Day Trip To Santo Domingo From Punta Cana

The tour was fun. Driver and guide both professional and amazing. The places we visited were beautiful and the food was delicious.

I had a wonderful experience, only thing I didn't like was the tour guy was only speaking in Spanish, the tour was suppose to be English and Spanish speaking.

The experience itself was good but the journey to and from my hotel was horrible. They were to many stops to different places to pickup people.

A wonderful experience with great history and local culture. The trip from Punta Cana to Santo Domingo is about 2 hours, be prepared for that., Finally bring comfortable shoes and clothes.

Wear comfortable shoes and clothes, you,'ll walk a lot and DR climate is hot. Bring water, cause you'll sweat a lot. But the tour is really worth it. It is fun and you'll learn a lot about the DR. David, our guide, was very fun and knowledgeable. He also was very accomodating to a few english speaking people in our spanish speaking tour.

A fantastic day out from start to finish the driver picked us up at the lobby on time. It was a small group of people on the bus from different countries but was able to speak to us all in our language. Good air conditioning on the bus as it was a long journey. We went to the caves to explore the guide was amazing explanation about them learnt so much. Then on to sant Dominido fantastic around all the sites had a fantastic meal which you can go up several times pick what you want the allow experience was totally amazing

Poor pick up, two different buses, booked English speaking guide who spoke to me twice during trip, thankfully there was an English speaking guest who was able to translate, no Aircon on bus, rushed through the scenic places ie basilica, church and given more time at gift shops than at places of interest. Bus broke down on way back and had to wait for pickup. I understand things can break down but it made for a very long, very hot and very uncomfortable day.

Amazing trip! Hats off to JOHNY BRA-RA-RA VO, our guide (that’s his signature shout btw). He’s the most professional guide I’ve had ever. Loud voice, bilingual, baseball fan, super educated. Controls crowds by voice alone. Gives timings and clear instructions. Nobody would ever get lost with such guide. Santo Domingo is too deep in history to explore in couple hours (600 years of history after all), but as a taster/introduction, it couldn’t get better. Downtown is safe, politur cops everywhere. This tour doesn’t go to bad areas, so don’t worry about the security.

This was an excellent opportunity to see the capital with transportation included. The tour operator was very good at communicating before the activity so I was clear on the pick up location. The van was comfortable and had cold air conditioning, which was important for the heat today! David was a fantastic tour guide and spoke English very well. He and the driver made sure we had plenty of water. The tour ended up being about 11 hours long, and it takes a little over 2 hours to get to Santo Domingo. I really liked the highlights included with the tour and the amount of time we spent at each one. The Three Eyes national park was absolutely magical! It was my favorite part of the day. I enjoyed the traditional Dominican lunch that was included, but it would have been much better if the restaurant had air conditioning. I definitely recommend this tour. It’s a great value for the money!

Great trip! Read other reviews before we went so we were prepared. Fast, easy, great tour. Would recommend/do again. Lunch was amazing, best lunch we had our whole trip! Our tour guide Johnny Bravo was the best! Wonderful guy

The drivers for the excursion are very unorganized, consistently late, and communication to tourists are horrid. With that said the tour itself and the tour guide were very good. Informational, friendly and on top of things

Minibus very uncomfortable and no leg room for three and half hours No toilet stop in this and and no in

Tour itinerary not same as Viator booking Took 2 hours to pickup everyone before going on the road to Santo Domingo. Visited 3 similar souvenir stores which shortened our time in Santo Domingo. Booked English speaking tour but 95% was Spanish speaking.

Unfortunately, this trip was extremely disappointing from start to finish. We were around half an hour late leaving, and then were taken to a petrol station where we were put onto another bus without anyone properly explaining what was happening. The day was very poorly organised. We spent a huge amount of time stopping and waiting, including around half an hour on the bus because the wrong people had been put onto the coach. The tour guide even asked if there was anyone who spoke English, despite the booking being for English-speaking guests. When we said we were English-speaking, the guide clearly did not seem happy about it. The bus itself was overcrowded and uncomfortable. The air conditioning kept being switched on and off, and with people reclining their seats all the way back, there was hardly any room. A large part of the day seemed to be spent being taken to gift shops, where we were left for long periods. It felt like the actual sightseeing was secondary to stopping at shops. We also made numerous unnecessary stops to pick up people along the way, both going and coming back, which made an already very long day even longer. We only had around 40 minutes in Santo Domingo, which felt extremely rushed, despite spending hours travelling and stopping elsewhere. This was supposed to be a sightseeing trip, but it felt as though very little time was actually spent seeing the destination. The food provided was also very disappointing — mainly rice and very fatty pork skin/fat, which certainly won’t suit everyone’s tastes. Overall, this was a very long day with very poor time management and organisation, and we felt that our valuable holiday time was wasted. If you are booking this trip expecting to spend the day exploring Santo Domingo, be aware that a significant amount of the day may instead be spent on a bus and in gift shops. I would not recommend this trip based on our experience.

