OVERVIEW

See the historical highlights in the capital Santo Domingo, a colonial town that Bartholomew Columbus founded on the Ozama River in 1498. Even so, the Columbus Lighthouse honors Christopher, Bartholomew’s more famous older brother. It was inaugurated in 1992 to mark the 500th anniversary of the explorer’s first voyage to the New World. Following a revealing look at the beacon’s exterior, you will visit the Alcázar de Colon, a limestone palace that Christopher’s son Diego built while governor. It lies in the Colonial Zone, which UNESCO declared a World Heritage site because its grid layout became the model for future colonial cities. While browsing the rare artifacts at the Museum of the Royal Houses, you will discover more fascinating details about the settling of Santo Domingo and the indigenous pre-Columbian Taino people. That history will really come alive as you watch an immersive 4D movie at the Colonial Gate Cinema.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Discover the history of Santo Domingo through its most significant landmarks.
• Gain insight into how the family of Christopher Columbus influenced the city.
• See the Columbus Lighthouse and the palace that Columbus’s son built while governor.
• Explore the Colonial Zone, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
• Watch an immersive 4D movie that brings the history of Santo Domingo to life.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Tour two factories that make extraordinary products synonymous with the Dominican Republic – premium rums and hand-rolled cigars. Ron Barceló rum is made in San Pedro de Macoris, a city renowned for its sugar cane; the juice being the key ingredient that gives the rums their characteristic smooth round taste. During the behind-the-scenes tour, you will see how the various rums are produced, from distilling to packaging. The processes haven’t changed substantially since founder Julián Barceló produced his first rum in 1930. Back in La Romana, you will watch master rollers hand-produce La Vega Fina cigars from a variety of tobacco blends. It is a fascinating skill that results in some of the world’s most revered and affordable medium-bodied cigars. The entire process involves growing, curing and fermenting the tobacco, all of which you will learn about in detail. After touring the factories, you will have the opportunity to purchase the distinctive rums and cigars.

HIGHLIGHTS
• See how premium Ron Barceló rum is made with sugar cane juice, the key ingredient.
• Watch master rollers hand-produce La Vega Fina cigars from a blend of tobaccos.
• Browse both factory gift shops and purchase rums and cigars, if you wish.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Cruise along the easternmost tip of the Dominican Republic on a double-decker catamaran and pause along the way to snorkel the reefs just offshore. After settling in on board, you will be free to move about the spacious catamaran and enjoy the plentiful sunny and shaded areas. As you skirt along the shore, the tropical scenery will be absolutely spectacular in every direction. After assessing the water conditions, the captain will anchor the catamaran in an ideal spot for snorkeling. The marine life may include French grunts, spotted drums and yellow goatfish, which often travel in schools. Another stop will made near a sandbar, allowing you to swim and wade in the shallow waters. To enhance the festive on-board atmosphere, the bar will be open, rum-laced Mama Juana cocktails will be flowing and music will be playing. Back at the marina in Punta Cana, time will be allotted for shopping.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Settle in on a spacious double-decker catamaran and cruise the waters off Punta Cana.
• Admire the gorgeous tropical scenery in every direction.
• Snorkel and swim in the crystal-clear waters along a reef and a sandbar just off shore.
• Listen to merengue, the traditional music of the Dominican Republic.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear swimwear under your clothes and bring a towel.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Let loose at the Cumayasa Adventure Park by participating in all sorts of thrilling activities, most of them taking place high above the ground. You will be briefed on how to make the most of your adventures, which include walking across several rope-and-wood suspension bridges. Although you will be harnessed in during the crossings, the bridges typically sway in the wind and with every step, so be prepared for a breathtaking experience. The park also features a course of seven double-cable ziplines, allowing you to fly through the tree canopy for an entire mile. Along the way and while pausing on the elevated platforms between the ziplines, you will enjoy a literal bird’s-eye view of the tropical surroundings. You will also have the opportunity to walk through the park’s Hurricane House, a vertigo-inducing but fun carnival-like attraction that makes you feel like you’re moving even when standing still.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Enjoy an epic day participating in exhilarating activities at an adventure park.
• Race through the tree canopy on a series of ziplines that stretch over one mile.
• Walk across swaying suspension bridges and through the eerie Hurricane House.
• Marvel at the lush natural surroundings from high above the ground.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear swimwear under your clothes and bring a towel.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Escape to the outrageously fun Scape Park at Cap Cana and spend hours enjoying a variety of outdoor experiences. Your admission to the theme park includes everything from riding a series of ziplines through the tree canopy to enlightening cultural immersions that provide a window into the lifestyles of the country’s earliest settlers. You might explore a network of underground caverns full of unusual geological formations and swim through a spring-fed cave where the indigenous people once performed sacred rituals. You can also swim in a cliff-walled cenote with turquoise waters so clear you can easily see the bottom. The thrills really intensify at the Saltos Azules area of the park as its ziplines, net swings and rope rides end with a big splash in the water. If you are an animal lover, be sure to visit Iguanaland for an up-close encounter with a species of the reptile only found on the island.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Spend the day at a theme park that offers a variety of exhilarating outdoor adventures.
• Use your full admission ticket to focus on the activities that interest you the most.
• Ride ziplines, explore caves, relax on the beach and enjoy a cultural immersion.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear swimwear under your clothes and bring a towel.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Ride through the wooded countryside in an open-air, all-terrain buggy and experience the adrenaline rush. After an orientation and test drive to familiarize yourself with the four-wheeled buggy, you'll travel caravan-style along the back roads that crisscross the rural landscape surrounding the town of Cumayasa. You can expect it to be an adrenaline-filled adventure all the time, but especially when you drive off the beaten path. It'll be even more fun if the terrain is muddy. You'll take a short break at a cave filled with mysteriously lit geological formations and drive through a rugged area where caliche mineral deposits are mined, join us on this exciting adventure.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Drive through the beautiful Dominican countryside in an open-air buggy.
• Expect a fun-filled high-energy experience, especially when driving off-road.
• • Explore a cave with unusual geological formations.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Ride through the wooded countryside in an open-air, all-terrain buggy and experience the adrenaline rush. After an orientation and test drive to familiarize yourself with the four-wheeled buggy, you'll travel caravan-style along the back roads that crisscross the rural landscape surrounding the town of Cumayasa. You can expect it to be an adrenaline-filled adventure all the time, but especially when you drive off the beaten path. It'll be even more fun if the terrain is muddy. You'll take a short break at a cave filled with mysteriously lit geological formations and drive through a rugged area where caliche mineral deposits are mined, join us on this exciting adventure.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Drive through the beautiful Dominican countryside in an open-air buggy.
• Expect a fun-filled high-energy experience, especially when driving off-road.
• • Explore a cave with unusual geological formations.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.