Punta Cana to Santo Domingo Day Trip Guide

Taking a day trip from Punta Cana to Santo Domingo is a long but rewarding day. To help you prepare, here is our practical guide covering travel time, dress codes, and shopping opportunities.

1. The Drive

Santo Domingo is about 2.5 hours away from Punta Cana via a modern highway (Autovía del Coral). The drive takes you through the countryside, passing sugar cane fields and the city of La Romana. It is a scenic route.

2. Dress Code (Important!)

You will be walking a lot, so wear comfortable shoes (sneakers).

Cathedral Rules: The First Cathedral has a strict dress code. Both men and women must cover their shoulders and knees.

Tip: Bring a scarf or sarong in your bag to wrap around your shoulders or waist before entering the church. No hats allowed inside.

3. Shopping: Larimar and Amber

Santo Domingo is the best place to buy jewelry.

Larimar: A rare blue stone found only in the Dominican Republic.

Amber: Fossilized resin, famous here (think Jurassic Park!).

Calle El Conde is a pedestrian street full of shops where you can find these stones at better prices than in the resorts.

4. Lunch

Most tours stop for lunch at a traditional Dominican restaurant in the Colonial Zone. You will likely try “La Bandera” (Rice, beans, and meat) along with fried plantains (Tostones). It is delicious and hearty.