From Punta Cana to Santo Domingo. How to Get Fast and Safe

The distance between Punta Cana and Santo Domingo is about 200 km. Surely, many travelers are interested in how to get from Punta Cana to Santo Domingo. There are several ways to overcome the distance.

Option #1. Get to Santo Domingo by taxi

For those who are not limited in their budget, the fastest way is by taxi. There are no problems with the availability of taxis. You can find them at the airport, at hotels and on the roads. For this reason, it is not difficult to catch a car. If you are a driver, you can rent a car from an agency and spend about 3-4 hours on the road. We can help you with a car rental in Punta Cana. Just use online chat or mail us!

Option #2. Book Santo Domingo City Tour

However, if you want to walk around the city and see the sights, we advise you to book the Santo Domingo City Tour. A professional guide can give you a unique historical experience during this excursion. You will visit the Colonial City, the Cathedral, Presidential Palace, Los Tres Ojos Cave and other sites. A guided tour is the best solution for the money you pay.

Punta Cana & Santo Domingo:
the main differences

Suppose you want to spend your vacation in the Dominican Republic and go for the first time. And there are only two cities you know – Punta Cana and the capital – Santo Domingo. And you really want to discover the Caribbean Paradise but do not know where to go. Let’s look at Santo Domingo and Punta Cana resorts.

1. What to do in Santo Domingo?

Compared with Punta Cana, Santo Domingo will show you a different side of the Dominican Republic. It is not a beach resort. It is a Caribbean metropolis, combining modernity and centuries-old history. In fact, Santo Domingo is more than just the capital of the Dominican Republic. Founded by Christopher Columbus’ brother Bartholomew in 1496, the city is the oldest permanently inhabited European settlement in America.

In this regard, the city has a rich historical and cultural heritage. UNESCO has declared the historic part of Santo Domingo, also known as Zona Colonial, a World Heritage Site. The city has many historical buildings and attractions. It is a pleasure to stroll through the streets of the old town, learning a lot about the country. In addition, you will see the life of the big city, with shopping malls, office buildings, and the daily life of the locals.

The city’s most important historical buildings include the Catedral Santa María La Menor, the first cathedral of the Americas, which states its distinction; the Alcázar de Colón, the first castle in the Americas, once the residence of Viceroy of the Indies Don Diego Colón, a son of Christopher Columbus; the Monasterio de San Francisco, the ruins of the first monastery in the Americas; the Museo de las Casas Reales, in a monumental complex that includes the former Palace of the Governors and the building of the former Royal Audiencia of Santo Domingo; the Fortaleza Ozama, the oldest fortress in the Americas; the Pantéon Nacional, a former Jesuit edifice now hosting the remains of various renowned Dominicans; and the Dominican Convent, the first convent in the Americas. – by wikipedia.org

2. What to do in Punta Cana

Punta Cana is the hallmark of a beach holiday in the Dominican Republic. It is the largest resort in the Dominican Republic. Its long sandy beaches, palm trees along the coast, the amazing beauty of nature and the warm sea attract tourists worldwide. It is summer all year round. Here, you can enjoy comfortable air temperature of about 28-32C and water at about 26-28C. Punta Cana is located on the country’s east coast. The Atlantic ocean washes it.

Punta Cana is a key contributor to tourism in the Dominican Republic. Many of the excursions in Punta Cana are near the water, it is a beach destination. These activities include snorkeling, windsurfing, banana boat rides, speedboats, scuba diving, catamaran cruises, party boats, deep sea fishing, as well as swimming with dolphins and sharks and stingrays, and snorkeling. For visitors that prefer to see more of the Dominican countryside, there are land-based excursions such as safari tours, horseback riding, and dune buggy. – by wikipedia.org

Most 5-star all-inclusive hotels and private beachfront luxurious villas are located here. Surely, Punta Cana is an ideal place for a family holiday. It is also perfect for a honeymoon or a romantic trip. You can enjoy a lot of entertainment and activities. Punta Cana combines a relaxing beach holiday, water activities, exciting excursions, golf courses, casinos, boat trips, fishing and diving. Every tourist will find interesting things to do. In addition, we can help you choose and organize your activities.

And yet, what city to choose for vacation in DR?

When planning a trip to the Dominican Republic, travelers usually choose to relax on the white sandy beach under the palm trees. Punta Cana resorts can make you feel like a tropical paradise. However, even lazy days on the beach can bore. Therefore, we advise travelers to visit the capital of the Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo, and get an amazing historical experience.

To sum up, we strongly recommend visiting both Punta Cana and Santo Domingo. This way you will get the most complete picture of the Dominican Republic and feel its spirit.

Updated on: 2025-01-20. Author: Mark Vasiliy Smetanin