace to the surrounding.

We keep expanding: A modern conference room, equipped with all the facilities, and capacity for 300 people, were inaugurated late 1995, opening the doors of Punta Cana to a new public.

In the year 1994, came out the PUNTA CANA ECOLOGICAL FOUNDATION, a non-profit entity, managing an extension of ten million square meters (ten thousand hectares) of practically virgin forest, lands donated by GPC, with the only intention of preserve the natural and cultural treasure of the zone.

After finishing the 400 rooms at the Hotel, the conference room "Yauya", the PUNTA CANA ECOLOGICAL FOUNDATION we inaugurate LA MARINA PUNTA CANA, a project largely studied, that finally came true. Early 1996 the MARINA was declared by the Dominican State as an International Port, opening the maritime communication of Punta Cana with the rest of the world and for tourists arriving with their own ships and expecting to find all the facilities and comfort from the modern world.

LA MARINA PUNTA CANA, officially inaugurated on August the 14th. 1998, has custom and migration services, 48 parking spaces for boats, electricity, drinking water, cable TV, telephone, restaurant, 46 apartments, most of them already sold. Besides, lots for the construction of private residences of which there are already four in construction.

Beside the actual apartments and the homes that are been built, in the MARINA we are going to start the construction of another apartment building, that will increase the capability of the residential area, not forgetting the privacy and quietness that are characteristics of the Marina Punta Cana.

In this moment we are working in the project "CORALES DE PUNTA CANA", an exclusive residential zone, where privacy and the environment will predominate, where as well as in all the other projects of the Group, just a third part of the land will be developed, staying the rest as a natural reserve. Another project that is already a reality. It has 55 big lots, part of them located by the coast, north from the property of GPC, a project that we are proudly developing in conjunction with Mr. OSCAR DE LA RENTA and Mr. JULIO IGLESIAS, whose houses are already part of the project.

The "CORPORACION ELECTRICA DEL ESTE" project, with an investment of 3.5 million dollars, since early 1998 is providing reliable electrical power to all the GPC projects, and has enough capacity to supply all the future ones.

Since December 1998 we started the development of PUNTA CANA BEACH & GOLF, our most ambitious project. The internationally renowned golf designer Pete Dye has designed it. It is an extension of 5,000,000 of square meters of land, with more than 2,200 meters by the seashore.

THE GOLF will have, in its first stage, a golf course of 18 holes, 9 of them facing the ocean, a hotel with 400 rooms and a clubhouse by the seashore. A second stage will finish the project with another golf court of 18 holes, 350 lots of land for villas, a mall, polo court and a spa.

Recently, the PUNTA CANA FOUNDATION was created, a foundation that will take care of the promotion of the social cultural and economic development of the Punta Cana region. Its first big project already started: The construction of Punta Cana School and the home for children that will be called Child of the Caribbean. These two will be managed by the Child of the Caribbean foundation, that will bring the opportunity of bilingual education, medical care and a home where the kids will have the chance to grow up in a healthy environment, surrounded by the richness of the nature.

At the same time we are going to start the development of a Medical Center, a residential area for employees and their families, and all this as a result of the creation of the, an institution dedicated to promote the social, cultural and economical development of the Punta Cana area.

But this is not all, Punta Cana will not stop growing, they are many other projects to be developed, like the Punta Cana Town, the Corporate Offices in Punta Cana, the Punta Cana Medical Center and the new Hotel in Corales de Punta Cana, all this mean a future full of possibilities that for someone will look like an unreachable dream, the same way that 15 years ago the hotel, the Marina, and the airport look unreachable and today they are a clear reality.

The spirit, the positive attitude, the love for this region, the interest to help the community, the integration between ourselves, are the things that make LA GRAN FAMILIA PUNTA CANA, whose principal motivation is to give those who visit us, the conviction that this is also their paradise.