DR - Puerto Plata or Punta Cana
 

Are there any sinificant differences btween to two places? Which place is better to visit my travel companion is interested in the beach and snorkeling, i am interested in adventure activites ans cultural sights. Thanks.

There are no cultural sights at all in or around Punta Cana, so I'd probably steer you away from there. Puerto Plata was a real colonial town, so there is a little bit more to see there, though it's not exactly a hotbed of culture. For that you need to go to Santo Domingo.

Having said that, Punta Cana is much closer to Santo Domingo than Puerto Plata.

More of the adventure-type activities originate in Puerto Plata, where you can find wind surfing and, if you go up into the mountains (at least 2+ hours drive) rafting and other adventure activites. Snorkeling is better in Punta Cana, and I'd say the beaches are better there as well, though not especially in Punta Cana itself but rather around Saona and Catalina Islands. I hope this helps.

I'm wondering the same. I am trying to plan a last-minute trip (looking to go in March) for myself, my sister and her sister-in-law. We are early to late 30s. Like nice beaches, but will go mad/stir crazy to sit on a beach for 4 days straight.

I picked up a book and it sounds like Punta Cana and Puerto Plata would both be good for us. And I just can't decide between the two! I feel like Punta Cana is the safer choice but will be incredibly touristy. Not that PP wouldn't be, but I'm trying to stay away from all-inclusive places and I feel like that's all Punta Cana is...

Punta Cana has very few resorts that are not all-inclusive, but there are a few, mostly upscale and expensive places that are not. You'll find a wider range of non-AI options in Cabarete and Sosua, fewer in Puerto Plata itself. But neither the Puerto Plata nor the Punta Cana area can be considered non-touristy. This just isn't the destination to go to if you don't want a tourist experience.

If you play golf or like some other kind of activity, then you'll do fine in either place, but if you want to do sightseeing, shopping, etc. you just aren't choosing the right destination. If you go to Punta Cana, you can take a day-trip into Santo Donmingo. It's a very long day, but you'll get to see a bit of the city, and that can be interesting, if tiring. But if you're only going for 4 days, I don't think you'll have that much time to be bored once you consider the travel time gives you only 2-1/2 days on the island. The resorts all have organized activities, though they are of the decidedly cruise-ship type.

Snorkelling, i think is better in the southern part of the island. perhaps the tour operators in Punta cana offer a good
spot to snorkel. Snorkelling from the shores of Island
Catalina is a wash. There is nothing to see. May be a short trip by boat off the shore might be worthwhile. We never explored that option.
Puerto Plata has a fort in the town. There is also the Torres Del Isable - a mountain 8000meters tall and a cable car takes
20 passengers up at a time. It was nice. These 2 sites can be seen in one day.
Apart from the above 2, we never did any with the organized tours in puerto plata.

In Santo Domingo, you can see the colonial sites in 1/2 a day
if you have a carriage take you around and not do the walking.
Spend another 1/2 day shopping. You will need at least another
2 hours to see the Los Tres Ojos caves that are close to the
downtown area. This would be a spot for your day #2.
I recommend that you stay in Santo Domingo if you want to
do all this.
The drive from Puerto Plata to Santo Domingo is not as bad.
However, i heard that the roads from La Romana to Punta Cana
are not so good. From La Romana to Santo Domingo is a 1.5 hour
drive on decent shape roads.

With such a short vacation, why not stay in a place like
La Romana or Boca Chica or Juan Dolio. Take a day trip to
Santo Domingo. Then another day trip to snorkel and you
will be done. Just a suggestion.

Another option is to stay in 2 places - for example,
fly into Santo Domingo. Explore the area. Stay over night.
Day #2, in the afternoon check out and head to one of the
beach towns. Check into a hotel for 2 nights. Spend time at
the beach. Snorkel the next day.
Spend another day at Island Catalina beach. Then board the
flight to return home.
There are several options, but none passive if you want to
see it all :)

germanblonde, I hope you don't mind that I busted in on your post! :(

Thanks to everyone, though, for all the input! I was thinking about Boca Chica, and I think I can get a really good deal at Oasis Hamaca, however I've read some pretty awful reviews. Will look more into it and revisit this part of DR.

The Oasis Hamaca is the best of several pretty awful hotels in Boca Chica; bottom-of-the-barrell cheap mass tourism abounds there. It is dirt-cheap, but if you are willing to go just a bit further east, there are some wonderful places in Juan Dolio. I'd probably steer you more to the Barcelo Cappella in Juan Dolio; it's just 11 miles further east and still makes Santo Domingo an easy day-trip.

FWIW, BostonGal, I second Doug's recommendation of Juan Dolio over Boca Chica, and the Capella is a good choice. The grounds are beautiful, rooms comfortable, and the food is very good (IMO) for an AI property at that price point. Juan Dolio's beach is wide and gorgeous.

Just my 2 cents.

Punta Cana for all-inclusive only. Stay on the resort if you go.
I love Cabarete, 20 miles from Puerto Plata. Here is a review I wrote and hope it is useful to you. Have a great trip.
I stayed for a week last week during "hurricane season" but we had perfect weather for the entire stay. It was quiet, as it is the low season, meaning we had the resort to ourselves and all the wonderful care of the employees- who are Dominicans who attend to your every need in a truly caring, attentive, warm, respectful and friendly way, while being very professional- very different from the US. The rooms were clean, charming, comfortable, although simple with all the amenities I needed- kitchen, cable TV, wireless internet. The price was very reasonable. Usually I think of the DR as all-inclusive resorts but this was a refreshing alternative to that type of stay. Security was great- I never thought twice about leaving my ipod out for hours on the property - the guards will help you, watch you, I felt like I was a child again being taken care of and watched over. The property was prestine, natural, extremely well maintained. Units have beautiful views- I just kept saying in any direction I looked- that is beautiful, and that is beautiful.. over and over. The food at Velero was good. but what I liked is leaving the property and finding local dominican restaurants with great food, great locals to talk to, and unbelievably inexpensive prices ($3 , $4 a meal). Because it is on the Atlantic you have surf! body surfing, sailing, windsurfing, surfing.. and kite surfing for the adventurous- combo of snowboarding, sailing, trapeze, surfing.. The craziest sport I have ever seen. The town is very cute- lots of shops. At nite the restaurants on the beach pulled out tables w/ very beautiful lighting- it was a magical scene with food ranging from local to italian, Japanese, Irish, All American. (but I still like the local restaurants the best!). A combination of cultural experience, beauty, new cuisine, relaxation, pampering, and great music and dancing at nite for those who like to stay up late. Velero is on the point of Cabarete bay and has the best view and location in the area. Hope you get a chance to experience this- it is unmatchable.