How to Choose a Shore Excursion at Amber Cove (2027 Guide)
How to choose a shore excursion at Amber Cove: waterfalls, ATV and buggy rides, the city tour or monkeys, compared by price, age, length and pickup.
Amber Cove Excursions
To choose a shore excursion at Amber Cove, match it to your group: the Damajagua Waterfalls for adventure, an ATV or buggy ride for off-road fun, the Puerto Plata city tour for history and color, or a Monkey Home visit for families with young kids. All of our Amber Cove shore excursions include round-trip transportation from inside the cruise terminal and are planned around your ship’s schedule. Adult prices run from $39 to $149 per person, and tours last from 2.5 to about 6 hours.
Your options at a glance
| Excursion | From | Length | Ages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Damajagua Waterfalls (7 falls, lunch optional) | $39 per guest | 3 hours | 7+ |
| Damajagua combos (Monkey Park, zip line or buggy) | $99 per guest | 4–5 hours | 8+ |
| ATV, double or single | $45 per person | 2.5–3 hours | 8+ |
| Buggy, double or single | $50 per person | 2.5–3 hours | 8+ |
| Puerto Plata City Tour | $44.55 per guest | About 4 hours | All ages |
| City Tour + Double Buggy or ATV | $75 per person | About 6 hours | 8+ |
| Monkey Home tours | $57.99 per adult | 3 hours | All ages |
Want the top picks in order? Our 10 best Amber Cove excursions for 2027 ranks them with current prices, drive times from the pier and route maps.
Damajagua Waterfalls: best for adventure
The Damajagua Waterfalls, also called the 27 Charcos, are a chain of limestone falls about 31 minutes from Amber Cove (38 from Taíno Bay). With a guide, you walk uphill through the forest, then come back down by jumping into pools, sliding down natural rock chutes and swimming through narrow canyons. Helmets and life jackets are provided, and every jump is optional.
Our tours cover the 7-waterfall route, from $39 per guest for about 3 hours ($49 with a Dominican lunch), with a minimum age of 7. The park’s longer 12- and 27-waterfall routes are meant for older, fit guests, and we don’t sell them. To do more in one day, the Damajagua, Monkey Park and Dominican lunch combo takes about 4 hours ($99, ages 8+), and the zip line and buggy combos take 4 to 5 hours ($110 to $149, ages 8+).
You can compare all our Damajagua shore excursions side by side. For fitness, safety and packing advice, read our complete guide to the Damajagua waterfalls.
Quick tips for the falls:
- Wear water shoes or old sneakers; flip-flops won’t stay on.
- Bring a waterproof phone pouch if you want photos.
- Wear your swimsuit under your clothes and pack a dry change for the ride back.
- Leave valuables on the ship.
ATV and buggy tours: best for off-road fun
ATV and buggy tours take you along muddy trails and through streams in the Maimón countryside near Amber Cove. Both ATV tours and the Double Buggy include Dominican coffee, chocolate and mamajuana tastings at a local home, plus a stop at Teco Beach (Playa Teco in Maimón, about 10 minutes from Amber Cove) and showers to clean up afterward. They run rain or shine, and every rider must be at least 8.
- Double ATV: $45 per person, two people sharing one ATV, 2 hours 30 minutes
- Single ATV: $85 per ATV, one rider, 3 hours
- Double Buggy: $50 per person, two people sharing one buggy, 3 hours
- Single Buggy: $95 per buggy, one rider, 2 hours 30 minutes
ATV or buggy? On an ATV you sit astride and steer with handlebars, which feels more hands-on. A buggy has seats and a steering wheel and feels more stable, so it suits riders who want a slightly tamer ride. Our Amber Cove ATV tours page compares the single and double ATV, and the buggy excursions page also lists two Damajagua-and-buggy combos.
What to wear: closed-toe shoes, clothes you don’t mind getting muddy, sunglasses with a strap, a bandana or buff for dust, and sunscreen applied before you go. Pack a change of clothes for the ship.
Puerto Plata city tour: best for history and color
Downtown Puerto Plata is about 18 minutes from Amber Cove and 5 minutes from Taíno Bay. Our city tour ($44.55 per guest, about 4 hours, all ages) visits Fortaleza San Felipe, the Malecón, a chocolate factory, Umbrella Street, Pink Street, the Amber Museum area, Central Park and the cathedral.
