11 May 2022
I messaged the tour operator asking if the tour was in English. I was assured the tour had an English translator.
I was informed that the tour does not pick up in Punta Cana, but if I paid the bus driver $20 he would pick me up at my Punta Cana hotel. I paid the driver $20 when he picked me up. I was taken to another bus and when we were en route to Santo Domingo the tour guide called new driver asking if I paid him the $20. The driver and tour guide (on phone) only spoke Spanish. It was fortunate that a couple of other patrons on the tour spoke English as they had to translate that I already paid the driver who picked me up at the hotel. I then paid the current driver another $20 as I wanted to make sure I would get home at the end of the day.
We picked up a tour guide in Santo Domingo. Basically, the whole tour was in Spanish although the guide did translate a few times. All the patrons on the tour were very nice and often translated for me.
Be forewarned that we stopped at 3 shopping spots plus a short stop at the caves. My understanding is that the DM government requires the tours to stop at a local shop but stopping at 3 different stores seemed excessive.
I took 2 other tours during my stay and we only stopped at one shop.
I was glad I could see Santo Domingo and meet the other nice patrons, but I had really expected more of the tour.