Dominican Republic · 1-DAY TOURS

15 1-Day Tours in the Dominican Republic Worth Leaving the Resort For

41 tours  ·  from $28 a head

A week on the coast has fewer free days than it looks. These 15 1-day tours earn one, priced and timed so you can choose in minutes and get back to the beach.

Saona Island Day Trip From Punta Cana with Lunch and Open Bar - Bayahibe is the launch point, not the island
1-Day Tours, Dominican Republic Tours, Drinking Tours, Lunch Experiences, Punta Cana Tours, Saona Island Tours, Tour Reviews

Saona Island Day Trip From Punta Cana with Lunch and Open Bar

1.Saona Island Day Trip From Punta Cana with Lunch and Open Bar

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,709 reviews · from $82Our pick

Head from Punta Cana to Bayahibe for a full day on the water and Saona Island. The trip includes a shallow natural pool stop, about three hours on the island, buffet lunch, drinks, and hotel transfers. Guides may include Christian, Alex, Micky, Eduardo, or Papito, but the crew changes by departure.

“The cruise was amazing and kind, highly recommend also Republican Dominic people are great me and my family had had a good time”

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Punta Cana Monkeyland and Zipline Two Adventures in One Day - The Coconut House and a Dominican lunch
1-Day Tours, Dominican Republic Tours, Dominican Republic Zipline Tours, Tour Reviews

Punta Cana Monkeyland and Zipline Two Adventures in One Day

2.Punta Cana Monkeyland and Zipline Two Adventures in One Day

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,036 reviews · from $115Top rated

Spend a full day outside Punta Cana with Runners Adventures, riding up to 12 rainforest ziplines, meeting and feeding squirrel monkeys, and stopping at the Coconut House for a look at local foods. Hotel pickup, safety gear, bottled water, and a Dominican lunch are included. Children ages 6 to 8 can use the first eight cables.

“Great experience with my son. He enjoyed the monkeyland and zip lines. I would come back to visit. They feed you snd give you water as well. The tour guide was friendly and very knowledgeable.”

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Day Trip to Santo Domingo from Punta Cana - The Malecón offers a brief breath of sea air
1-Day Tours, Dominican Republic Tours, Punta Cana Tours, Tour Reviews

Day Trip to Santo Domingo from Punta Cana

3.Day Trip to Santo Domingo from Punta Cana

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 659 reviews · from $55

Travel from Punta Cana to Santo Domingo in an air-conditioned vehicle, with hotel pickup offered and a typical lunch included. Visit Los Tres Ojos, see the Columbus Lighthouse and Presidential Palace from outside, then walk through the Colonial Zone. The day starts at 8:00 am, lasts about 10 hours, and may involve a long drive and plenty of walking.

“It was a very informative, enlightening and well put together tour. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and friendly and the lunch that was offered was really delicious. Definitely recommend.”

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Punta Cana: Santo Domingo Day Trip with Tickets and Lunch - Santo Domingo’s monuments, from the bus and on foot
1-Day Tours, Dominican Republic Tours, Lunch Experiences, Punta Cana Tours, Tickets, Tour Reviews

Punta Cana: Santo Domingo Day Trip with Tickets and Lunch

4.Santo Domingo Day Trip with Tickets and Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 584 reviews · 1 day · from $82

This roughly 10-hour trip pairs a long drive from Punta Cana with Los Tres Ojos, Santo Domingo’s Colonial Zone, landmark buildings, and a buffet lunch. Expect a live guide in English, Spanish, or Portuguese, plus time at a mix of cultural stops. Guides such as Victor, Miguelo, and Hector have led tours.

“The guide was awesome and very knowledgeable about everything and all the historic places.”

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Punta Cana: Saona Island and Altos de Chavón Day Trip - Three hours on Saona Island
1-Day Tours, Altos de Chavón Tours, Dominican Republic Tours, Punta Cana Tours, Saona Island Tours, Tour Reviews

Punta Cana: Saona Island and Altos de Chavón Day Trip

5.Saona Island and Altos de Chavón Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 340 reviews · 1 day · from $92

Spend a full day traveling from Punta Cana to Altos de Chavón and Saona Island with a guide. See the replica Mediterranean-style village, stop at a natural swimming pool, then enjoy beach time, a Dominican buffet and unlimited drinks. Guides on past trips have included Benjamin, Alberto and Pedro, though assignments vary.

