Romana: Cave of wonders and Chavón from Santo Domingo.

I recently took the...

I recently took the “Romana: Cave of Wonders and Chavón” tour from Santo Domingo, and it was absolutely worth every penny! My guide, Alex, was exceptional—extremely knowledgeable, patient, and eager to answer all my questions about the culture, history, and economy of the Dominican Republic. The itinerary was well-thought-out, and lunch at a modern restaurant overlooking the water was a highlight—delicious food and breathtaking views! The Cave of Wonders tour offered the option of exploring a maze or horseback riding. I chose the maze, and while it was quite challenging (and a good way to burn calories), it was incredibly rewarding to find the palm tree at the end. Although the tour is a bit more expensive than some others, it’s worth it for the following reasons: 1. Private experience—No crowds, no headsets and straining to hear a guide addressing dozens of people. The day is all yours. 2. Lunch is included—A full meal with a view, and dietary restrictions are respected as well. 3. All admission fees are covered—This includes access to a gated luxury community with high-end shops, excellent photo opportunities, and a museum of Taino history that offers a fascinating glimpse into the country's past. 4. Convenient transport—It's a 90-minute drive each way from Santo Domingo, and you can just relax and enjoy the ride in a modern van with extremely strong air conditioning and plenty of space. If you’re considering this tour, don’t hesitate—it’s a five-star experience!

FANTASTIC

This full day trip was wonderful, exactly what we needed. There was a minimal delay in response after booking but Robert jumped on it as soon as he could and was very apologetic and accomodating. He followed up repeatedly to ensure I was taken care of. Alex was a fabuous guide for the day. Typically they go to the cave first and then Casa De Campo but he agreed to swap it because rain was expected in the afternoon. This worked out perfect. Casa De Campo is a remarkable place, so happy we got to see it. The cave was beautiful, we were allowed to do our tour privately in between school groups. That was SO appreciated. We had lunch between both sites and the restaurant was really nice and the food was Delicious! We didn't get to go to the beach because of the sawp in itinerary, and it was raining, but we didn't care, it was a full day and we were happy. We got picked up at our hotel at 9am and returned around 4:30. Alex was a fantastic guide. He was born in the DR, moved to the states when he was 13 and then moved back after 10 years. Due to that, his English was great. My husband speaks spanish so Alex sometimes spoke with him in spanish as well. This was not similar to the other tourist options available in Santo Domingo so we really liked that.

Excursions: Romana, Santo Domingo & Isla Saona

Such a wonderful time! They are a great company and I had an amazing time doing different excursions with them! They will take care of you making sure you have a great time! Mr Robert Rodriguez was a great guide and he made my time way better! I highly recommend this company! 🥳

Fabulous nature and culture!

What a fabulous day! Robert was wonderful -- he shared in-depth knowledge, and gracefully answered all my questions. The caves were my favorite, and am glad the natural ecosystem is being protected. I learned so much about the Taino people and their rich cultural heritage. The drive along the coast and through the country was remarkable, and I enjoyed a lovely riverside lunch with authentic local cuisine.

Best day ever!!!

Alex was amazing. I was only in Dominican Republic for 4 days for a conference but I wanted to get a real sense of the island and he delivered and more. From pick up at hotel, to seeing an amazing cave, horseback riding, purchasing amber jewelry a detailed history about it, to swimming in the Caribbean and cacao shopping and authentic lunch I had the most amazing day. Very grateful that I chose this tour. Alex was super knowledgeable and historical aspect of the entire trip. I highly recommend it.

Chris

Everything was good. We really enjoyed our experience. We recommend this tour. The guide was perfect.

