Higüey is about 130 kilometres east of Santo Domingo and 45 kilometres northwest of Punta Cana airport. The drive from Santo Domingo on the Autopista del Este takes about two hours. From Punta Cana, public buses and guaguas (shared minibuses) run to Higüey and take about an hour. The trip is cheap and straightforward.
Direct guagua services also run from La Romana and Bávaro. If you are staying at a resort in the Punta Cana or Bávaro area, Higüey is the most accessible genuine Dominican city, and a half-day trip there gives a completely different experience from the all-inclusive bubble.