Dominican Countryside, Culture And Beach Escape With Lunch

Wonderful day out all organised in good taste with 5 different stops and fun activities. Angelo and Urban are most welcoming and very friendly guide &driver. You see the countryside and actual life of locals. One suggestion, it would be nice if a city centre stop in Higuey is organised so people get the feel of the bustling life in town and the market.

Ok, please book this tour if you visit Punta Cana. I wish I could remember all of the staffs name but I’m terrible with names. Three people are on this tour; the driver, tour guide and another member of staff who helps both of them, serving drinks, ensuring we are all together and having a boogie on the bus! So the tour started at 8.40 pick up, we made sure we had some breakfast before we left. The bus is soooo funky, I mean, you can’t miss it! We were greeted so lovely and it was a full bus too! The guide can speak so many languages so no need to worry about that. On our way to our first stop, the tour guide was showing us all the different sights such as people living in the city, how they live, what they do for work, the cost of living, it’s very interesting and guys a huge eye opener to see aswell. It’s so lovely when you see all the people waving at you when you go past in the bus and the children love it. Our first stop was at a family home so to show us the difference in homes out there, one being a 2 or 3 bedroom house and the other being made from metal. We also got to meet the witch of the town which I have to say, was pretty cool as I really witches/spirits things like that. She comes out after ringing her bell, lights a cigar and she saw me and my husband, no pressure to go and see her or anything but because I really like stuff like that, I wanted to go in and she was blessing me with good health and to have lots of babies, she was pressing my tummy a lot and doing many chants and I had to drink the famous MaraJuana drink for good luck. Pretty unreal to experience that. Our next stop was a cigar shop where they handmade cigars and coffee my husband made his own and it was a good experience to see how much work goes into it. After that, we went to visit the local market and for someone who loves her fruit and veg I was in heaven. Fresh fruit and vegetables everywhere, fish, meat, herbs, seeds just everything and it’s interesting to see this is where people come to get their ingredients for their families. We then to visit the cathedral which is just amazing so that’s definitely a must to go in there. Don’t wear shorts or anything showing your legs as you will get asked to cover up I was given a scarf so that’s ok even if you wear something still showing a bit of leg. After that, we went to a local plantation to see how they make coffee, chocolate, coconut oil and cocoa butter. Before that though, they provided us with lunch and it was delicious! Salad, pasta, fish, banana chips (you must try) and drinks. Also on the bus, they provide you with non alcoholic and alcoholic drinks. After we had some lunch and learnt about how they make chocolate and coffee all from scratch, we then headed to Macao beach to have a dip in the lovely sea. It’s a lovely beach and it was a nice way to end our tour. Highly recommend to do this tour when you visit Punta Cana.

I took the half-day tour to Higüey and it was the highlight of my stay in the Dominican Republic! Our tour guide was Andy and he was very engaging, friendly, and informative. The bartender and driver were also incredible and very kind. It is a very touristy tour but absolutely worth it and an excellent way to learn more about the Dominican Republic and the Dominican culture.

We had a great day seeing the real heart of the Dominican Republic. Seeing the market was a bit of an eye opener. We were unlucky with the weatherboard had a great trip.

Great experience with guide mama gina great music and dance on the bus great driver and also great assistant I would hardly recommend this trip

We had contemplated doing the half day trip but glad we went for the full day instead. We were collected on time and returned to our hotel at the expected time. Luckily, the distinctive bus wasn't completely full as it might have been a little uncomfortable as it was a very hot day. Our guide, Danny, kept us well informed along the drive and during various stops. Jenny gave us plenty of drink samples and entertained us with her dancing. We didn't feel rushed during the various stops, the market being quite an eye opener but enjoyable. To end the day on the beach was lovely. The excursion was interesting, informative and with varied stops along the way. It was great to get out of the resort and see another part of the DR.

See the sites and experience a little bit of local life. This was a great experience and we were well catered and entertained all the way. Our team, Miguel and Jennifer were great. You get some opportunities to buy some local produce and plenty of samples! This was so much experience the for the cost and got us away from the tourist routine. Well worth it!