The trip was very disappointing. There was very little to see or do, and only two of the stops required tickets and the rest were free. Given the itinerary, I expected much more from the tour. The tour was advertised as starting at 8am, but it didn't actually get started until around 10:30am. It also finished around 2pm, making the actual tour much shorter than expected. On top of that, we spent more than 30 mins waiting in a gift shop, even though some of us weren't interested in buying anything. The lunch was another disappointment. Six people had to share one very small table, with barely enough space for everyone. The seating arrangement was extremely uncomfortable. The tour guide was okay and did a decent job, but honestly, the guide was the main reason I'm giving this tour 2 stars overall. Unfortunately, based on my experience, I would not recommend this tour.

We are extremely dissatisfied with the tour we took to Santo Domingo. To begin with, we were supposed to be picked up at 8:00 a.m. Then the pickup time was changed to 7:30 a.m., but in the end, we were not picked up until 7:45 a.m. There were more passengers than available seats. One pregnant woman had to sit in a seat with only half of a backrest, and all of the seats were extremely uncomfortable. The driver did not tell us where we were going or who our tour guide would be. After an hour and a half, we stopped at a gas station, where the driver refueled the vehicle while the engine was still running and all the passengers were inside. This happened twice during the tour. We then continued to a place where we were taken to purchase handicrafts. Our guide, a man named David, joined us there. He told us we would have 15 minutes to shop, but that 15 minutes turned into 40 minutes. Throughout the tour, David spent a great deal of time speaking negatively about the history of the Dominican Republic and about politics. He did not clearly explain where we were going next or what the itinerary was. He also did not allow anyone to eat anywhere other than the places he selected, even when he himself did not like the food. At every stop, he went over the amount of time we were supposed to spend there. We were also taken to two different shopping locations where we felt pressured to purchase something. To make matters worse, David, the tour guide himself, had to stand because there was not even a seat available for him. According to the itinerary, we were supposed to return at approximately 5:00 p.m. Instead, we did not arrive back until 8:30 p.m. As a result, all of the passengers missed their dinner reservations. The entire experience was extremely disappointing and poorly organized. The safety issue involving the vehicle being refueled twice while the engine was running and all passengers were inside was especially concerning. Our group consisted of four people, and none of us will ever use your company again. We strongly recommend that you review the way this tour is organized, the transportation provided, and the conduct and professionalism of the tour guide.

Super super informative guide was amazing got to experience Santo domingo in it's fullest only thing I will say is it's hot super hot so be prepared

Had an amazing day trip to Santo Domingo with the team. The pickup and drop and the tour guide were excellent! Would highly recommend this to anyone visiting Punta Cana.

Wonderful,quick but to the point,the guide so smiley and helpful always,full of knowledge, the places beautiful, the driver excellent and the authentic Dominican luncheon to die for

The tour contractors in punta Cana are not properly wetted. Unable to contact them and you cannot rely on them to meet you for your tours phone numbers are not answered or do not exist, or recordings in Spanish and aprubtly disconnected. Really poor service!!

We had checked many reviews on different tour sites and we settled for this one. Glad we did. Pick up was just 10 min late rather than the no show we had heard about. The bus was comfy and cooled and water was provided. The caves at the first stop were beautiful and our guide spoke both Spanish and English. We were able to get off the bus several times in Santo Domingo, to briefly walk around and take photos. The heat outside made us welcome going back into the air-coned tour bus. The lunch was rushed and very basic and in an unwelcoming cafe. The shopping was not in a local, large, authentic market, but yet another typical tourist shop selling overpriced bracelets, key rings and fridge magnets which was a shame. Apart from that, it was fine and far less chaotic than the tour we went on last week.

It was good for the price paid. We saw the major attractions. The cave was very hot, so, be prepared! It's a long day and we were back by 7 PM.

Very well organized and our guide was really good. Have tip cash ready as our guide departed the bus on the way out of town and hopped off the bus before we could give a proper, well deserved tip.

It was a good trip Saw a bunch of cool things and had a good lunch

This tour was a total waste of time for us. When we booked it, we requested an English speaking tour. 98%of the time, it was in Spanish. When someone asked the tour guide about it, he said "no one has ever complained before". We stopped at a souvenir shop to buy things and to use the restroom, plumbing did not work (normal for this place so why stop us there?) The area we stopped by the ocean for photos, it was so dirty you couldn't get a good picture. The place we stopped for food was not good. The only thing I enjoyed was the cenote, it was nice to look at. The rest was a total waste, we didn't know what we were looking at and learned nothing because it was in Spanish. It just wasn't for us.

