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1 city
Province · Santo Domingo e arredores
Província de Santo Domingo
The Province of Santo Domingo is the metropolitan area around the capital: the Los Tres Ojos caves, the Faro a Colón, Boca Chica beach and Las Américas airport, in Santo Domingo Este.
In the photo: Los Tres Ojos, in Santo Domingo Este (Province of Santo Domingo)
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
The province
Get to know Província de Santo Domingo
The Province of Santo Domingo surrounds the Distrito Nacional and together with it forms the larger metropolitan region of the capital. The seat is Santo Domingo Este, on the east bank of the Ozama River, and the province also includes Santo Domingo Norte, Santo Domingo Oeste, Boca Chica and other municipalities, with residential neighborhoods, industry and the country’s main airport.
On the other side of the river, opposite the Ciudad Colonial, are two attractions that the guide treats together with the city of Santo Domingo: Los Tres Ojos, a limestone cave open to the sky, with blue and green lagoons and a fourth lagoon reached by ferry, and the Faro a Colón, a gigantic cross-shaped monument with the mausoleum attributed to Columbus. Surrounding it, Parque Mirador del Este is a strip of forest and green areas.
On the coast to the east, the guide lists the town of Boca Chica within the Santo Domingo destination: a bay of shallow, calm water protected by a reef, a few minutes from the airport, and the capital’s weekend beach. The Acuario Nacional, seaside in Santo Domingo Este, displays Caribbean marine fauna.
For travelers, the province is mainly the route between the airport and the Ciudad Colonial, but it’s worth setting aside time for the caves and an afternoon at the beach.
Destinations
1 destination in Província de Santo Domingo
Cities
1 cities in Província de Santo Domingo in the guide
When to go
From December to April it usually rains less and the sea at Boca Chica becomes clearer. Weekends and holidays fill Boca Chica with families from the capital. Between June and November there is a hurricane risk, with heavier showers more frequent from August to October; Los Tres Ojos and the Faro a Colón can be visited in any weather.
Getting there
Las Américas International Airport (SDQ) is in the province itself, in Punta Caucedo, about 8 km from Boca Chica and 25 km from the Ciudad Colonial, with taxis, transfers and ride‑hail apps. Los Tres Ojos and the Faro a Colón are a few minutes by taxi from the Ciudad Colonial, across the Ozama River. Buses and vans along the Las Américas highway reach Boca Chica.
Your questions
Frequently asked questions about Província de Santo Domingo
The Santo Domingo airport is in which province?
In the Province of Santo Domingo, in Punta Caucedo, about 25 km from the Ciudad Colonial and a few minutes from Boca Chica.
What is Los Tres Ojos?
A limestone cave open to the sky, in Santo Domingo Este, with fresh and brackish water lagoons connected by stairs, and a fourth lagoon reached by ferry.
Is it worth staying overnight in Boca Chica?
For early flights from Las Américas airport, yes: the beach is just minutes from the terminal.
Can you visit Los Tres Ojos on the way to the airport?
Yes, the caves are located between the Ciudad Colonial and the airport, and many people visit them on their arrival or departure day.