After being in a 5star resort it was important to us to see the true country, the people are incredible despite hardships with money. This trip was in the most incredibly decorated bus and visited small villages, the city and markets of Higuey, the mountains for a traditional Dominican lunch and a swim in the sea. The team including Daniel, Maria and Francisco were awesome. Meringue dancing on board was so much fun. Would highly recommend this trip to keep you grounded, so much poverty in the country, simple living yet so much love and laughter. Wonderful day

Wonderful day with Mama Gina, a fantastic guide 🥰

We took this excursion with our 5 year old daughter. It was great. Finally an excursion where we are closest to the inhabitants. Shaman, visit to a local market, the basilica, cigar factory , coconut oil factory, cocoa field , local lunch, 30 minutes break on a pretty beach. Animation at the top, guide in French. Frankly the best day on this pretty island

Very friendly discovery of Dominican culture with explanations and a very dynamic pace of the day! On top

Attention big scam!! Don't buy anything on the plantation! Prices are more expensive than elsewhere and, above all, bottles of MamaJuana are sold as real MamaJuana, while alcohol is replaced by water! We don't realize it because the bottles have the official labels and the cork is Covered with blister so it looks new. Visiting the cigar factory is nice, as is visiting the coconut products factory. But beware, here too everything is more expensive than elsewhere.

As much as the typical bus is attractive, the tour is disappointing. Rum is distributed to all arms, going around all the local traders (cigar, cocoa, cocoa, rum, etc) where we are largely pushed to buy without much discovery of the country. Fortunately the guide drinks us in addition to the rum of information about local life and the surroundings. This is more of a commercial and folk excursion than a Dominican immersion;-) The pompom is the chamade and the meal not enough for all the occupants of the bus!!!

Many thanks to Mama Gina and her team for a wonderful day. A very rewarding day full of humor Excursion to do Ps: car wash! 🤣

Great discovery day to do with the children. Very enriching and lots of discoveries, we never get bored. The guide is super friendly and clearly explains Dominican life.

Beautiful, atypical and friendly day: discovery of the interior of the Dominican Republic. A magical bus will take you to taste coffee, chocolate and other local products in a friendly atmosphere with Andy and his team.

Day excursions to eco limon at the top discovery of the flowers the plants the cocoa the coffee very beautiful the crossing of the lagoon limon and the mangroves the horseback ride on the beach very very good the quad ride excellent and the lunch very good the animator at top with Angel and Vladimir I recommend this excursion

A breathtaking experience, far from the beaten tourist trail. A succession of local and typical spots: cathedral and local market in Higüey, stop in a field of sugar canes with explanations and tasting, visit to a cigar factory, visit to a family house stop on the beach of Macao, passage in the den of a shaman practicing "white" voodoo, all carried out in a typical school bus, in its own juice, masterfully piloted by Francisco. I can't say how many liters of rum and mamajuana we were able to down, but it all ended with dancing on the bus in the pouring rain, which we will remember fondly, thanks to Mama's sympathy and good humor. Gina and Ruth's swaying on the bachatas! It's the first time that Mama Gina had a Greek on her bus, a merengue lover!

Very interesting experience with this bus excursion with local colors. The guides are very friendly and give a lot of details. Visit the cigar factory, coconut products, the market. Everything is very good and interesting.

Very good excursion aboard this highly colorful bus to discover the hinterland and local life. I highly recommend! A very complete outing in a friendly atmosphere (discovery of the countryside, cocoa farm, local market, Higuey cathedral with its breathtaking architecture, cigar crafts, typical Dominican meal and Macau surf beach). You will not be disappointed! It is important to encourage this type of cultural excursion in order to participate in more sustainable and responsible tourism.

Holla, Thanks to the Eco Caribe team: Ramona our Dancer, Francisco our driver and..... Mama Gina our guide. A crazy atmosphere throughout our excursion, around local tastings, dance, humor, anecdotes, advice and discovery of the region. A simple but good meal, pretty landscapes, magic ;), I recommend this excursion. Thank you Alexandre, Hélène and Christophe. PS: For our next visit, have the opportunity to taste more local fruits and dishes.

Nice day, Coco’s visit deserves to be explored in more detail…. We are sent directly to the store… The lunch needs to be reviewed, we arrived after another group, no meat for everyone. No dessert…. We have the impression of being taken for banks asking us to buy constantly..

We had a great time!! Kindness, pretty landscapes, a little history and voodoo, cigar making, coffee and cocoa culture, a typical market, a magnificent beach and above all a lot of joy and good humor. We discovered, we danced, we sang...great excursion!! Big thanks to Mama Gina, Hally, Romana and Jesus who made us have a great day

Great excursion very well organized. The guides are great and the places visited magical. The meal was very good in a very nice environment.

An outing to visit the hinterland... how do we say the only thing we're gonna show you is how to get you screwed with some shitty catch. Nothing to do except fake by making you drink bad alcohol to coax you... You must avoid it. Catering is filthy... sanitary... (even my pig would not go) we no longer visit schools, real local producers, we only visit "kind" shops with the guides for sure. And don't expect to satisfy the children with the late afternoon beach, it's a mafia;)