Fortaleza San Felipe is a 16th-century Spanish fort built to defend the harbor from pirates, and the streets around Central Park are lined with colorful Victorian-era buildings. Umbrella Street, with its canopy of bright umbrellas, and Pink Street are popular photo stops. At the chocolate factory, you see how Dominican cacao becomes chocolate.
Want city sights and some mud? The City Tour + Double Buggy and City Tour + Double ATV combos cost $75 per person (minimum 2 guests), take about 6 hours and start at age 8. All three options are on our Puerto Plata city tour page.
Monkey tours: best for families with young kids
For little ones, the Monkey Home tours are the easy choice: about 18 minutes from Amber Cove, 3 hours long, open to all ages and running rain or shine. The Monkey Home, butterflies and birds tour costs $57.99 for adults and $39 for kids 3 to 11, and infants up to 2 go free. The Monkey Home Adventure focuses on the squirrel monkeys and costs $60 per guest.
Beach time near Amber Cove
We don’t run beach-day trips, but you can still get your toes in the sand. The ATV tours and the Double Buggy stop at Teco Beach, and the Amber Cove complex has its own pools, bars and shops if you’d rather stay near the ship.
Farther along the coast, Sosúa Beach has a calm, sheltered bay that’s popular for snorkeling, and Playa Dorada has a wide stretch of golden sand lined with resorts. Our guide to the nicest beaches near Puerto Plata for cruise visitors compares them.
How to choose your excursion
- For adrenaline: Damajagua, an ATV or buggy ride, or a zip line combo
- For history and food: the Puerto Plata city tour
- With kids under 7: a Monkey Home tour or the city tour, both open to all ages
- With kids 6 and up: the Monkey Home + Double Buggy combo, with squirrel monkeys and a shared buggy ride
- With kids 7 and up: Damajagua from age 7; the other buggy, ATV and combo tours from age 8
- To pack in more: a combo, such as Damajagua with Monkey Park, a zip line or a buggy, or the city tour with a double buggy or ATV
- For an easy day: a 3-hour Monkey Home tour, or the pools at the Amber Cove complex
Practical tips for your port day
- Meet inside the terminal. Pickup and return are in the terminal lobby at Amber Cove and inside the port at Taíno Bay. Before your port day, we email the exact meeting point, a photo of your driver’s ID badge and a contact number.
- Book ahead. You can book online up to 12 hours before your ship arrives, and cancellation is free up to 25 hours before the tour starts.
- Plan around all-aboard. All-aboard is earlier than departure, so check it in your cruise app. The Dominican Republic stays on UTC−4 all year, which may not match your ship’s clock.
- Respect the sun. Use reef-safe sunscreen, wear a hat and sunglasses, and drink plenty of water.
- Carry small US bills. US dollars are widely accepted, and tips aren’t included in tour prices; $5 to $10 per person is typical.
- Leave valuables on board. Jewelry and spare cards are safer in your cabin safe.
FAQs
How long do ships stay at Amber Cove?
Most ships stay about 8 to 9 hours, usually docking between 7 and 10 a.m. Your cruise app and our cruise schedule show the exact times for your date.
What if my ship docks at Taíno Bay instead?
Taíno Bay is Puerto Plata’s second cruise port, about 13 minutes (10.8 km) from Amber Cove, and we pick up at both. From Taíno Bay, downtown is about 5 minutes away and Damajagua about 38 minutes. See all Taíno Bay excursions.
Is it safe to book a shore excursion with a local company?
It can be, as long as pickup, timing and refunds are clear. We meet you inside the terminal, send your driver’s details before your port day and give a full refund if your ship was scheduled to dock at your booked port but doesn’t. We’re rated 4.7 on Tripadvisor from 3,202 reviews.
Which excursions are best for kids?
The city tour and both Monkey Home tours welcome all ages. The Monkey Home + Double Buggy combo starts at age 6, Damajagua at age 7, and the other buggy, ATV and combo tours at age 8.
What happens if it rains?
Showers are most common from November to January and are usually short. Buggy, ATV and monkey tours run rain or shine, and Damajagua runs in showers, though guides can close it after heavy rain. If a tour can’t run for weather or safety, we offer another tour or a full refund.
Plan your Amber Cove day
Find your ship on our ship-by-ship Amber Cove cruise schedule to see the top three tours, the weather and pickup details for your date. Then reserve with a 30% deposit and pay the rest on arrival, or pay in full. Groups of 6 or more get 5% off automatically, and groups of 11 or more get 10%. Pick one main excursion and leave a comfortable buffer before all-aboard.
