Saona Island Dominican Republic -
A day Trip from Punta Cana
Discover everything you need to know about visiting Saona Island from those crystal blue waters, palm beaches to dominican vibes, and why this dreamy day trip from Punta Cana is totally worth it.
Hey guys, in this post, I’m going to tell you all about Saona Island, one of my favourite and most amazing places I visited during my trip to the Dominican Republic.
If you’re wondering whether a day trip to Saona Island is worth it , keep reading!
Booking your Saona Island Trip
What me and my group of friends did was book our trip through one of the local tour agencies at the hotel, you can find them in almost all hotel chains, and the prices are pretty reasonable. Ours was around $60 per person, and below you’ll see what’s included. I definitely recommend finding a local provider and booking it that way.
Another option is of course GetYourGuide, where the prices are pretty much the same.
The trip is a full-day one and lasts about 10–12 hours, including transportation time.
Getting to Saona Island
The hotel pickup usually starts between 7:00–8:30 AM, depending on your location in Punta Cana. Keep this in mind, as the transfer goes around different hotels, and if yours is the last, you might have to wait a bit longer. The ride isn’t too long, and you’ll travel in a small bus with air-con, so make sure to bring something to cover up with. Like in many tropical countries, it’s super hot outside but freezing cold inside the buses. Personally, I found it quite uncomfortable!
The drop off is at this charming fishing village called Bayahibe, which is the main departure point for Saona Island tours.
The Island itself is located around 19 km from the mainland and belongs to the Cotubanamá National Park.
Before boarding the boat, we stopped by a souvenir shop where we were welcomed with a shot of Mamajuana, a traditional Dominican drink made by infusing local roots with honey, rum, and red wine.
The shop was pretty cool, you can buy nice items like paintings, wooden masks and figurines, and other locally made crafts. They also had handcrafted cigars and jewelry made from larimar, the national stone of the Dominican Republic.
The trip to Saona Island and What to expect
The trip from Bayahibe to Saona Island is usually done by catamaran one way and speedboat the other (sometimes it’s the opposite). Either way, you’ll board a nice and big catamaran for a relaxing cruise to Saona Island (or back from it).
The guides were fantastic and made the experience super fun. They played Caribbean music, got everyone dancing on board, and really created a cool vibe.
Of course, there was an open bar with rum, beer, and soft drinks included in the tour price. However, my advice is to pace yourself with the drinks so you can fully enjoy the island later.
I’m Bulgarian, so for me it was easy to handle my alcohol, but believe me there were others who couldn’t really enjoy the island later 😄
First Stop - Blue Lagoon & Natural Pool
Before reaching the island, the boat stops at this incredible blue lagoon. Honestly, it felt like heaven on earth. The water is crystal clear, not deep at all and if you’re lucky, like I was, you’ll spot and even gently touch sea stars. Just be sure to handle them with care.
The Saona Island
When we arrived, I was in awe of how breathtaking Saona Island is. I called it the “palm tree jungle.” Everything felt so natural, authentic and untouched. It’s really hard to describe the beauty of this place, I was just instantly in love.
There are no big buildings, just a few rustic wooden structures. The water was unreal, honestly, I didn’t want to leave.
Unfortunately, we were given only about 2.5 to 3 hours to explore and relax on Saona Island’s stunning beaches. But honestly, there’s not much to do except soak in the simplicity and natural beauty, and that’s exactly what I loved.
One thing I highly recommend is getting a massage from the local masseuses. They were really skilled, and the prices were quite reasonable – around $30 for a 25–30 min massage.
We also treated ourselves to delicious cocktails served in pineapples and coconuts, lounged on the beach, swam in the warm sea, and of course, took tons of photos! 😄
Lunch was included in the tour price and it was provided on the island, like many other tropical tours. However, don’t expect anything fancy, it was simple but honestly more than enough to satisfy us.
Getting Back
As I mentioned, the return journey to Bayahibe is either by speedboat or catamaran, depending on how you arrived. If you’re heading back by speedboat, hold on tight as it’s fast and can be quite a bumpy ride!
We even caught a tropical rainstorm, which made it even more thrilling and fun as we had to make a shield with our towels and clothes
If you’re planning a day trip to Saona Island, here are a few things to keep in mind. Bring the essentials , like sunscreen, a towel, a camera, and a bit of cash for things like souvenirs, fresh fruit cocktails, tips, or maybe even a relaxing beach massage.
As always, tipping isn’t required, but it’s definitely appreciated by the guides, and I always recommend showing a little gratitude if you’ve had a great experience. Some tours also offer extras like snorkeling gear or professional photo services, usually at an additional cost, so keep an eye out if that’s something you wanna do.
In a nutshell, this trip was such a wonderful escape from the everyday. From dancing, to swimming in that insane blue water, and just chilling under the palm trees, it was one of those travel days I’ll never forget.
So, what do you think? Would you add Saona Island to your bucket list? Because honestly… you totally should.
– Tsveti 🌸
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