Side by side
| Feature | Hoyo Azul | Los Tres Ojos |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Cap Cana, Punta Cana | Santo Domingo |
| Type | Open-air turquoise pool | Three cave lakes |
| Can you swim? | Yes | No (viewing only) |
| Inside what? | Scape Park (adventure park) | Mirador del Este public park |
| Time needed | 3-4 hours (full park) | 1-1.5 hours |
| Tour price | $89-$129 | $5 entry, $35-$60 tour |
| Best for | Resort holidays, bucket list | City stopover, culture combo |
Hoyo Azul deep dive
Hoyo Azul sits at the bottom of a 75 ft limestone cliff inside Scape Park, Cap Cana. The water is a vivid turquoise, fed by underground rivers. You can swim with a life jacket. The standard ticket bundles the cenote with Eco Splash ziplines, a Taino cave and other park attractions. Total visit is half a day.
Los Tres Ojos deep dive
Los Tres Ojos (literally "The Three Eyes") is a chain of three open-air cave lakes inside the Mirador del Este park in Santo Domingo. A boardwalk lets you walk down into the caves and view the water. There is also a fourth lake reached by a small raft. You cannot swim. The whole visit takes 60 to 90 minutes.
Which should you pick?
- Stay in Punta Cana? Pick Hoyo Azul. Los Tres Ojos is a five hour round trip.
- Stay in Santo Domingo? Pick Los Tres Ojos. Hoyo Azul is a 2.5 hour drive each way.
- Visit both? Combine Los Tres Ojos with the Colonial Zone (half day) and Hoyo Azul as a separate Cap Cana day from your Punta Cana resort.
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Browse cenote tours with free cancellation across the Dominican Republic.
Frequently asked questions
Only in Hoyo Azul. Los Tres Ojos is a viewing-only park, you walk a boardwalk over three open-air cave lakes but cannot enter the water. Hoyo Azul allows full swimming with life jackets and changing rooms onsite.
Hoyo Azul. It is in Cap Cana, 20 minutes from most Punta Cana resorts. Los Tres Ojos is in Santo Domingo, a 2.5 hour drive each way.
Yes, both, but for different reasons. Hoyo Azul is a bucket-list swim and photo spot. Los Tres Ojos is a quick cultural-natural stop best combined with the Colonial Zone in Santo Domingo.