NATURAL & ANCIENT WONDERS GALORE

DO YOURSELF A FAVOR...GO! For me the treat started with conversations while riding with thoroughly English-proficient & BILINGUAL Alex, who I learned lived in the states from his pre-adolescence till a decade ago. Kind, considerate, charming and friendly he is knowledgeable and willing to engage one's wonderings and interests. His talk is informative as well as entertaining. That's just the guide! THE CAVERN Experience is magnificent and on its walls are mysterious and intriguing pictographs left by the indigenous Tainos... whose fascinating culture is explored later in the trip at a local archaeological museum ...the subterranean lake is a thing of beauty. The guide THERE is versed in geology and the lore of the Tainos. He later takes one above passing gorgeous plant life and the fascinating wildlife sanctuary featuring free-roaming rhinoceros IGUANAS. Horseback trail is optional (I opted not to). Later we went to lunch with typical Dominican cuisine (which mightve been a bit more typical as it was sorely missing beans for the rice!) BUT ALEX ASSURES this place might not be on their itinerary next time. Cannot deny it was VERY TASTY. LATER we visited a beautifully designed cultural center set on the palisades along the Chavon River. There we visited the Archaelogy museum.with Taino artifacts. DO NOT GO ON A SUNDAY if you looked forward to cultural center's artisan demonstrations (it was closed) I wasn't heartbroken because the grounds around the closed buildings were gorgeous especially the plant life and a Greco-Roman style amphitheater. Riding past the posh country club homes of the Elite who call CASA DE CAMPO home (seasonally) we go to the exclusive beach. Clean, quiet and serene... with lots of amenities, and swimming pools... the Caribbean beach sand powdery & the water calm, crystaline and tepid.... made a perfect CHERRY ON TOP for a great day!

Do it!

Alex our guide was fantastic. Thoroughly enjoyed ever second. The caves are amazing. The whole tour was exactly what we wanted. I would do it again and highly recommend to anyone who wants a mixed bag of a day. Ending up with a final relax on the beach.

Recommended tour with beautifull places in La Romana

Recommended tour guide Alex made the daytour very pleasant! It was a very nice daytour visiting beatifull places in La Romana! Altos de Chavon La cueva de las Maravillas Marina and playa Minitaa

Excellent tour, excellent guide and very enjoyable and comfortable full day experience

Excellent tour - comfortable, informative and very enjoyable Excellent guide Alex - who doubled up as a chauffeur, photographer and assistant through the trip - very well informed, always looking out for us and 100% dedicated to ensuring we had a thoroughly wonderful experience A very professional and competent tour operator Sunset Caribbean - who were pleasant, courteous, accommodating at all times and clear and professional in all their communications Beautiful sights - enjoyed each of the areas visited and the way in which the tour was laid out. Just enough time in each location - so that we were neither bored nor did we feel rushed Highly highly recommended - in fact I would recommend any tour with Sunset Caribbean - who proved themselves to be one of the best local tour operators we interacted with in our 7 day stay in the Caribbean

10/10 Experience

Alex was a fantastic guide! He was friendly and full of knowledge and good relevant information! I would recommend this excursion to anyone who wants to explore

Amazing All Day Experience

Truly A wonderful experience with our tour guide Alex! He was super friendly and personable from the very beginning. We went through amazing caves, saw beautiful country side views, ate delicious food ( we tried rabbit for the first time), and ended the day learning about the culture and watching the beautiful sunset in the Caribbean Sea. Truly an experience my husband and I will not forget. Alex you were a great tour guide and we will be sure to request you when we plan our trip to Haiti. Recommendation: my only recommendation would be to update the guidelines telling tourist to select one entrée during lunch so that the cost does not become too much. Or have a preset menu of what can be chosen so the restaurant staff knows as well.

Unforgettable Experience

Alex was a wonderful tour guide. He is friendly and informative. We had a jam packed day from start to finish, but he allowed us to go at our own pace. Unforgettable experience!

Great trip!

Alex from Sunset Caribbean was great! He was friendly and informative throughout the day! We had a great time!

Great experience

We had a great experience. Our driver was very helpful and on time. this company is very organized, we were able to book on short notice, and were picked up on time. The vehicle was clean and comfortable. We will definitely book with them again!

Amazing day with Alex

This was an amazing experience. Traveling solo sometimes can be difficult but the travel guide, Alex made sure I soaked in and appreciated every moment of this activity. Very informative, very patient with my many questions, and very supportive. The views of the cave, the country club and the stories behind these treasures were nothing short of mind blowing. I highly recommend!!!!

Plus sized girl review: Everything was stunning, host was fantastic, suitable for most travelers!

Thank you Alex for an amazing experience and Sunset Caribbean for creating an amazing experience! Alex is by far one of the best hosts I’ve had on an excursion. We started with hotel pick up, Alex was really easy to communicate with that morning. Even assuring us we could pick up sunscreen or anything else we might need at a little shop before the Cave. At the cave, we took a short less than 5 minute walk to the entrance. BE ADVISED, there are a lot of stairs (122 I believe), so take your time. We were able to walk around the cave (more stairs inside), see the old cave paintings, and beautiful features. Alex was an absolute sweetheart with climbing back up and taking out time. Then you get to see the iguanas! Next, we went to lunch! We both got salads (chicken and steak) and they were delicious! Full of lettuce, avocado, and chicken. Then on to Alto de Chavón. The views were stunning! It a beautiful place with gorgeous architecture and a wonderful small history museum. A quick tour of the Marian had us all pretending to claim a yacht. Finally, we spent hours at the most beautiful, stunning beach! Tequila shots (we paid for) with everyone and then floating in the Caribbean Sea. 💕