Great experience overall. Santo Domingo is definitely worth visiting, great food, culture, people, etc.

The experience was great. It is not for people with mobility issues. I loved seeing the different sites and hearing some history from the tour guide.

We spent more time traveling on a cramped bus. Making way too many stops to pick up more people 20-30 minute wait. Stopping in the middle of the road to t Transfer guests. We were super late getting to lunch. We got on transport at 7:20am we had to switch transport to a larger bus on the side of the road. There is so many other things that I could say, but I won’t. The score speaks volumes. Private tours from now on .

You will spend a lot of time getting to your destination. In the end, the place we visited were not particularly great. Lunch was just adequate. The highlight of the trip was the Tres Ojos (The Eyes) national park but we didn’t stop long enough to be able to take the ride or do anything else but walk down some steps to see the lake. If you don’t speak Spanish, the guide provides details in English. However, I felt like we got the condensed version (unless Spanish is a language that takes twice as long for the same content).

Absolutely dissatisfied , we went in June Our guide was David and he spoke English and Spanish but we didn’t enjoy the Malecón. Never saw hammocks nor spent anytime there. We had lunch at small low budget little restaurant across the street from el malecón and the food was NOT good! It was not Dominican Food . It was buffet style and very limited menu. On the list, bullet points from 3 to 8 we walked !!! In 90 degrees walking all over the city. It was hot and took away from the pleasant attractions we should had enjoyed and last, on our drive back to Punta Cana, the driver was speeding in a huge coach bus which had everyone very nervous. The bus was old. It smelled old and had no seatbelts. The restaurant should be upgraded to a better choice of give people free time to eat on their own. Very unpleasant experience

This tour is worth the time. Be prepared to spend the whole day doing this tour. It's nice that transportation and lunch is included. Our tour guide was friendly and knowledgeable. The bus driver was also very friendly and funny. The lunch was delicious, it was great having authentic Dominican food. Santo Domingo has a lot of history and it was nice learning about it. Definitely recommend the tour.

I would not recommend this trip from Punta Cana to Santo Domingo. The entire experience was disappointing from start to finish. First, the pickup was already a mess. We waited over 20 minutes late for transportation, and nobody even contacted us to explain the delay. We had to contact them ourselves just to find out what was happening. The food was absolutely disgusting, and the tour itself felt like a complete waste of time. To make matters worse, the table next to us found a hair in their food, and when they complained, the waiter responded by saying, “It’s a buffet, what do you expect?” That level of service was completely unacceptable. Instead of taking us to interesting or authentic places, they brought us to four different gift shops, clearly trying to make commission money from tourists. It felt more like a shopping scam than an actual tour. On top of that, we didn’t even get to see many of the nice places they advertised when we booked the trip. The experience did not match what was promised at all. To make things worse, after providing such a poor experience, they were still asking for tips at the end. I regret booking this tour and would strongly suggest choosing a different company if you actually want to enjoy your visit to Santo Domingo. I’m not even going to spend more time explaining everything that happened. I just wanted to share my bad experience so other people know what to expect before booking this trip.

Be prepared for the heat and LOTS of walking. Every stop was beautiful and very informative. Tres Ojos was our favorite part!

It's historical...the visit to the cave is phenomenal ..the weather was just too hot and humid but bearable. The visit to the chocolate factory has not much time to do workshop

The guide Mr riviera was great! He was knowledgeable personable and welcoming. Very attentive and focused on the whole group having a great time. He was top of the line and the best we could have expected. He alone is enough to rebook this tour.

The trip was informative, and Santo Domingo certainly has much to see. The tour guide spoke both Spanish and English; however, there were times when information shared in Spanish was not translated into English. Additionally, the trip description indicated that it was wheelchair accessible. However, due to the high and uneven pavement in several areas, navigating with a wheelchair was quite challenging. Aside from those concerns, the experience was overall okay.

13 hour trip, not 10. 2.5-3 hour drive there and back from Punta Cana. Only got one water bottle for the 13 hours and lunch so make sure you buy breakfast and some dinner / snacks at the bathroom stops. Extremely hot and humid everywhere don’t expect any A/C (even when it’s on at the restaurant). Overall the tour and information was great as well as the tour guide. Very knowledgeable and informative. Just wish I was better prepared for that long of a day.

This experience was an all in dive to the history and foundation of DR. The tour guide was simply amazing, making sure the entire party was together and with him at all times. He took his time to explain and make sure we understood. Everything was great and excellent.

The tour was informative and well organized. A driver, tour guide, and lunch were provided. A lot of walking is involved, but it was well worth it to delve into the rich culture and history of Santo Domingo.

