The 10 best zoos in the Dominican Republic

Excellent experience at Ocean World Adventure Park! Amazing Staff in every area (shout out Robin Santos with Guest Services and Yann with the Dolphin Swim). Park is well-maintained, clean and beautiful all around. The Dolphin Swim was super fun, interactive and overall, great experience! I would definitely visit again anytime. Great people, tasty food, nice ambience and spectacular views.

Great time all around. Do the experiences! Yes they cost a bit, but well worth it. And get the pictures too. Again, yes they are expensive but those are awesome memories. Staff was awesome and very friendly, helpful, funny, and personable. Skip the buffet though, totally not worth it. Definitely recommend the dolphin and sea lion experience.

There was a little misunderstanding at the reception — my husband thought that by paying for the dolphin encounter he would be able to take photos of us, but it turned out that phones were not allowed in the area at all. He was very upset, and the situation could have completely ruined our visit. Thankfully, supervisor Juan L. Rojas stepped in and handled everything with true professionalism, patience, and a sincere smile. Juan L. Rojas turned what could have been a disappointing experience into one of the highlights of our trip. He is a true professional who knows exactly how to treat guests and resolve issues with grace and respect. This is the kind of attitude that makes people want to come back again and again. Thanks to him, we left with wonderful memories, amazing photos, and a deep appreciation for the way he handled the situation. He truly deserves recognition and a well-earned bonus! 🌟

Great place to go if you are in Puarto Plata, just 10min away with taxi from Taino Bay. A bit expensive, if you are coming here as a cruise passenger. Anyhow nice place to relax by man made beach, or use the pools. Day pass includes lunch.

Visited as a part of a cruise excursion. The staff was pleasant and helpful. The facilities were clean. The animals appeared to be healthy and well treated. We did the swim with dolphins add-on and it was well worth the upcharge. Disappointed that the shark interaction was closed. Only wish we'd had more time.

Fantastic experience. Martin was a great guide and the trainers were knowledgeable, friendly, helpful and made the experiences so much fun. Dolphins, sea lions, sharks, birds and capybara!

Wow, wow, wow! Fantastic place play and to eat. The food was absolutely top-notch! The buffet is one time through, so fill up the plates! The rice amazing, veggies, fruit...wow! If you want to swim with dolphins, sting rays, sharks, snorkeling with tropical fish, or play at the private beach or water slides! You can also feed the birds and capybara's! So fun, safe, and delicious food and drinks. Johanny was absolutely amazing and so helpful, definitely sit in his section for vip treatment 🥰 The staff is so friendly while also keeping the little ones safe. Highly recommend! They have lockers and showers as well!

Great experience, we went with kids and they enjoyed everything. Like to learn about our origins and would love to go back.

Really nice. The private collection is quite extensive, with a big range of art pieces (no pictures can be taken in that room tho). Otherwise, the other section was quite informative with a lot of history and art as well. Note: the second floor was closed due to a new exhibit in the works. Highly recommend a few hours to stop by and see amazing local art, alongside learning about local history and culture.

This is one of the best art center and museum in the Dominican Republic. Founded by one of the richest family, which make their extraordinary incomes with production and selling of world famous Dominican cigars. But each Dollars they win with your smoking pleasure it's worth to see in this nice place. The architecture is a little bit modern from the last century and from outside it's look like a supermarket ... but inside they have 2 levels of exhibition. The ground floor has a very nice permanent exhibition about the island Hispaniola and the DR too. Also there is one room for the collection of Centro Leon. At the second level they have monthly changing special exhibitions of several artists. Sometimes they make a large one about all the actual art in DR. The Centro Leon has also a nice museum shop and a good restaurant too. Due the month there are several evening events for the local in-crowds and pseudo-bohemians. But you as an worldtraveller will enjoy the fine and quiet place!

It was nice and quiet. The gift shop is a expensive. I would avoid it. It's small. Only a couple of exhibits.

A truly amazing art gallery and place to spend the day with the family. They have five or six galleries as well as a bird sanctuary, water fountain, cafe and places where you can picnic or take photos.

