The Grand Escape
Destinations · Head-to-head

Dominican Republic vs Guanacaste

Dominican Republic and Guanacaste, side by side: live travel advisories, our resort catalog's real guest data, and each destination's honest weather picture — everything you need to break the tie.

Dominican Republic guide · Guanacaste guide · How we score

By the numbers

Dominican RepublicGuanacaste
U.S. travel advisoryLevel 2: Exercise Increased CautionLevel 2: Exercise Increased Caution
Resorts in our catalog225
Average guest rating★ 4.6★ 4.4
Nightly ratesUnder $300–$800+/night$800+
Adults-only resorts8 of 221 of 5
Hurricane exposureIn the hurricane beltLow hurricane risk
Rainy seasonMay and August–October, mostly brief tropical downpoursMay–November ('green season'), seriously wet September–October
Sweet spotDecember–AprilDecember–April, bone-dry

Advisory levels sync from travel.state.gov; catalog figures reflect the resorts we've researched, not every hotel in the country.

Weather, month by month

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Dominican Republic — high °F848485868788898988878684
Guanacaste — high °F919293939188888887868789
Dominican Republic — rain (in)2.01.71.72.54.53.02.53.53.54.53.52.5
Guanacaste — rain (in)0.10.10.20.77.79.05.97.913.012.24.30.5

Approximate climate normals for Punta Cana and Papagayo / Guanacaste — planning guidance, not a forecast.

Where you'd actually stay

Best of Dominican Republic

  1. 1.Secrets Cap Cana Resort & Spa — Cap Cana, Dominican Republic · ★ 4.6
  2. 2.Sanctuary Cap Cana, a Luxury Collection Resort — Cap Cana, Dominican Republic · ★ 4.5
  3. 3.Excellence Punta Cana — · ★ 4.9

Chains here: Secrets · Barceló Hotels & Resorts · The Luxury Collection

Full Dominican Republic guide

Best of Guanacaste

  1. 1.The Westin Reserva Conchal, an All-Inclusive Golf Resort & Spa — · ★ 4.5
  2. 2.Planet Hollywood Costa Rica by Royalton, An Autograph Collection All-Inclusive Resort — · ★ 4.4
  3. 3.Secrets Papagayo Costa Rica — · ★ 4.4

Chains here: Westin · Planet Hollywood Hotels & Resorts · Secrets Resorts & Spas

Full Guanacaste guide

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