Fantastic Day With Alex

This was a fantastic day, we had a really wonderful time! It was a pretty packed day, but it didn't feel rushed or overwhelming. The cave was really cool, especially the pictographs. Lunch was delicious, Altos De Chevon and the marina were both with seeing, and then some cocktails on the beach to end the day perfectly. We had Alex as our guide, and he took a great day and made it even better. I hope when we come back for another tour we can have him again! Overall A+, 5 stars!!

Cave of wonders tour with wonderful guide

We booked at 11pm night before, the tour went able to happen but the tour manager called us and rescheduled. We were happy and able to do this she they promised their best service, we were not disappointed. He arrange everything. Breidy was amazing. He was knowledgeable, attentive and showed us the best local place to eat. We enjoyed it so much we asked to arrange our transportation the next day. The tour itself was as described and so much more. Recommend 100% if you're lucky you will get Breidy and he will show you local food stops.

The caves are really marvelous!!

What a great way to spend a day ! Alex did great job explaining the areas visited and our guide for the caves, Noel was really knowledgeable about the cave’s history and the park that the caves are located including the iguanas that live there! We also visited a gated resort area Casa del Campo that included Altos de Chabon with it’s Medieval looking village. We had a delicious last lunch that is frequented by local Dominicans . The tour was topped off by a visit and swim at the exclusive Playa Minitas!

Super fun

We had such a great time spending the day with Alex! He had a lot of interesting information and he was a joy to be around. It felt like we spent the day touring with a close friend. The cave of wonders was beautiful and Altos Chavon was captivating.

AN ABSOLUTELY PERFEC AND WONDEERFUL WAY TO SEE LA ROMANA . LOVE YOU LA ROMANA!

My family did the La Romana tour with Alex from Sunset Caribbean. Our guide picked us from the Santo Domingo hotel puncutally. It was a private tour as no one else attended and it was spectacular. The caves were amazing. I was able to walk up and down the stairs to the caves at my pace. Very tourist friendly. Not muddy or dirty, very clean. You can stay clean and pretty and be in the caves. It is a WONDER. The stalactytes and stalactmites are amazing, magical. fit for a movie. Then we did a little horse back riding and went for lunch. My son's lunch was spectacular. But my choice not so good. Sancoche for my husband was nice. I think perhaps it may be an option to give other restaurant choices in altos de chavon and perhaps we pay extra for the nicer more scenic restaurants. Give the client the choice. Alex was a wonderful tour guide. He did everything we wanted to do. He took our photographs helped us carry our bags and was just lovely. Altos de Chavon is wonderful and charming and dreamy. I loved the amphitheatre beyond words. The Marina is grand but it may not be essential to go if you have seen marinas before so you can use that time for more beach time if you wish. The beach is lovely and after the heat of the day it was refreshing. Again Alex was so lovely and supportive and patient. We left around 5.15 p.m. I got motion sickness on the way back and Alex again was a superstar. He stopped the automibe twice. Risking his life on Dominican roads to make sure I would be okay. Es muy simpatico y un caballero especial. Then I left my sunglasses in the van and he searched for them and brought them for me at the hotel that same evening. Es un hombre excelente. I believe I have a friend for life. He spoke both English and Spanish so that my family could improve their second language. Always professional service. Thank you Sunset Caribbean Tours and thank you Alex. Hasta Luego.

Great Tour Experience with Sunset Caribbean.

Breidy Solano, from Sunset Caribbean was our private driver/tour guide. He is very knowledgeable and speaks english well.

Wonderful experience

The cave was incredible! It exceeded our expectations. Alex was a great guide and very patient with us

Amazing!

Amazing tour, beautiful places !!! Our tour guide Alex, was really excellent !!👍🏻 I recommend this tour with te company and this guide.

Can't miss it!