“This tour is a must for all first timers to the Dominican Republic! The natural swimming pool is a wonder to behold & you really get a sense of the natural paradise the Dominican Republic is. The Saona island was also idyllic. We got to get there on speed boats and it was fun and exhilarating. Finally, our tour guide Alberto was very knowledgeable and funny.”

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From Punta Cana: Saona Island & Altos de Chavon Day Trip with Lunch and Open Bar - The natural pool is a short pause, not a beach day
1-Day Tours, Altos de Chavón Tours, Dominican Republic Tours, Drinking Tours, Lunch Experiences, Punta Cana Tours, Saona Island Tours, Tour Reviews

From Punta Cana: Saona Island & Altos de Chavon Day Trip with Lunch and Open Bar

6.Saona Island & Altos de Chavon Day Trip with Lunch and Open Bar

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 332 reviews · from $99

From Punta Cana, visit the hilltop village of Altos de Chavon and spend about three hours on Saona Island, with a natural-pool stop, buffet lunch, and open bar. Hotel pickup is included. Boats and group sizes can vary, and the day may run longer than the roughly 10-hour estimate.

“Great trip to la Isla Saona. The ride on the Catalan was the most memorable experience. The tour guides were great and it was worth an all day excursion.”

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Saona Island: Small Group Virgin Beaches Cruise Day Trip - Leaving Bayahibe by boat
1-Day Tours, Dominican Republic Boat Tours, Dominican Republic Tours, Saona Island Tours, Tour Reviews

Saona Island: Small Group Virgin Beaches Cruise Day Trip

7.Small Group Virgin Beaches Cruise Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 178 reviews · 8 - 11 hours · from $128

Cruise from Bayahibe to Saona Island on a 45-foot boat, with time at quiet Canto de la Playa, the fishing village of Mano Juan, its turtle nursery, and the Natural Pool. Expect a Dominican lunch, drinks, and guides such as Christian, who leads in English, Spanish, and French. Hatchlings are seasonal, not guaranteed.

“This excursion is more expensive than others, but absolutely worth it if you can afford it. We were with about 20 people on a spacious boat, visiting stunning, less touristy spots. Drinks were plentiful, and lunch was fresh and tasty. First stop: a small village with souvenirs and fresh lobster. Then we relaxed on a secluded beach — no other tourists, just turquoise water and perfect snorkeling. It felt like Pirates of the Caribbean. Later we spotted turtles in a natural reserve and swam in a breathtaking natural pool in the middle of the sea. The staff is super enthusiastic and speaks fluent English. A photographer is present all day…”

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Historical Santo Domingo Day Trip from Punta Cana - The Alcázar de Colón: a house from the colonial era
1-Day Tours, Dominican Republic Tours, Historical Tours, Punta Cana Tours, Tour Reviews

Historical Santo Domingo Day Trip from Punta Cana

8.Historical Santo Domingo Day Trip from Punta Cana

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 176 reviews · from $95

Set out from Punta Cana around 7 a.m. for a full-day visit to Santo Domingo, with an art historian guide, air-conditioned transport, monument admission, and a Dominican buffet lunch. Walk the Colonial City, see the Cathedral and Alcázar de Colón, and visit Three Eyes National Park. Guides have included Sandro, Isaac, and Reynaldo, though the guide and group’s languages can vary.

“Love every part of it. Try it out for so much information about the island.The dinner was great! The caves! The shops! The museums.”

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Private Half Day Trip: Snorkeling Cruise-Swimming Pool & Virgen Beach - The ride out: music, drinks and crew
1-Day Tours, Dominican Republic Boat Tours, Dominican Republic Private Tours, Dominican Republic Snorkeling Tours, Dominican Republic Tours, Tour Reviews

Private Half Day Trip: Snorkeling Cruise-Swimming Pool & Virgen Beach

9.Private Half Day Trip: Snorkeling Cruise-Swimming Pool & Virgen Beach

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 164 reviews

Take a roughly 3.5-hour catamaran trip from Bávaro Beach to snorkel at Cabeza de Toro, visit Punta de los Nidos and stop at a shallow natural pool. Transfers, snorkel gear, snacks, fruit, music and national drinks are included. Confirm whether your booking is exclusive to your group, as capacity details vary.

