The Dominican Republic isn’t just a luxury beach holiday at a resort. Beyond the gorgeous blue sea, coconut palms and sunny beaches, there are plenty of interesting sights to fill your days.
We’ve put together the best excursions in the Dominican Republic, where you can see the beauty of this tropical island and get to know the Caribbean mentality and traditions of this country.
Read on for the most beautiful places on the island, popular activities, and souvenirs worth bringing home from your trip.
Things to do in the Dominican Republic: sights, entertainment, sports, shopping, casinos and souvenirs
The Dominican Republic has entertainment for every taste!
If you’d like to try your luck, visit one of the local casinos. The top five, based on tourist reviews: Riu Palace Macao Casino, Hard Rock Casino Punta Cana, Dream Casino, Avalon Casino, and Casino Dominicus.
There’s a huge range of extreme (and not-so-extreme) activities for sports fans and active travelers. Many resorts here have great reefs full of marine life — perfect conditions for diving and snorkeling! You can go on a boat tour and try your luck hunting marlin, barracuda, sea bass, and other fish.
Frontón Beach is great for rock climbing. Puerto Plata and Jarabacoa attract canyoning and rappelling fans. Nearly every resort offers buggy and ATV rides.
There are also excellent conditions here for surfing and windsurfing, parasailing and paragliding.
And the cherry on top — a helicopter tour, letting you admire the pearl of the Caribbean from above.
Shopping tours. If you want some memorable shopping, head to Santo Domingo. The best shopping areas are Calle El Conde and the Mercado Modelo. Punta Cana also has good shopping.
Top 5 souvenirs to buy in the Dominican Republic
Larimar jewelry — a semi-precious stone of a beautiful turquoise color, mined only in the Dominican Republic.
Dominican cigars — a great alternative to Cuban ones. We recommend Cohiba & Arturo Fuente.
Caribbean rum and Mamajuana liqueur. The most popular rum brands are Barceló and Brugal. Mamajuana is a local infusion said to cure just about everything.
Coffee. The most popular brand is Santo Domingo, known for its light acidity.
Cocoa. The Dominican Republic is one of the world’s largest cocoa exporters. The local product is completely natural, with no soy or other additives.
Where to go and what to see in the Dominican Republic
Even though the Dominican Republic is a country where summer and beach season last all year, you can — and should — go on excursions here! We guarantee you’ll not only have a great time and take a thousand beautiful photos, but also learn plenty of interesting things.
We’ve put together a list of the best excursions in the Dominican Republic. Pick whatever suits you, and we’ll be happy to help arrange a trip to the place you like. Let’s split all the excursions into rough categories: beach and island trips, city tours, entertainment programs, nature tours, and extreme tours.
The best beach and island excursions in the Dominican Republic include:
- Saona Island
- Bacardi Island (usually included as part of the Samana peninsula excursion)
The most interesting city tours:
- The capital of the Dominican Republic — Santo Domingo
- The city of artists, Altos de Chavón
The liveliest entertainment program is a trip to the Coco Bongo club, where hot dancing and delicious local cocktails await.
The best excursions in the Dominican Republic for nature lovers:
- Samana Peninsula
- Eagle Bay
- Visiting the monkey park
- Salinas excursion
- Redonda Mountain
- Climbing Pico Duarte
- 27 Waterfalls excursion
- La Altagracia province
- El Limón waterfall
- Humpback whale tour
- Swimming with dolphins
- Catalina Island excursion
Programs for sports and adventure lovers:
- Buggies
- ATVs
- Zip-lining
- Helicopter flight
- Speedboat rides
- Flying a plane
- Surfing and diving
Now let’s take a closer look at the most popular excursions in the Dominican Republic.
Saona Island
The largest and most visited island, and one of the best excursions in the Dominican Republic, departing from the Punta Cana resort.
The whole island is a nature reserve, where visitors come to admire the incredible colors of the Caribbean Sea, watch starfish, and relax on white sand in the shade of coconut palms.
This tour is often combined with a trip to the city of artists.
Santo Domingo, the capital
A rich sightseeing tour of the Dominican Republic’s capital. The tour comes with a professional guide who will share the most interesting facts from this country’s history.
On this trip you’ll see:
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Columbus Park;
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the Columbus Lighthouse;
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the “Three Eyes” cave;
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the old colonial city;
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the modern part of the city with its high-rises;
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the chocolate museum-workshop.
Samana Peninsula
This tour is a true taste of the wild!
Here you’ll see the “real,” touristy Dominican Republic:
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Relax on Rincón Beach, where Christopher Columbus first landed during his expedition.
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See humpback whales.
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Visit a true tropical paradise — Bounty Island.
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Ride a horse through genuine jungle.
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Visit the country’s largest waterfall — El Limón.
Redonda Mountain
A must for adventure lovers and beautiful photos. You’ll climb a steep, winding road in open safari trucks. A little adrenaline later, and you’re at the top of Redonda Mountain, with a stunning view over the eastern Cordillera and the majestic Atlantic Ocean.
Cozy hammocks, swings over the cliff edge, zip-lining, and paragliding flights await.
La Altagracia Province
You’ll visit a cocoa ranch and see the region’s capital — the city of Higüey, home to the Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia, built in 1971.
You’ll also step inside Fun Fun, the province’s only inhabited cave.
ATVs and buggies
An exciting adventure for anyone who dreams of racing off-road. Vivid tropical nature, wild beaches, cliffside swings, and adrenaline await!
Where to book excursions in the Dominican Republic and how much they cost
Not sure where’s best to book excursions in the Dominican Republic?
Dominicana.pro is your reliable partner for organizing the most interesting tours around this country:
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Get in touch with Dominicana.pro, and we’ll offer you popular group excursions or private tours for every taste and budget.
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We can arrange a trip to any point in the Dominican Republic. We offer several different tours to the same locations: we have lighter programs and VIP excursions for those who want to fully immerse themselves in this country’s history and culture.
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People come to us when they need to rent a speedboat, car, yacht, take a helicopter ride, or take flying lessons.
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We know the most romantic spots on the island and are ready to arrange the most beautiful wedding photo shoot for you!
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We operate officially: we hold a license and insurance to run excursions.
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We offer the most accessible prices for excursions. The average price is $60. Most of our tours require no prepayment.
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We work with the best guides, who know how to make an excursion as rich and informative as possible.
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We take care of your comfort: all our buses are air-conditioned and have WiFi. Drinking water is included in the price of every trip.
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Your trip is guaranteed: we’ll take you on the tour even if you’re the only person in the group.
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More than just an excursion: even if you haven’t decided where you want to go yet, write to us, and we’ll happily answer all your questions. We’re glad to share our experience with you!
Tourist reviews about excursions from Dominicana.Pro
To make it easier to choose the best excursions in the Dominican Republic, we recommend reading tourist reviews from travelers who’ve explored this country with Dominicana.Pro.
When you book our excursions, you can count on customer-focused service, accessible prices, and attention to every detail.
We love our travelers and know how to organize a trip that will truly be remembered for a lifetime!