The is a great place to visit 😊 there is art and history 😀 and they have a restaurant and outdoor seating with lots of shade

This review is regarding the food in the cafeteria. Delicious. We had the pasta and a wrap and it was on point! So even if u don’t visit the museum you can always stop by and hve lunch, dinner or a drink.

The fort is open Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with free admission. The indoor museum has no regular open time and was closed when I visited. The fort is about a kilometer west of the monument, and the city is fairly walkable. No parking is available at the fort. The entrance and interior of the fort is wheelchair accessible, although the ramp is steep. Little signage is available except for the plaques on the statues. The entrance of the fort is guarded by soldiers and police in uniform. While the fort does not have the same glamor as some other Santiago attractions, this is a decent stop for military history enthusiasts.

Super calm on a Sunday, kids road their bikes, and it was just us there. Loved it! I was able to relax while my kids were on their bikes

I didn't visit the museum as they are already closed for the day but I still walked around inside the fort structure and appreciated the peace a few steps outside the bustling city center.

Very nice to see history that's outside.

A weird melange of objects, with little explanation (and none in English)

Not much to see here besides some old vehicles and a nice view of the city plus some statues of the old generals. The museum was closed. My kid loved it since he was able to climb on the old military vehicles etc. so because my kid loved it and thought it was cool going there in giving it 5 stars.

Now used as military offices, etc. But interesting metal sculptures and bronze busts of heroes.

Overall my experience was good. The airport was definitely different than what I have experienced. The plane unloads on the tarmac and does not pull up to a gate. They bring the stairs/ramp over to you and then you take a bus to get over to customs. Inside the airport the luggage came out quick but there were a lot of sales people as you try to leave the airport selling tours and transportation. I was looking for our car service and was very annoyed I thought we found them and the girl escorted us to a whole different company trying to sell tours and hotels. On the way back to the airport the experience was not as great. They are outdated with no intercom system and we could not hear the attendance over the crowds of people when our group was called. We again had to take a bus to take to the plane. This part was not great because they had two sets for stairs to get on the plane and we had to carry the luggage up the stairs. The backs stairs did not have a ramp. It was a beautiful day out and I wondered what the experience would be had it rained there was no coverage. Overall decent experience compared to other airports I have been to but they definitely need a few upgrades especially an intercom system.

As someone who travels approximately one-third of the year and has visited countless airport lounges worldwide, I can confidently say the VIP Lounge at Punta Cana International Airport is truly one of the best I've encountered. What sets this lounge apart are its unique amenities that you simply don't find elsewhere. The swing pool is an absolute game-changer – I've never seen anything like it in any other airport lounge. It's the perfect way to relax and unwind before a flight, especially in the Caribbean climate. The lounge also features multiple private areas, which is a thoughtful touch that provides flexibility whether you need a quiet space to work, want to relax with family, or prefer a more social atmosphere. The variety of spaces really caters to different traveler needs. Beyond these standout features, the overall experience exceeded my expectations. The lounge offers a level of comfort and luxury that makes the wait for your flight genuinely enjoyable rather than just bearable.If you're flying through Punta Cana, I highly recommend accessing this VIP lounge. It's worth every penny and sets a new standard for what airport lounges can offer.

Smooth experience overall, with room for improvement Overall, we had a good experience at Punta Cana Airport. The airport is clean, organized, and easy to navigate, which made our arrival and departure relatively smooth. Staff were friendly and helpful, and the tropical, open-air vibe gives it a unique and welcoming feel. That said, there are a couple of areas for improvement. The immigration lines were quite long, and with a bit more efficiency, the process could be much smoother for travelers. Also, the lack of aerobridges meant boarding and deplaning happened via stairs on the tarmac — not ideal, especially in extreme weather or for families and elderly travelers. Still, it was a pleasant experience overall, and with a few upgrades, Punta Cana Airport could be even better.

Overall nice airport. Spacious waiting areas. The best part is they have very nice play area for kids so it’s very helpful for families travelling with small kids.

Not a very big airport. No air conditioning on arrival at baggage claim area. No air brigades. Deplaning and boarding done with the use of busses or on foot between the airplane and the terminal. They use the mobile ramps instead of the jet stairs with much easier way to get on it if the aircraft. Departure and check-in areas are air conditioned. Few duty free stores in departure area. Few fast food restaurants like Wendy's, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and few others. A little open terrace area at the food court popular with smokers. Not like there is a better choice. It is what it is.

