Punta Sur?

[aknguyen]

Since the board is still a bit out of whack, I couldn't find anything in the search.

 

Has anyone been to Punta Sur? Did you enjoy it?

 

Thanks!

[kpjb]

Loved it.  We rented dune buggies (actually modified '70s VW bugs) and drove down. There are some great little beachside bars along the way that will make you drinks with fresh fruit.  Had a great meal, and there's a lot of interesting stuff to see besides the normal beach day.

[c-leg5]

On 10/18/2018 at 3:57 PM, aknguyen said:

Since the board is still a bit out of whack, I couldn't find anything in the search.

 

Has anyone been to Punta Sur? Did you enjoy it?

 

Thanks!

 

 

 It has been a few years since we were at Punta Sur. We stopped as part of our first round the island tour and have always planned to go back for the day but have never made it. We enjoyed our day. There were at least a couple of bars but i think one has recently closed - i dont know if it has re-opened under new owner.  

 

Biggest  problem with Punta Sur is transport - you need to be sure of return transport, especially on a cruise ship day when time is of the essence. Cell phone service is very erratic on east side and cannot be relied on. Also it is unlikely that there are waiting taxis on the east side and the distance within the park from the entrance is quite far. I would probably only do it with a driver that stayed -we use ToursPlaza, or you could contract a number of hours with a taxi from dispatch.

 

do you have particular questions?

28 minutes ago, kpjb said:

Loved it.  We rented dune buggies (actually modified '70s VW bugs) and drove down. There are some great little beachside bars along the way that will make you drinks with fresh fruit.  Had a great meal, and there's a lot of interesting stuff to see besides the normal beach day.

 

Sounds like you are talking about the east coast. Did you actually pay entrance to Punta Sur, i know there used to be a couple of bars there but i thought one had closed?

[kpjb]

We did have to pay entrance.  Unless I'm mistaken with where we were, but I'm talking about the area with the lighthouse and small Mayan ruins among other things.  The bars were not in Punta Sur proper, but nearby along the way. When I say "bar", I mean pretty much shacks with hammocks out back as I don't believe there is any electricity once you pass a certain point. The meal was at a solar powered small hotel along the way.

[c-leg5]

3 hours ago, kpjb said:

We did have to pay entrance.  Unless I'm mistaken with where we were, but I'm talking about the area with the lighthouse and small Mayan ruins among other things.  The bars were not in Punta Sur proper, but nearby along the way. When I say "bar", I mean pretty much shacks with hammocks out back as I don't believe there is any electricity once you pass a certain point. The meal was at a solar powered small hotel along the way.

Yes,  that sounds like Punta Sur and we also did the ruins, lighthouse and crocodiles during a relatively quick stop. Supposedly beyond this area there was a beach club which opened after our visit but we never made it and now it is closed, but presumably there is still the beach area and possibly snack area(?).

 

there is indeed no electricity on east side so you need cash for bars. Lots of interesting bar options available and well worth a complete circle of the island especially if it is your first visit.

Edited October 20, 2018 by c-leg5

[Cafabi]

The closed one you are thinking of is probably Papito's. However, there are current reviews for it on Tripadvisor and other places. It looks like it has reopened under the name Anemona de Mar Beach Club, so I'm not sure which the current reviews are for.

[aknguyen]

Thanks for the information. I'll probably pass on Punta Sur until my son is a little older. I had no idea about the taxi situation. I'm glad I asked and there were people willing to answer!

[c-leg5]

On ‎10‎/‎23‎/‎2018 at 11:40 AM, Cafabi said:

The closed one you are thinking of is probably Papito's. However, there are current reviews for it on Tripadvisor and other places. It looks like it has reopened under the name Anemona de Mar Beach Club, so I'm not sure which the current reviews are for.

 

yes  I was meaning Papitos. People who visited seemed to give reasonable reviews but transport was always the biggest problem especially for cruisers. Papitos tried different types of packages with and without transport. will have to keep an eye out on new name and see if the new owners can come up with a better solution. Seems like it could be a nice place away from the crowds.

 

 

1 hour ago, aknguyen said:

Thanks for the information. I'll probably pass on Punta Sur until my son is a little older. I had no idea about the taxi situation. I'm glad I asked and there were people willing to answer!

 

 You are welcome. Not sure how old your son is but it can be a fun day as long as you are prepared. As I said we did it a long time ago as one of our first tours round the island.

Edited October 24, 2018 by c-leg5

[ABQrobin]

If you want to go to Punta Sur, I highly recommend you do an excursion.  That way all transportation is supplied and you can just sit back and enjoy.  It is a LONG way down to the farthest point south on island (that's what Punta Sur means).  Taxis to and from are expensive.  

[mawvkysc]

We just went to Punta Sur at the end of our island tour. We ran out of time so couldn't enjoy all of it. The lagoon viewing area was very nice. It's much bigger than I thought. We saw a crocodile up close. The boat wasn't running that day for the lagoon tour. The ruins are quite small. We didn't have time to do the lighthouse museum or climb the lighthouse. We did drive to the end (you could tell our driver didn't want to) it was slow and bumpy but the beach was very pretty. I think what used to be Papitos is now leased to either Carnival or a dune buggy tour company. But there are two bar/restaurants right after. They sort of fight to seat you first. The loungers and hammocks are complimentary. There are also massage services. There is also snorkeling here but it is a further swim out than west side beaches. 

 

I would love to go back and just rent a car and spend the day there. It's  $14 entrance fee .   

[mawvkysc]