“This tour was a very fun excursion we took on our honeymoon. The pickup was on-time and easy, the tour leader and all the staff on the boat were great and very friendly. They show you a good time out on the water. They serve you lots of drinks even while you are swimming in the sandbar! They also take you to great snorkeling spot where you see lots of fish. Wear sunscreen and be prepared to drink rum and listen to music!”

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Catamaran Day Trip, Snorkeling & Sailing Excursion - Two Snorkel Stops, With Crew Support
1-Day Tours, Dominican Republic Boat Tours, Dominican Republic Catamaran Cruises, Dominican Republic Snorkeling Tours, Dominican Republic Tours, Puerto Plata Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Catamaran Day Trip, Snorkeling & Sailing Excursion

10.Catamaran Day Trip, Snorkeling & Sailing Excursion

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 132 reviews · from $84

Set sail from Sosua aboard a 75-foot catamaran, with hotel pickup in Puerto Plata or Cabarete, two snorkeling stops, lunch, and an open bar. Snorkel gear and bottled water are included. Crew members such as Papo and Alain have been praised for their safety briefings and upbeat hosting. The outing lasts about six and a half hours.

“Even though it started to rain while out, the guides were still amazing at making the whole thing super fun! The food was delicious and the guides were fun 😁”

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Whale Watching & Limón Waterfall Day Trip - The Samaná Bay whale-watching outing
1-Day Tours, Dominican Republic Tours, Dominican Republic Waterfall Tours, Dominican Republic Whale Watching, Punta Cana Tours, Tour Reviews

Whale Watching & Limón Waterfall Day Trip

11.Whale Watching & Limón Waterfall Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 94 reviews · from $169

This 13-hour trip from Punta Cana combines a boat outing in Samaná Bay, where you may see humpback whales, with a 30-minute horseback ride through tropical vegetation to El Limón Waterfall. Expect a long day, about 10 hours of transport, a waterfall climb, and a group of up to 45 people.

“Watching the whales was worth the trip. It was amazing to watch them so close! If I had to do this again, I would choose one excursion without the Lemon Cascade. The Lemon Cascade is beautiful too, but you have to walk up and down 280 steps each way, and for me it would have been better to stop in a beach instead.”

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From Punta Cana: Sanctuary Whale Watching Day Trip - Searching for humpback whales in Samaná
1-Day Tours, Dominican Republic Tours, Dominican Republic Whale Watching, Punta Cana Tours, Tour Reviews

From Punta Cana: Sanctuary Whale Watching Day Trip

12.Sanctuary Whale Watching Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 87 reviews · 12 hours · from $189

Travel from Punta Cana, Bávaro or nearby resorts to Samaná for a boat trip in a protected humpback whale sanctuary. The day also includes Cayo Levantado, a Dominican buffet and a horseback ride to El Limón waterfall. Expect a full day on buses and boats, with whale sightings and sea conditions beyond anyone’s control.

“All the staff and guides was extremely friendly and helpful… I would have liked to have spent more time whale watching Maybe do a tour just whale watching even if cost extra if would be worth every penny ….”

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Punta Cana: Santo Domingo Day Trip with Tickets and Lunch - Santo Domingo’s monuments, from the bus and on foot
1-Day Tours, Dominican Republic Tours, Lunch Experiences, Santo Domingo Tours, Tickets, Tour Reviews

Punta Cana: Santo Domingo Day Trip with Tickets and Lunch

13.Santo Domingo Day Trip with Tickets and Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★3.4 · 85 reviews · 10 hours · from $74

Travel from Punta Cana to Santo Domingo for a 10-hour guided day trip with hotel pickup, Los Tres Ojos National Park, Colonial Zone sights, tickets and buffet lunch. Guides are offered in five languages; Willy is one guide named in connection with the tour, but your guide may vary. Expect a long drive and potentially brief monument stops.

“If the organization of transport from the hotel were more agile (without changes from one transport to another) and instead of going to a specific souvenir shop and leaving aside the coffee/chocolate place; that time could be used to enter the Columbus Lighthouse, for example.”