BUSY BUSY! Typical airport hassle and crowded! Very organized with staff that knows exactly what is going on and wheee to go! Very cleaned and modern. The workers are very helpful. Lots of customs to go through before boarding. Plentiful restaurants and shops for souvenirs. And of course lots of areas for people to get comfortable before flight.

Flew in from Toronto, and although there was a long queue at immigration, it moved pretty quickly. Vibrant airport with quirky features: lovely thatched roofs and even had some drummers/entertainers at the entrance into the baggage hall to welcome guests. Baggage reclaim was smooth and easy. Outside the airport can be a bit chaotic, but if you prebook your pick-up before arrival, you should be okay as there are many people wanting to make a quick buck off you if you're not careful. Overall, it's a good airport.

This, like most excursions are a tourist trap and cash grab. For $125USD, they bring you on a “party” boat that didn’t have enough seats for everyone and fed us sandwiches that had been sitting in the sun for hours. You spend most of your time waiting for the next activity and they were all underwhelming. The sharks, stingrays, and seals are kept in the smallest enclosures. Two stars since the underwater walk was interesting, but you spend most of the time posing for photos and there’s nothing to see underwater.

We were picked up in a hotel by a bus with open windows, like a safari type of bus. This is fun during hot weather: gives one a fresh breeze, however: those who go with smaller kids or with vulnerable people: if you leave at 7:15am, it gets very breezy, on the edge of feeling cold and wishing you had a hat on, to cover the ears :) especially when the drive goes amidst a busy city traffic, with a speed of 50-60km/h. So i would kindly recommend having a sweater and even a hat, if you leave at 7:15am :) we had a great excursion. The boat experience was something, the snorkeling was fun. The sea zoo was a bit depressing… i wanted to just let them al out, those fishes… i did not know it would be a sea zoo.. i thought we would be in some special area of habitat of the herbivore sharks… anyways: whats done is done. But for sensitive empaths: a warning: a sea zoo would break your heart a little. The experience in helmets 10 out of 10, that was great :) i liked the safety measures. I coykd really see that me and my kids are under protection of specially trained staff under water. We were guided practically by hand! I appreciate it. Thank you!! And the pictures were fun and nice and lots of them. Thanks for that too!!

We had a great time on this excursion. The crew are wonderful, entertaining and engaging. You get to do a few things on this day trip like snorkeling, the sea walk, swimming with stingrays and sharks as well as swimming in the amazing crystal clear ocean. This trip does include drinks but not anything I would consider food. They offered fruit and cheese sandwiches but it's not enough to sustain you. We were told (by the events coordinator at our resort) that the day would start with pick up at 7am and then we'd be back at our resort by 12:30pm but that's not entirely true. The day started with pick up at 7am then an hour and a half bus ride, picking up other guests on an open air bus with the most uncomfortable seats on earth. We also didn't get back to our resort until 3:30pm and everyone was starving by this point. I do recommend this experience because it's a lot of fun and there are drinks involved but bring a snack.

We did the excursion June 4, 2025 and would highly recommend. In addition to scuba helmet experience we also did snorkeling, swimming with bull sharks/stingrays, and picture with sea lion. The pricing was great for the time spent and activities you get. Super friendly fun staff on the boat! 10/10

We got picked up bright and early for this activity from our resort. The seating is tight. Once you arrive, you are brought onto the catamaran. The party starts with them dancing, hyping the crowd. To be honest I was very excited about this excursion because walking on the bottom of the ocean was intriguing. Paid attention to all the details video only to find out I can’t take part in the excursion because we never paid for it. I turned on my data to show them my voucher which clearly stated I did. They did not let us complete that portion no matter how much was pleaded. Instead, we snorkeld in green water where there was not much visibility at all, went to get a kiss from a seal, they will grab your phones away at this point so they can take pictures. The part or the experience lasted 15 seconds, the seal moves his head back and forth (kiss) we were then quickly ushered to get into the water enclosure with the sting rays, fishes and sharks. Followed by a beach party where they let you hang in the water for 15 min -20mins They provided ham & cheese sandwiches, drinks and some fruit. Overall, to be honest the staff was tried to be hyped. Had I know that is all I was going to be doing i would have rather stay at the resort. We wasted 7 hours of our day as we never got to do the activity we signed up for. So fast forward they bring you back to shore, request that you tip, the pictures were average, wanted $80+. At the end of the day, if you like to party on a boat. This excursion is for you.

