Day trips from Punta Cana: out of the resort

Punta Cana faces the Atlantic, and most of its hotels stand along one long beach. To the north the coast towards Miches is greener and much quieter; to the west the beaches around Bayahibe face the calmer Caribbean; and the capital, Santo Domingo, is about two and three-quarter hours away. Here is what each of our five involves.

One day only: Altos de Chavón and Bayahibe, for the stone village and a swim in the Caribbean. A few free hours: Macao Beach and Bávaro.

The five, side by side

Trip	Length	Leaves	Price
Altos de Chavón and Bayahibe Private Day Trip from Punta Cana	8h	07:00	from €160
Punta Cana: Private Half-Day Tour of Macao Beach and Bávaro	4h	07:00	from €60
Punta Cana: Private Tour to Montaña Redonda and Playa Esmeralda	6h	07:00	from €150
Bayahibe and Dominicus Private Beach Day from Punta Cana	8h	07:00	from €220
Santo Domingo Private Day Trip from Punta Cana: Colonial Zone and Los Tres Ojos	10h	07:00	from €370

Prices are starting prices and depend on the size of your group.

How to choose

You have one day, and it has to count

Altos de Chavón and Bayahibe. Eight hours, about an hour and a half each way: the stone village above the Chavón River, built in the style of a 16th-century Mediterranean town, with its church, amphitheatre and archaeological museum, then a swim and a fish lunch at Bayahibe. Altos de Chavón is part of the Casa de Campo resort, and visitors pay at the gate.

You only have a few hours

Macao and Bávaro. Four hours, starting at 07:00 or 13:00: the wide, open beach at Macao, with surfers and food shacks under the palms, then Bávaro, Los Corales and the fishing boats of El Cortecito. Macao takes the Atlantic swell, so on a rough day stay close to the shore. It suits a day with a late flight.

You want a view and a quiet beach

Montaña Redonda and Playa Esmeralda. Six hours, starting at 07:00 or 13:00, a little over an hour each way to Miches: a truck up the steep track, or a 30-to-45-minute walk, to the swings and the view over two lagoons and the sea, then a swim at the long, palm-backed Playa Esmeralda. Bring cash for the hill.

You want calm water

Bayahibe and Dominicus. Eight hours on the Caribbean side, where the sea is usually calmer than in Punta Cana: the fishing boats at Bayahibe, most of the morning on the white sand at Dominicus, and lunch by the bay.

You want the capital

Santo Domingo. Ten hours, about five of them on the road: the cave lagoons of Los Tres Ojos, then the Colonial Zone on foot, with the cathedral on Parque Colón, the oldest in the Americas, Calle Las Damas, the Ozama Fortress and the Alcázar de Colón, and the Malecón on the way out. The Alcázar is closed on Mondays.

Four things worth knowing before you book

Some things are paid on the day

The price covers the private vehicle, driver, fuel, tolls and parking. Entrances at Altos de Chavón, Los Tres Ojos and in the Colonial Zone, the boat at Los Tres Ojos, the entrance and truck at Montaña Redonda, sunbeds, lunch and drinks are paid on the day.

Saona is a day of its own

The boats to Saona Island leave from Bayahibe. A boat trip takes a whole day, so it is not part of these tours, but we can drop you at the jetty and collect you when the boat is back, as a separate booking.

Private costs less than you think for a group

A coach seat is cheap for one person and stops being cheap at four. Our prices are by group size, not per seat: up to four of you share one car at one price, and the price only steps up when you need a van. And you are not waiting for forty strangers at every stop.

You can change your mind

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before pick-up, refunded in full. If the date stops working, message us and we will do our best to move you to another day.