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From Santo Domingo: Saona Island Day Trip w/ Lunch & Drinks - Speedboat out, shallow water halfway
1-Day Tours, Dominican Republic Tours, Lunch Experiences, Santo Domingo Tours, Saona Island Tours, Tour Reviews

From Santo Domingo: Saona Island Day Trip w/ Lunch & Drinks

14.Saona Island Day Trip w/ Lunch & Drinks

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 83 reviews · 12 hours · from $95

From Santo Domingo, travel by road to Bayahibe, then cross by speedboat to Saona Island. The trip includes a 45-minute stop at the Blue Lagoon natural pool, about 2 hours 45 minutes on the island, a buffet lunch, drinks, and a catamaran ride back. Guides speak English and Spanish; Victor is one guide name associated with the outing.

“j'ai beaucoup aimé le catamaran , les animateurs , les boissons à volonté, la musique: tout est fait pour rencontrer de nouvelles personnes. concernant l'amélioration : la nourriture et l'absence de douche sur l'île de Sanoa. éviter les massages proposés par les dames sur la plage ( elles mentent sur la durée du massage : huile de très mauvaise qualité ; ça m'a brûlé Le dos.”

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From Punta Cana: Samana Full Day Trip by Bus and Boat - Riding to El Limón Waterfall
1-Day Tours, Dominican Republic Boat Tours, Dominican Republic Tours, Full-Day, Tour Reviews

From Punta Cana: Samana Full Day Trip by Bus and Boat

15.Samana Full Day Trip by Bus and Boat

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 63 reviews · 12 hours · from $135

Leave Punta Cana by bus for Miches, then cross to Samaná by boat. Visit a typical home and sample plantation fruit, ride a horse through forest to El Limón Waterfall, eat a Dominican buffet, and finish with time to swim at Cayo Levantado. The 12-hour tour includes hotel pickup, a guide, transport, lunch, and national drinks.

“The trip was overrated in my personal point of view. We shared our hotel address 5 times via email and there was no answer reg the pickup hour and point. Or better, they answered the day after the tour took place. The guide did not explain anything during the journey. There were multiple tours, meeting on the same place with zero organisation. Due to this, the place was overcrowded and it was really difficult to follow our group and enjoy the activity. Additionally, there was no barra libre and lunch was done in 20 min. Places are beautiful but the tour was not so good, hence I do not recommend…”

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Just added: 1-Day Tours

★ 4.0Los Haitises National Park Tour from Las Terrenas or Samana (Half Day Trip)From $10210 reviews
★ 4.5Catalina Island and Snorkeling – Full-day TripFrom $854 reviews
★ 3.5Saona Island Day Trip + Lunch + Open Bar from Punta CanaFrom $8811 reviews
★ 5.0Saona Island Day Trip with Lunch & DrinksFrom $803 reviews
★ 4.4Samana Full Day Trip Whale Cascada El LimonFrom $1206 reviews
★ 3.6Whale Watching and Bacardi Island Day TripFrom $15015 reviews
★ 3.2Saona Island Day Trip with Blue Lagoon & LunchFrom $608 reviews
★ 4.1Santo Domingo Private Day TripFrom $1255 reviews
★ 4.5Playa Rincon, Samana, & Cayo Levantado Day TripFrom $1593 reviews
★ 4.9Haitises, Cano Hondo, Redonda Mountain Day TripFrom $1399 reviews
★ 3.5Catalina Island Snorkeling and lunch Day TripFrom $835 reviews
★ 3.3Catalina Snorkeling & Altos de Chavón Day TripFrom $1294 reviews
★ 3.6All-Inclusive Day Trip to Santo DomingoFrom $8217 reviews
★ 4.3Sosúa Catamaran Day Trip with Lunch and DrinksFrom $795 reviews
★ 3.9Saona Island Day Trip with LunchFrom $1104 reviews

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Pick your Dominican day

Choose a boat, a dirt track or a colonial street.

Boats and reefs

Saona IslandCatamaran CruisingSnorkelling Off BávaroParty BoatsWhale Watching

Off-road

Buggy RunsATV TrailsZip LinesRides on HorsebackCave Swims

Food, rum and history

City ToursCulture ToursFood ToursCacao TastingsCoffee in the Hills

Landmarks

Damajagua FallsLos HaitisesMacao BeachAltos de ChavónAmber Cove