Catamaran Day Trip to Saona
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Saona Dreams founders were the first ever to create and offer to the visitors of the Dominican Republic a tour to the Saona Island that would include drinks, food and entertainment, at the lowest possible prices.
Our excursions offer an impeccable safety record in over 28 years of operation. We serve the most demanding tour operators in the world, and with the same approach of the most fun at the best price/most satisfaction philosophy, we offer this attraction to the end consumer via our direct channel.
Beverages
Buffet lunch
Hotel/port pickup and drop-off
Unlimited drinks (open bar)
Bandanas (available to purchase)
Souvenir photos (available to purchase)
- INFANT: : 0 - 2
- CHILD: : 3 - 11
- ADULT: : 12 - 99
- Gear/equipment sanitised between use
- Hand sanitiser available to travellers and staff
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Regular temperature checks for staff
- Social distancing enforced throughout experience
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Face masks are required for travelers and staff during bus rides.
- Guides required to regularly wash hands
- May be operated by a multi-lingual guide
- Paid stay-at-home policy for staff with symptoms
- Regularly sanitised high-traffic areas
- Transportation vehicles regularly sanitised
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Experience may be cancelled due to Insufficient travelers
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
What To Expect
Isla Saona
The tour starts with a catamaran ride to the Saona Island, located within the limits of the Cotubanama National Park (formerly known as East National Park)
During the ride, we will serve refreshments and travellers can enjoy the view of the sea colors, enjoy the breeze and sunbathe on the deck.
During the ride, travellers may observe sealife, such as birds and the occasional dolphin.
Once on the island side, travellers will be taken to a private secluded beach, where they will be disembarked and continue the fun, either by participating in the organized activities such as beach volley, dance lessons and shore snorkeling. You can also enjoy sunbathing and swimming, or simply relaxing.
At around 1:00 PM, lunch will be served. It consists of a buffet that may include salad, pasta, meat, and dessert. Refreshments and alcoholic beverages will be also provided.
Around 3:00 PM. The journey back to the mainland will start.
During the ride, we will serve refreshments and travellers can enjoy the view of the sea colors, enjoy the breeze and sunbathe on the deck.
During the ride, travellers may observe sealife, such as birds and the occasional dolphin.
Once on the island side, travellers will be taken to a private secluded beach, where they will be disembarked and continue the fun, either by participating in the organized activities such as beach volley, dance lessons and shore snorkeling. You can also enjoy sunbathing and swimming, or simply relaxing.
At around 1:00 PM, lunch will be served. It consists of a buffet that may include salad, pasta, meat, and dessert. Refreshments and alcoholic beverages will be also provided.
Around 3:00 PM. The journey back to the mainland will start.
5 hours • Admission Ticket Free
On the way back to the mainland, the boat will stop at a spot in the coast known as the natural pools. Here, you will be disembarked in a spot where the water is at waist height. Our expert guides will lead some games and dancing, and beverages and spirits will be offered.
It is possible to spot some starfish in this area. You will be able to see them underwater, we ask to please not handle these creatures, as they are very sensitive.
At around 3:30 PM, the journey will resume to finish up the sailtrip until we reach the shores of Bayahibe town, at the same spot where the tour began.
You will be directed back to your bus, where you will be driven back to your hotel, at that point, the excursion will be finished.
It is possible to spot some starfish in this area. You will be able to see them underwater, we ask to please not handle these creatures, as they are very sensitive.
At around 3:30 PM, the journey will resume to finish up the sailtrip until we reach the shores of Bayahibe town, at the same spot where the tour began.
You will be directed back to your bus, where you will be driven back to your hotel, at that point, the excursion will be finished.
3 hours • Admission Ticket Free
Reviews
Haggle if you can...
VivaAQP, 06-11-2019
Most companies sell this trip way overpriced, let alone hotels. I've seen up to USD 120 per person for this day trip. We paid less than USD 80 (4000 DOP) for the whole family (2 adults and 2 small children) by going to Bayahibe port directly and dealing with the first tout that appears. And this included the entry fee to the natural reserve (500 DOP per adult). The service is exactly the same, we got on one of the catamarans together with all the folks from the hotels in Bayahibe and Punta Cana. Of course this way you need to get to the port by your own means. Starting with a low price and haggling a bit in Spanish can get you a good deal.
The trip itself is really nice. Even if you are staying in Punta Cana with its already nice beaches, Isla Saona has such a stunning beach you can only see on postcards.
The catamaran is slow, it took us more than 3 hours, but it's fun with all the ambiance and drinks. Sometimes you can spot dolphins and flying fish if you're lucky. The trip back by speedboat is faster but there is a half an hour stop at Piscina Natural which is a nice sand bank out in the sea. All in all recommended if you get a good deal.
The trip itself is really nice. Even if you are staying in Punta Cana with its already nice beaches, Isla Saona has such a stunning beach you can only see on postcards.