Saw a lot on this trip. Drivers and tour guide are very professional. Would do again. Hope to return

Experience was great and the knowledge of the guide was perfect. It was let down that it said non alcoholics drinks so I assumed cola, sprite etc but only water was offered

The analogy of just how atrocious this tour was is it was like having to sit through a time share presentation on loop. Sadly, this was an 8 hour debacle that I could only wish I could have I could have that time added back to my life. We were picked up in a "tour bus* which was literally falling apart, but we had good seats in the front with lots of leg.room. We then drove around to obtain gas, water and a few other poor souls and then, after 29 minutes of aimless driving, dropped off at another gas station and told we were going into a different transport. Smaller and not as in bad shape, we went in to find the last two seats in the back of the bus. Two hours later at the souvenir stand they introduced us to, we were told we had to change to another bus- which turned out to be the first mess we started with. Four seats available- two that were broken so badly they would collapse if you sat on them and and the last two seats were in the back with now leg room available as the couple in front of us were fully reclined and would not move. The caves were nice but we were not able to spend the time to explore as we wanted to. There are four lakes on the tour, but we could only do three as we had to go back to the bus. Three out of four may not be bad in baseball, but on a tour you want what you came for. Ah, the bus. After we crammed into the seats again, gracias amigo, we started off again to see Santa Domingo, wonderful. That is until the clutch blew on the bus. Limping up the ramp from our first stop I thought we were going to have to get out and push! As we inched our way through the outskirts of the city, like an old dog walking on a hot day, we stopped at the port, learned some facts about how busy it was and the went for lunch, which was good- the people at the restaurant were nice. After lunch we were back on the bus, and then asked to leave the bus as it could not move. I was seriously thinking of calling an Uber at that point. So, off the bus to wander the streets with our guide. He was knowledgeable and informative about the various locations we visited. The walking part of the tour was decent if not somewhat rushed. Thankfully, when we had walked the fort and the walkway of the Queen and her court, the bus was there and somewhat functional. Enough to get rolling again, albeit slowly. As we get rolling, our guide makes an announcement that he and the driver make their living from our generosity and, in doing so, "passed the hat" , immediately after we boarded in Santa Domingo and then left the bus while we were getting on the parkway. Shakedown anyone? The worst was the dropoffs after the long day. Our driver stopped at another gas station and was on his cell for 30 minutes. We had to ask him multiple times when we were leaving...no response. Then a transport comes in and off loads half a dozen other people, two of whom were from our hotel but booked through a completely different service - all one big happy family of poor service. And after driving another hour, passing our hotel twice and asking him to stop - no response- we were let off outside the gate of the hotel. I have used tours in the passed using Tripadvisor and had great experiences. This one? If you are all right with wasting time and money, becoming frustrated every two minutes due to disorganization and chaos and wondering when it will finally end, this would be your trip. Other than that, stay far far away from this one. And Tripadvisor, you may want to consider an alternate for this tour as we will be hard pressed to consider using the service again.

This was an amazing tour. The food was fantastic and David did an amazing job showing us around. He also explained in both spanish and english which made it even more personable

This was an good trip, got to learn some history about dominican 🇩🇴 . Both the driver and the tour guide were great. In the morning we were lost regarding our pick up place and Arnaldo (driver) was really helpful,he came where we were and in the evening dropped us off in our hotel. I would tour with them again.

Cost was on point! Sights were amazing. Long ride from Punta Cana. Van/bus ride was cramped and uncomfortable. Excursion was nearly 12 hours long. But, all in all, was a great experience.

from pick-up to drop-off everything went smooth. the bus that transported us was comfortable and had A/C. our tour guide was very knowledgeable in everything around the city. the ride was only 2 hours, but what else are you expecting? to make it there in 10 minutes? everything during this trip was amazing, as well as the food.

Incredible guide and day trip. Extremely informative, experience true Dominican culture and history.

The tour was not organized well. No clear structure it was like how with the flow and a 10 hour activity landed being almost 14 hours I was picked up around 8 and dropped back at 9.30pm Unfortunately, the place we went to eat but not very hygienic and I had food poisoning and my next 2 days were spent in bed I understand this was more reasonable then other tour operators but I heard of Viator and thought how bad could it be, it is a well known brand but sorry to say it was not up to mark This was the sentiment of all on the tour The tour guide was so.laof back we had to ask.her what we were doing next where should we go and she just waited for there with mo instructions and half the time we didn't know what was going on The bus driver was good but not a word of English, we were only 3 people speaking English and we were totally ignored and we had no clue what was going on the bus like where we were heading, how long h it would take, when were we being dropped, luckily there was one other passenger on the bus who could speak English and had to depend on her to translate everything for me. We waited for he bus to pick us up while returning for an hour so we were stuck in traffic The bus was so uncomfortable I think viator needs to find better partners in their tours and these are for tourists how can they manage with no English

Great tour. Lots of history and information related to the Santo Domingo.