Had an incredible experience from start to finish. Originally we were scheduled to go on Thursday morning, but our flight was delayed by 7 hours and we arrived the next day. We wrote them an email explaining the situation and they were so kind to reschedule our trip without any charge. I was amazed. Breidy, our tour guide, picked us up (we are a family of four) at our hotel, and then we continued to pick up another passenger at a hotel nearby. The transportation was amazing. It was a brand-new SUV, the size picked to accomodate our group size. Everything was nice and clean. Breidy even told us to pick some music we would like for the road. We first headed out to Cueva de las Maravillas. This place was just breathtaking. They had a tour guide explaining every detail about the place. They also had an iguana habitat. You also get a chance to ride horses (it's a small ride) before the tour begins. My wife and I did it and had a blast. Then we went to a restaurant called “Tipico Bonao”. This place has authentic dominican food which was amazing. The next stop was Altos de Chavón. This place is a must-see. Then we proceeded to Casa de Campo Marina, which was also very lovely, with all the boat sizes imaginable. To end our trip we went to Playa Minitas. This was a great treat. The beach was gorgeous! They have pools, towels, changing room. VIP service overall.

Florida Peeps go DR

Alex was fantastic!!! Pleasant, funny, knowledgeable, very polite and accommodating. Showed us a few hidden gems that weren't the norm along the way. Book it!! some beautiful sites for sure. Be sure to request Alex as your guide.

Hidden gems in the Dominican Republic!!

Alex was very personable, knowledgeable. Highly recommend for those who want to see history and hidden gems in the Dominican Republi

Amazing all day La Romana day trip

I recently had the pleasure of embarking on an all day trip to La Romana, where I had the opportunity to explore the Cave of Wonders and Altos de Chavon in the Dominican Republic. I must say, it was truly an unforgettable experience. Firstly, the Cave of Wonders was simply breathtaking. The stalactites and stalagmites that adorned the cave were a natural wonder to behold. Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable and took the time to explain the history and geology of the cave, which made the experience all the more interesting. After exploring the cave, we headed to Altos de Chavon, a beautiful town that resembled a medieval European village. The architecture was stunning, and the views of the Chavon River were simply mesmerizing. We had the chance to visit a local artisan village where we saw beautiful handmade crafts and jewelry. Throughout the trip, our guide was informative, friendly, and accommodating, ensuring that we had a memorable experience. The transportation was comfortable and efficient, making the trip stress-free. All in all, I would highly recommend this all day trip to anyone visiting the Dominican Republic. The Cave of Wonders and Altos de Chavon are both must-see destinations, and the experience was made even better with a knowledgeable guide and comfortable transportation. I can't wait to visit again!

A wonderful day: from the mystery of the cave to the fancy style of the “Casa de Campo”

Excellent experience: we got everything we expected and even more ! Our guide/driver was super friendly and took care of all the details. A wonderful day. Go for it, it is worth the money.

Día libre de stress

La visita a la Cueva de las Maravillas fue super interesante, el volver a caminar las calles de Altos de Chacón por igual, la combinación fue super espectacular y terminar el día relajados en la Playa de Minitas! Y el guia Alex…”priceless”!

DO NOT MISS IT

It is a highly recommended experience. The cave is amazing, there is no waste and Altos de Chavon is great. The private La Minita beach is beautiful! Super recommended. We did very well in listening to our guide Alex. A total hit, 100% recommended.

Everything was great!! Thanks, Evelyn

A GREAT success choosing this tour. Alex and Breidy are responsible, attentive I loved La Romana!!!

Un día de mil Maravillas en Santo Domingo.

Caminar entre iguanas después de adentrarse uno en Cueva de las Maravillas, contemplar la rosa flor nacional de República Dominacana, degustar una sabrosísima comida criolla en un restaurante típico y el deleite de escuchar un concierto improvisado por parte de uno de los integrantes del grupo en el anfiteatro romano de la Romana. Además la simpatía y profesionalidad del guía , Breidy, nos hízo sentir muy a gusto desde el principio hasta el fin.

UNA DE LAS MEJORES VACACIONES

Excelente aventura y más aún de la paciencia y carisma del excursionista, espero y anhelo regresar el año que viene con amigos.

Excelente

Contratamos la excursion Cueva de las maravillas y Casa de campo, sencillamente hermosa la colonia europea de casa de campo y la cueva de las maravillas hace honor a su nombre, Una maravilla!!! nos perdimos en el laberinto un buen rato pero fue muy divertido y la comida excepcional en Tipico Bonao La Romana (muy buenas porciones y la cerveza dominicana Presidente ya es mi favorita) Servicio a tiempo y la experiencia fue vivida tal y como nos la explicaron desde el principio Altamente recomendada experiencia tanto de la excursion como de la agencia de viajes (Gracias Jacinto y Breidy)