Santo Domingo Tour: History and Natural Beauty

Explore Santo Domingo’s rich history and natural beauty on a full-day tour from Punta Cana. Discover iconic landmarks and enjoy a delicious Dominican lunch.

Duration: 8 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • The 3 Eyes National Park - Enjoy a relaxing two-hour drive to Los Tres Ojos Park, where natural beauty and stunning views await. As you travel, anticipate the wonders of this beautiful natural park. Experience the enchanting beauty of its cenotes, offering an unforgettable adventure in nature’s hidden paradise.
  • **Columbus Lighthouse (Faro A…
What's Included
  • Bottled water
  • Lunch
  • In-vehicle air conditioning
  • Guide
  • All Fees and Taxes
What's Not Included
  • Tips
Additional Information

What distinguishes this tour is the ideal combination of history, culture, and natural beauty that will keep you enthralled all day long. This comprehensive day tour from Punta Cana takes you on an extraordinary journey through Santo Domingo, the oldest capital in the Americas. Participants will have the opportunity to visit iconic sites such as the…

Location
The 3 Eyes National Park
Avenida Las Americas, Parque Nacional del Este
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
3.4
(5 Ratings)
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1 star
Ryce_u
Jan 4, 2026
Overall, this tour offered good value for the money. - As a solo traveler, I booked this two days prior to my trip, and the process was efficient. The team was responsive to my inquiries and communicated clearly with me through Google Voice and WhatsApp (Luis). The scheduled early pickup from Cortecito inn/hotel areas was between 7: 30- 7:40 AM. There were some delays due to traffic within the pickup area (hotel zone), but once on the road, the rest of the day flowed smoothly. We were a small group traveling in a van, which made the experience more comfortable. (If you are on the taller side, the seating might feel a bit snug) The drive from Punta Cana to Sto. Domingo was about 1.5 to 2 hours. Our tour guide, Miguel, joined us upon arrival in Santo Domingo and guided us through the city’s highlights, including Tres Ojos, Faro a Colón, churches, and the Ciudad Colonial. It was a full day of exploration and well paced, allowing us to see and each site and take lots of photos. I think starting at Tres Ojos made a difference, as the larger tour groups arrived just as we were about to leave. Lunch was a buffet at Imperial. I especially enjoyed the vegetable soup, rice, and chicken—simple and satisfying. (If you eat only seafood and vegetables, there may be fewer options available at the buffet.) We also had time to walk around the mercado, where we bought souvenirs and experienced a bit of local life. The tour also included the entrance tickets and audio guide to the main cathedral in Santo Domingo, the Basilica Cathedral of Santa Maria la Menor, the first cathedral built in the New World (Americas). We left Santo Domingo around 4 PM and enjoyed a relaxed drive back to Punta Cana. I also liked that the driver played bachata! Overall, it was a day well spent and good value for the money. Tips are not included, so if you are feeling appreciative, make sure to tip the driver and tour guide.
Review provided by Viator
Veshawnia_y
Sep 3, 2025
I learned so much about... - I learned so much about Dominican Republic history. The guide was great only 2 of us spoke English but we had no trouble. He was friendly and informative. His name was Josiah. The humidity combined with the stair walking was a true workout.
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Diane_b
Jan 11, 2026
The tour guide spoke in... - The tour guide spoke in Spanish then translated in English with each explanation of a particular site. This caused the first group to move ahead to explore on their own but the English speaking group hardly had anytime to explore on their own because the tour guide was ready to move on. Tour should be designated “Spanish” or “English” or “Other”. There isn’t enough time when trying to use 2 languages. It’s a long day so be prepared from pick up to return is between 11-12 hour day. The sites were very interesting, learning a lot of history. We really enjoyed the 3 Eyes National Park.
Review provided by Viator
Yvettedenise_m
Apr 22, 2025
Great tour, but ask for a Guide who is fluent in your language - There was a lot to see after arriving in Santo Domingo. Several of the sights were "drive by" - would have been more meaningful to go inside, such as Faro a Colon. The cenotes are always a delight to experience, even if we can't jump in. Learning about the history of the Taino people and how they came to be extinct is essential to understanding current day DR and its European influences. The lunch was fine, and seemed to representative of DR cuisine. Just not a fan, I think. The walk through old Santo Domingo was very interesting and the brief stop at a Super Mercado was a special treat. Overall a great experience. How would I improve it? I woukd ask for a guide who could share as much in English as in Spanish. The explanations in Spanish are long and detailed. I got the Cliff Notes version in English. If I hadn't known something about DR before this tour, I would have been clueless.
Review provided by Viator
Damiano_g
Jan 13, 2026
Sorry, I cannot recommend - 11 hours in total: start/end. 7 hours on the bus and the rest tour. Too many stops to collect people to share trip including delays and waitings. The tour was quite fast considering the original plan with just few minutes of stop in specific shops indicated by the guide. In some cases just time to take a picture and this because, I suppose we were late since the beginning…. I can understand this is for sharing costs but it’s not my first experience like this but for sure not so badly organized. I cannot recommend. Sorry.
Review provided by Viator
From $80
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).