The catamaran is slow, it took us more than 3 hours, but it's fun with all the ambiance and drinks. Sometimes you can spot dolphins and flying fish if you're lucky. The trip back by speedboat is faster but there is a half an hour stop at Piscina Natural which is a nice sand bank out in the sea. All in all recommended if you get a good deal.
Chilled, relaxed day trip
Rwd106, 07-05-2022
Great day out, chilled, relaxing, lovely island. Good cruise to the natural pool, then onto saona island. nice to sit on the boat n relax in sun with rum n coke! Music and dancing if that's ur thing, good vibes.
BBQ lunch was ok, had just over couple of hours on island so not too rushed but time went quickly tho, nice walk along beach and in the carribean sea, that's what the trip was about and had enough time to take in the beach and shores. We went with nexus tours, the tour guide Mel (Gibson....as he joked) was really good and certainly, speaks more languages than I have fingers and made the bus journey informative, definitely had his work cut out for the day getting everyone in taxi boats to the catermeran, there are sooooo many other tours to contend with on the shores. Its a shame a taxi slot wasn't set aside as we spent prob 1 hour of the day waiting for taxi boats which would have been better spent on the island. Maybe a private tour would have been beneficial here as this should take away the waiting around time. We spent appx 2 hrs travelling either end of the day by bus picking everyone up. That's the only thing that let this day out down a little, all the waiting around, we sat for 45 mins in downtown area before everyone was boarded the main bus. Not quite as exclusive an island as i was expecting and 5hours (appx) of the day was spent travelling/waiting but still worth it for a day out.
BBQ lunch was ok, had just over couple of hours on island so not too rushed but time went quickly tho, nice walk along beach and in the carribean sea, that's what the trip was about and had enough time to take in the beach and shores. We went with nexus tours, the tour guide Mel (Gibson....as he joked) was really good and certainly, speaks more languages than I have fingers and made the bus journey informative, definitely had his work cut out for the day getting everyone in taxi boats to the catermeran, there are sooooo many other tours to contend with on the shores. Its a shame a taxi slot wasn't set aside as we spent prob 1 hour of the day waiting for taxi boats which would have been better spent on the island. Maybe a private tour would have been beneficial here as this should take away the waiting around time. We spent appx 2 hrs travelling either end of the day by bus picking everyone up. That's the only thing that let this day out down a little, all the waiting around, we sat for 45 mins in downtown area before everyone was boarded the main bus. Not quite as exclusive an island as i was expecting and 5hours (appx) of the day was spent travelling/waiting but still worth it for a day out.
Excellente Day Trip!
Kevin_S, 24-12-2018
The tour guide, David (pronounced Daveed), was exceptional. The speed boat there and catamaran back were splendid experiences. Met lots of neat people. Drinks flowing. Saona Isle was paradise!
Not living up to expectations.
Ellison_C, 12-05-2021
Not what I expected.
First of all the whole.trip to the island was by motor. The sail was opened but not powering the boat. The sail was patched in multiple places and looked like it was falling apart.
Only one leg of the trip was on the catamaran. Trip back was using a motor boat.
On the island there were beach chairs and we were constantly being harassed by vendors.
Really not much than staying at the hotel.
Overall an average experience.
First of all the whole.trip to the island was by motor. The sail was opened but not powering the boat. The sail was patched in multiple places and looked like it was falling apart.
Only one leg of the trip was on the catamaran. Trip back was using a motor boat.
On the island there were beach chairs and we were constantly being harassed by vendors.
Really not much than staying at the hotel.
Overall an average experience.
Mixed feelings
718realb, 21-10-2019
We booked a day trip at the Sheraton Santo Domingo. We were told to show up in the Zona Colonial at 6:30am. The guide showed up at 7 am and we hopped on a bus. The bus was comfortable by not recent by any standard. We stopped on the way to pick some people and at a rest stop for 15 min. The travel agent told us breakfast was served on the bus but that was not the case. So not knowing this we did not buy food or water. Nothing was provided on the bus. We then proceeded to another stop to pick up more people. All said it took about 3 hours to get to where the boats for the island leave. All I can say is if you do not like crowds you should stay a away. Boarding was chaotic to say the least. It looked like a bus station with loads of people boarding the boats. We boarded what we thought was a fast boat only to be transferred on a catamaran. The boat was loaded with people and crying kids. No food just cheap rum with coke or sprite. Music and dancing on board made the ride somewhat fun. It took about 90 min to get to the island. Ok this was the best part as far as the trip. Very nice beach with nice water but again if you don’t like crowds you will not like this. By crowds I mean real crowds. The food line for the buffet was long and only chicken and some sort of fish and pasta was available. The drinks on the island are cheap rum no ice by the way with coke or sprite and beer. Then after 2:30 hours they rounded up the cattle for the trip back. We returned on the fast boat with a stop on an area with shallow water. We got back to the bus at around 5:45 pm. The bus ride back took 3:15 min with numerous stop. So all in all 6 1/2 hours for a 6 hours excursion. All in all it was nice to see the island but it makes for a very long day and I suggest you bring your own breakfast and snacks with water specially if you are going with kids. Probably would not do it again.
