Are you planning a trip to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic? If so, you may be wondering if it is safe to drink tap water in the area. The short answer is no, it is not safe to drink tap water in Punta Cana. The resorts provide purified water for your safety, and it is recommended to drink bottled water while you are there. The water that is served to you in the resorts, as well as the ice in your drinks is fine.
However, it is best to avoid drinking tap water, either in the hotel or outside. Ice-free drinks are a safer bet when traveling around Punta Cana. It is also recommended to use bottled water to brush your teeth and shower. Bottled water is available wherever you go in Punta Cana, and resorts use filtered water in food preparation and ice cubes.
Hotels and restaurants use purified water to clean and cook their food and make ice for their ice machines. Tap Safe includes data from many publicly available sources, such as WHO (World Health Organization), CDC (Center for Disease Control) and user-submitted databases, but unfortunately there is not enough data on Punta Cana. People with sensitive stomachs are advised to use bottled water to brush their teeth. Because you are traveling to a different ecological environment, far from your body being used to ingesting, microbes in the water in the Dominican Republic can affect some people very adversely. The most relevant vaccine for Punta Cana is the hepatitis A vaccine, a liver disease that is usually transmitted through contaminated food or water.
If you take these simple precautions, you can expect to have a wonderful and healthy vacation in Punta Cana.
