Caribbean Dream

Saona Island Catamaran Excursion

★★★★★ 4.6 47 reviews Approx 11 Hours Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
Free cancellation
Up to 24h before
Duration
Approx 11 Hours
Hotel pickup
Included
Reserve · $0 today
Pay 3 days before

Overview

Turquoise water, a waist-deep natural pool, palm-lined white sand, an open bar and a beach BBQ — all on a full-day Saona Island excursion from Punta Cana. Cruise out by speedboat, sail back by catamaran, and dance merengue at the Tiki Bar. Coming?

Your Day on the Caribbean's Most Famous Island

Let us take you to the undisputed star of the Dominican Republic's offshore islands: gorgeous Saona Island. You can thank us later — for now, here's why Isla Saona has been stopping travelers in their tracks for more than 500 years. (Christopher Columbus himself first dropped anchor here back in 1494.)

What makes Saona so special? A few very good reasons:

  • This is a real island — all 110 square kilometers of it, tucked inside Cotubanamá National Park. No tiny sandbar-key here; the beach runs farther than the eye can see.
  • Then there's the water: clear, glassy turquoise you'll find in only a handful of places on earth. Get the selfie ready.
  • White sand and swaying palms — the postcard Caribbean combo, mile after mile of ivory shoreline fringed in green.

Still wondering if it's worth it? Here's what the day actually looks like:

  • You'll skim across the Caribbean by speedboat, then cruise home the easy way aboard a roomy catamaran — with music, animation and an open bar the whole way. How often do you get to sail the actual Caribbean Sea?
  • It's an all-inclusive, full-day escape from your Punta Cana resort: the boats, the open bar, the food — plus door-to-door hotel pickup and drop-off. Easy.
  • We stop at Saona's famous natural pool — a sandbar far offshore where the water sits warm, clear and waist-deep. Rum in hand, you might spot a starfish or two at your feet.
  • And then the island itself: hit the Tiki Bar, dance a little merengue, play some beach volleyball, stroll the sand, raid the buffet… and swing back by the Tiki Bar.

It's your Punta Cana vacation, and Saona is the kind of day you do once — so do it right, with the pros.

Isla Saona is the #1 most-requested excursion in Punta Cana, so book early to lock in your spot.

Sun, sand, and a drink in your hand — join our Classic Saona Island Experience to the Dominican Republic's most beloved offshore oasis.

What's Included

  • Round-trip transport
  • Professional guide
  • Speedboat and catamaran to Isla Saona
  • BBQ buffet lunch
  • Drinks

What to Bring

  • Beach clothing
  • Bathing suit
  • Towel
  • Camera
  • Sunscreen
  • Cash

Prefer something more private? Skip the group and charter a private yacht to Saona Island — pick your own departure time, menu and playlist, with a dedicated captain and crew.

Good to know

  • You're collected from your hotel in a minivan or minibus, then transferred to a larger bus for the ride to the launch point on Bayahibe town beach. Drive time from Punta Cana is about 1½ hours.
  • You'll head out one way by catamaran and return by speedboat, or the other way around.
  • Rum, soda and water are served all day; beer is served with lunch and can be bought outside lunch hours.
  • For safety reasons, pregnant women can't take part in this excursion.

Watch the tour

Frequently asked questions

How long is the boat ride from Punta Cana to Isla Saona?
You cannot take a boat directly from Punta Cana to Saona island as the distance is too far. To reach the jump off point for Saona you must first drive to the town of Bayahibe. Normal drive time is about an hour but if you're with a group excursion, drive time can be up to 2 hours due passenger pick up at Punta Cana resorts. Once in Bayahibe there are two options to reach Saona: motorboat, which takes about 40 minutes or catamaran which takes about 1 hour 30 minutes. Unless you've chartered your own private catamaran, all Saona group excursions will include one way via motorboat and one way via catamaran.
How long is the Saona Island excursion?
Expect to be gone approximately 10 hours on a typical Saona island excursion from Punta Cana or up to 12 hours if your hotel is located in Uvero Alto, Punta Cana's northern most section. This includes round trip bus transport from the resorts, round trip boat transport to Saona and of course some island time!

