Moon Palace The Grand – Punta Cana sits on 297 acres of beachfront in the Bávaro–Macao area, roughly 35–45 minutes from Punta Cana International Airport. Two 18-story towers hold 2,171 suites, and every one looks out over the Atlantic or the golf course. It’s the largest resort in the Dominican Republic by room count, so don’t come expecting a quiet hideaway. Come expecting choice.

The course is the reason to be here. It’s a Greg Norman Eco Signature design that runs through tropical forest rather than along the shoreline. Here are the key numbers:

• Par 72, playing 6,930 yards from the tips (72.2 rating, 123 slope), with four sets of tees down to 5,257 yards.
• Three large lakes come into play on seven holes.
• The par-5 18th is a real risk-reward finish, where the water makes you decide how aggressive to be with your second shot.
• GPS carts are standard, and range balls are included before your round.

The fairways are fair for a resort course, but the slope and the coastal breeze keep single-digit players honest. Early reports put conditioning well ahead of what you’d expect from a course this young.

Off the course, the entry-level rooms are 635 square feet with a whirlpool tub, 24-hour room service and a stocked minibar. Swim-up suites, family suites sleeping up to seven, and multi-bedroom villas cover groups. The 16 restaurants include a steakhouse, sushi, hibachi, wood-fired Italian, Caribbean seafood and Carvao for grilled meats. There’s also a casino, nine pools, a water park and the O Spa with a full hydrotherapy circuit.

If you want to play elsewhere, Cana Bay, Punta Blanca, Iberostar Bávaro and Cocotal are all 10–20 minutes away. Macao Beach, one of the less developed beaches on this coast, is close by.