Santo Domingo tour from Bávaro: Colonial Zone and Three Eyes

Four underground lakes and a 16th-century fortress in one day from the beach resorts

A full-day tour from Bávaro and Punta Cana to Santo Domingo combines the Colonial Zone's oldest streets and buildings with Three Eyes National Park, where you boat through caverns past four lakes of different depths and temperatures. The tour includes air-conditioned transport, a typical buffet lunch, and a live guide in English or Spanish. Pickup from your resort is included, and children from age 4 are welcome.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Three Eyes National Park3h 45m · entry included
2. Columbus Lighthousepassing by
3. Columbus Palacepassing by
4. Ozama Fortpassing by
5. Colonial Zone20m

Explore Santo Domingo's historic sites

• Travel three hours to Santo Domingo
• Visit Three Eyes National Park and boat tour
• See Columbus Lighthouse monument
• Tour Alcázar de Colón palace
• Visit Ozama Fortress
• View National Pantheon
• Walk Peñalva pedestrian street
• Pass by National Palace
• Stop at Colonial Zone gift shop

The experience

Three hours of driving gets you from the beach resorts to Santo Domingo, the first European settlement in the Americas. Once there, you move through the Colonial Zone on foot: the oldest pedestrian street, past the National Pantheon with its permanent honor guard, the National Palace where Dominican government meets, and the Ozama Fortress, built between 1502 and 1508 to defend the city from pirates and foreign invaders. The Columbus Palace, constructed for Diego Columbus between 1511 and 1514, sits near the cliffs overlooking the Ozama River. The Columbus Lighthouse, a cross-shaped monument 800 meters long, holds exhibits from different countries inside.

Three Eyes National Park is the day's centerpiece. You take a boat tour through the caverns to see four lakes, each with its own character. Aguas Azufradas sits four meters deep with a whitish mineral bed at the bottom. La Nevera, the coldest at 15 to 21 degrees Celsius, stays shaded and reaches 5.4 meters down. Lago de las Damas, once used as a spa for women and children, is 2.5 meters deep. Los Zaramagullones, named for the native ducks that live there, is the only lake surrounded by open-air vegetation and drops to 6.1 meters. The boat moves through the rock formations connecting them.

Lunch is a typical buffet served during the day. The tour wraps with a stop at a gift shop for souvenirs before the drive back to your resort. An air-conditioned vehicle carries the group throughout, and your guide handles the commentary in English or Spanish depending on the departure you choose.

What’s included

• All fees and taxes.
• air-conditioned vehicle throughout the day.
• typical buffet lunch.
• live guide in English or Spanish.
• hotel pickup from Bávaro or Punta Cana resorts.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 06:30

Book up to15h before

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (4 to 12 years) · Under 4: can't be booked

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 7 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearby

Operated by Sunset Caribbean

Is this one for you?Book this if you're staying at a beach resort and want to cover colonial sites and caves in one full day as a group traveling together.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 12 years). Children under 4 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What are the four lakes in Three Eyes National Park and what makes each one different?

Aguas Azufradas is four meters deep with calcium and mineral deposits at the bottom; La Nevera is the coldest at 15–21°C because sunlight doesn't reach it and it reaches 5.4 meters; Lago de las Damas, 2.5 meters deep, was historically used as a spa for women and children; Los Zaramagullones, 6.1 meters deep and named for native ducks, is the only one surrounded by open vegetation above ground.

How long is the drive from Bávaro or Punta Cana to Santo Domingo?

The drive takes three hours from pickup at your resort to arrival in Santo Domingo.

Does the tour include lunch, and what kind of food is served?

Yes, a typical buffet lunch is included in the tour price.