You can opt for a private yacht charter to Saona Island which will take only about 8 hours. And if you want to really get there quick, you used to be able to take a helicopter excursion to Saona island. But that is no longer available.
Why is Saona Island so popular?
At 100 square kilometers, Saona is a behemoth of an offshore island with miles of unobstructed tropical beach, turquoise waters and coconut palms. It really is the quintessential, tropical shoreline in the Caribbean. The motorboat and catamaran ride, to and from Saona, is just as memorable as the island itself with an unforgettable stop at the natural swimming pool - an immense sandbar of waist deep waters where music is played and drinks are served!
What is the best beach in Saona?
Saona island, located off the southeastern coast of the Dominican Republic, offers miles of tropical, white powdery beaches. The most popular, and the most visited for Saona excursions, is Playa los Abanicos. Also popular is Catuano Point and Playa del Gato. Playa Palmilla is mentioned a great deal but this beach is located on the mainland and not on Saona. Off Playa Palmilla is where the renowned natural swimming pool is located, a popular sandbar stop for Saona excursions.
Where do boats leave for Saona Island?
Saona island boat departures leave from the southeastern Dominican town of Bayahibe which is about an hour drive from Punta Cana. If you are on a group excursion with others, transport to Bayahibe can take up to 2 hours when factoring in other passenger pick ups.
Does anyone live on Saona Island?
Saona island is part of the Dominican Republic's Cotubanama National Park which prohibits development and inhabitants. With that said, the small fishing village of Mano Juan was the only community that existed before the national park's declaration in 1975; it was permitted to remain with development and population restrictions. Today about 500 individuals live in Mano Juan.
How long is the boat trip to Saona Island?
Saona Island is located off southeastern shores of the Dominican Republic and is only reachable by boat. The closest mainland town is Bayahibe from where there are two options to reach Saona: motorboat, which takes about 40 minutes or catamaran which takes about 1 hour 30 minutes. Unless you've chartered your own private catamaran, all Saona group excursions will include one way via motorboat and one way via catamaran.
Why go to Saona Island?
Saona island is the only offshore island relatively close to Punta Cana. The trip to Saona combines two of the most sought after activities for tourists to the Dominican Republic: getting out on a boat and spending time on the beach; preferably the island kind! And Saona itself is worth the trip, surrounding by calm Caribbean seas it is the quintessential tropical island with miles of powdery beaches, bordered lazy coconut palms and lapping turquoise waters.
Can you snorkel on Saona Island?
Typical excursions to Saona island do not include snorkeling. Although there are coral reefs just offshore from the town of Bayahibe - the jump off point for the Saona island excursion - these reefs are located in deeper waters that are more conducive to scuba diving.

Why travelers loved this

★★★★★ 4.6 · 47 reviews

Ellen Ridyard

Jul 2026

“Really enjoyed the fun boat vibes and friendly atmosphere on the way to Saona Island! Swimming in the natural pool was amazing: definitely the bluest most beautiful water I’ve ever seen. The captain and concierge Ramon were exceptional! The only way to improve is to reduce the transpiration number of bus changes and total travel time.”

Columbus, OH · Royalton Splash

Zamud

May 2026

“My wife and I had an amazing time appreciating nature while we stopped in the middle of the ocean, standing on the sand in the water without floating, en route to Saona Island. Saona Island was great! We were thrilled with the speedboat and catamaran rides! The party and dancing on the catamaran was a great experience! The food offered at Saona Island could be improved, but it wasn’t the best. While the transportation logistics could be improved—we did experience some delays waiting for other adventurers, which took forever!—we didn’t let the journey to get to the island spoil the fun. 🤩”

Zachary

Feb 2025

“Saona Island is beautiful. Worth the trip. Our tour guide was great. However, pack your own lunch if you go. My wife and I both got food poisoning from the lunch on the beach at Saona. It ruined the last day and a half of our trip.”

Mac

Jan 2024

“Excellent service with local collection points, good connection to boats and a very good day out. My only criticism would be the beach vendors, but this is not really the companies fault so I would not drop the rating because of it”

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