We did this excursion and it was cool but not without it's issues. For one, the bus is an open cabin with tiny seats that seem like they have padding but they don't. You can get motion sickness in the bus. Then you get to the place after picking up at different locations, no biggie, and you get aboard a ship. You are divided into groups. One snorkels, one does the scuba helmets, and two others wait. Waiting was fine, there were drinks and fruit. The snorkeling was cool and the scuba helmets, you go in a circle stopping to snap pictures. The swimming with stingrays and sharks was cool but felt bad as they are in an enclosure. Overall not a bad experience and I liked the sea lion.

Being able to go underwater and see the aquatic life was a beautiful experience. The staff was so fun and friendly--they had us dancing and drinking on the boat. Was not expecting the dancing but was all for it!

We had a blast. I feel Monkey House is more intimate than Monkey Land. They keep small groups so it doesn't stress out the monkeys. Jessica is an amazing trainer and treats these monkeys like her babies. They adore her and always want to be on her neck. Monica is a great manager who is not pushy and is professional. They guys who work there are great with the monkeys and take good care of them. You can tell they care about them. Especially Patron / El Jefe the king con and largest one they have. I would 100% go back. I would bring a couple bottles of water to wash the sticky banana off your hands though. We bought a picture as well.

We got to Monkey house and the space was so well maintained and clean. It felt homely and welcoming. We were greeted by staff in a lovely manner and it was amazing! The monkeys were super clean and friendly amazing pictures to be taken. The staff allow 2 sections. One with their pictures and one with your own. However their pictures are amazing and they give you a set price list rather than a number they feel like which feels what others do. 100% recommend. Amazing experience.

We visited Monkey House on the 6th day of our trip and it genuinely was the best day ever, I wish we went sooner. Being able to get up close with these beautiful animals was a complete dream and the staff were all so so lovely and took really good care of us - a special mention to Yan Carlos, he was amazing. You can tell the staff really love the monkeys and take such great care of them and the grounds. I would highly recommend visiting & would definitely go back again. I loved every second of being there x

This was an absolutely amazing experience. We had planned to do the monkey land visit but had done a little research and decided on monkey house. It couldn’t have been a better decision. The location is perfect, the monkeys are cute and super playful, and the staff is friendly and knowledgeable about the animals. The monkeys all seem to be well taken care of and cared for. You get plenty of interactive time with the different monkeys and at the end you have a chance to take your own photos while you feed them. They also take professional photos and videos throughout and we opted for the package of 15 photos and videos at the end. The video is very well put together and albeit it a little pricey it is definitely worth it for a once in a lifetime experience. The only disappointment for me was that we didn’t make it back again later in the week.

These monkeys were so much fun to experience! The staff definitely know how to handle them so everyone in the group gets to experience the fun. It was super cool to have them jumping from one person to the next and then back again. Beware - they don’t care where they are when they have to go to the bathroom! 🤣 The only downfall was the photo cost, which many others commented on also. Extremely expensive for individuals and packages (and this was the reason 4-stars and not 5-stars). The photographer does a great job, but was still too expensive for us to justify the purchase. For 1/2 of the experience phones/cameras are not permitted but the last 1/2 they are so make sure you get some good photos of your family in the last 1/2 if you want to save a little money!

We had such a great time here. The staff are wonderful and the groups are small so everyone has a chance to interact with the monkeys and parrots. If you’re looking for an intimate experience i definitely recommend!

This experience is amazing and worth every penny to anyone who adores nature and creation. The interaction with the monkeys was more than I could have imagined. Alma is an exceptional hostess and made me feel comfortable and at home. I recommend Monkey House to everyone!