Puerto Plara vs Punta Cana
 

Read in Frommers that Puerto Plata gets lots of rain in the winter compared to Punta Cana. Although they are not real close to each other, I can't see how one would get rain and the other not. Was looking into Puerto Plata for a January trip but now not sure because of the rain statement. Any insight and advise would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Lisa S

Have been to Puerta Plata, Punta Cana, La Romana and Santo Domingo and my least favorite is Puerta Plata..we were there in February and it rained like crazy.. Punta Cana and La Romana are much more popular.. We are going back to La Romana for the third time this January.. for more info [email protected]

I have only been to Punta Cana, but the beaches there were wonderful. Very wide with very, very tall palm trees sprinkling shade throughout. I have always been in the Spring or Summer and it is very hot & humid.

Was at the Iberostar Costa Dorada last January. When we arrived the weather was beautiful, when we got to the resort it rained 3 straight days. The beaches in Puerto Plata are not all that great. If you want a great beach head to Punta Cana or Bayahibe.

I am not a weather expert by any way, shap or form, but from what I can understand is that if an area has a mountain range it can affect the weather differently on either of the range. Something like the humid air comes up the the shore, blows over cause rain, but on the other side, it is dry because the air has dried out by the time it travels across land (or maybe it is the other way around) I do know for example in Canada Vancouver is very wet, and the other side of the coastal mountains is very dry.

Apparently Hawaii has similar problems. A girl I know went to the Big Island and she stayed in one town that was always dry, and stayed in another town for a few days that always rained.

Very similar in Kauai--up north near Princeville get a lot of rain since it's near the rain forest, down south not much rain at all.