The best food tour we've ever done! - Shame on me for taking so long to write this review! Thie was the absolute best food tour we have ever been on and if we're saying this you have to understand that food tours are our thing. We have been on numerous one to include four during this one trip alone. We took a cruise so that's why we had so many booked at multiple locations. Anyway let me get to trying to explain the vast amounts of reasons why this tour was incredible. If you don't have time to read all of this I completely understand so bottom line up front, book it now!!! You won't regret it! We arrived at the cruise port and then had to walk through the area to get to the part where our tour guide Mercado was waiting for us. They gave us all the information for where to meet ahead of time so screenshot it when you get it because the internet was spotty for us and it caused us to be a little late. Mercado was patiently waiting for us and he met us with a big smile and a great attitude and said he hoped we were ready because he was going to be with us all day and we were gonna go to the spots that he like to go to. I don't want to spoil everything you're gonna get to do but this angel of a man took us to at least 7 different spots and the first one was his friend's grandmother's house for a fresh pot of coffee! If you're looking for something that isn't just full of all of the normal touristy stuff I'm telling you this is the one! By the time we were done, we had been with him for about 6 hours and we were stuffed. The spots were off the beaten path and the food was authentic and delicious. We also received history about the area and an understanding of when the locals would be eating the food we were trying. I wish I could capture the experience with words but I just can't. You have to book it to experience it. OMG the stop with the full blocks of cheese on the side of the road....the El Presidentes in the car while we traveled from spot to spot.....the hidden Empanada restaurant.....the chicharones! (i know that isn't spelled right) Take me back there please! If you're a foodie but don't like the normal, everyone and their mom, long lines, and rushed feelings of some food tours, book this one! Lastly a huge thank you to Mercado for showing me and my partner such an incredible time. We had so much fun and tell everone about it even months later. Simply the best and oh don't forget the bug repellent - that was our major mistake - the mosquitos tore us up but that lets you know the tour was freaking good because even though we got bit up, we still give this tour an 11 out of 10, highly recommend!!

Best tour ever!!!! - Best tour experience ever!!!! Juan was an excellent tour guide. We saw the countryside and the city and forts, ate a typical Dominican meal at a locals location and tasted fruits from the countryside. Plenty of opportunities for photos, even with wildlife, and plenty of opportunities for shopping and souvenirs. Had a great conversation with Juan about MLB and it's stars of Dominican decent. Would highly recommend him as a tour guide.

Puerto Plata - Jose’ is fantastic! Very enthusiastic to show off Puerto Plata! Delicious lunch & lots of info on local fruits, cocoa besns

Get Ready To Eat and "Drink" - Come with an empty stomach, skip breakfast. If you have never been to the port of Puerto Plata, it is a large port and you have to walk the entire port to get to the tour guide. It was a hot day (we are from Florida) ion November, but the car was very cool/cold. We met our tour guide, Jesus Castro, who advised he was going to be our driver, paparazzi, security and "policeman" for the day. We were taking into the countryside and our first stop was Los Mangos for an unexpected donkey ride and mini shopping trip. Side note: Get ready for the MANY varieties of a local drink called, Mamajuana (a strong spirit, red wine & honey mixed with local herb & spices). As we made our way back towards the city, we stopped at a roadside eatery called El Mangueo. It seemed to be a local favorite as they had steady orders going. As I first stated, come hungry (I ate a light breakfast, mistake). We were given a large plate of Mangu, sausages, plantains, two fried eggs, a large avocado slice and a large piece of fried cheese, IT WAS ALL DELICIOUS!!!! We then made our way back to the city and were taken to the Amber Mine Museum and our guide was Junior. It was a mini tour of the history of Amber mining on the island. It was really cool to see the different thing that got encased in amber. At the end there was a hand-rolled cigar shop with many infused cigars. I purchased the non-flavored ones, which were great, no left over taste in the morning. My wife wanted the mango infused ones, but chickened out at the last second. Then after we got back to the ship, she wished she had purchased them. Good thing we are returning next month on a cruise. Now back to the shop, there was also their coffee called Colao de la Aldea, it was really good, yeah we got a bag and my wife got a amber bracelet. We then stop a a chocolate shop, I forgot the name because I had the receipt with the name, but lost it. It was the 100 and 1 ways to use chocolate beyond consuming it. My wife really did like their Chocolala Poca Espuma y Mucho Chocolate (Organic Cocoa) tablets for making hot milked chocolate. We purchased two boxes, it has Cacao Sanchez Organic, brown sugar, cloves and cinnamon in a single bar that you break in half. One half makes one cup of hot chocolate. We did not purchase it because it was organic, it just came that way. Jesus drove us around the city, we stopped at a local market, to see how they shop and also an ice cream shop. We were taken to a hill top that over looked the city and port. We got a really nice picture of our cruise ship. All along the way Jesus made sure to take a lot of photos of us on our phones. Jesus had offered to take me to a cigar factory, but we were ready to get back to the ship. All in all, it was approximately a three hour tour. We had a blast, thank you to Jesus Castro and Viator. P.S. I don't think the real policeman liked that you played "policeman" and stopped traffic for us to cross the street. But, you did say you were our "policeman" for the day!!!!

The real Dominican experience - As a Dominican native traveling with my American husband and staying at a resort, this tour was a perfect way to reconnect with the authentic Dominican culture beyond the resort experience. Our guide, Jesús, was exceptional—friendly, accommodating, and knowledgeable. He gave us a great introduction to Puerto Plata, a part of the country I wasn’t very familiar with. From exploring the fresh fruit farm Los Mangos, enjoying delicious local cuisine, to taking in the beautiful sights, every part of the tour was memorable. Dominican food is truly something special, and this experience reminded me that you can’t fully appreciate it unless you step outside the resort. Highly recommended! Gracias Jesus por el tour! —Cristal & Ryan