Isla Saona Trip 2024 – What You Must Know Before You Go: Best Tours, Prices, Practical Tips

The trip to Isla Saona is one of the many treasures in the Dominican Republic. It is an island with the most crystalline water in the country. You can easily get there by boat as an excursion (either by catamaran or by speedboat). Look, you can travel to incredible places, but there are only a few in the world with the water like on this island. It’s like the Maldives!

So, we are going to tell you everything about Saona Island. How to get to Saona Island, what to see there, different options to visit the island and much more.

Where is Saona Island Located?

Saona Island is located in the south of the Dominican Republic, near La Romana and belongs to the Cotubanamá National Park. To give you an idea of ​​the situation, it is about 50 minutes or an hour from Punta Cana and about two hours by car from Santo Domingo.

The Isla Saona Location

How to Get to Isla Saona in 2024?

To get to Saona Island you have to go to the Port of Bayahíbe. This is where most of the boats leave for Saona Island and it is easy to find excursions directly here. There are also some excursions from Dominicus Beach in Bayahíbe, but much less frequently.

1. Trip to Isla Saona by catamaran

This is the most typical excursion and also the most economical. The plan consists of them picking you up at the hotel in Punta Cana, taking you on board a catamaran to Saona Island and leaving you for a while on the most famous beach of all (and also where there will be more people).

Once in Bayahibe you will board a private boat that will take you to Saona Island making several stops such as Blue Lagoon, a beautiful natural pool in the middle of the sea where you can take a refreshing swim and observe enormous red starfish. 

Once on Saona Island you will have several hours to relax on one of its picture-perfect beaches such as Playa El Toro and El Canto de la Play, and then eat a buffet on the beach in one of its restaurants.

The excursion ends with a fun catamaran ride to Bayahibe with music and an open bar of soft drinks, and the return by bus to Punta Cana. The plan is great if you go with friends or just want to see the beach of Saona Island, sunbathe, relax and choose the cheapest option to visit Saona Island./span>

Starfish on Saona Island. Because people touch them and take them out of the water to take photos, hardly any are left. Please, if you are lucky enough to see starfish on Saona Island, do not touch them or take them out of the water because they will die. Thank you!

2. Private tour to Saona Island

If you are staying in La Romana, Bayahibe, or Punta Cana and you are a large group or want to visit Saona Island at your own pace, we recommend a private boat excursion, considered one of the most popular excursions to Saona Island.

After picking you up at your hotel and boarding a private boat at the port of Bayahibe, you will arrive in less than an hour at the spectacular Playa del Toro, where you can take a dip in its turquoise waters. The next two stops will be in Mano Juan, where you can visit a turtle sanctuary and eat a delicious lobster or fresh fish at one of its most recommended restaurants, Saona Paradise or Zoymar.

To top off the tour, you will cross the mangroves of the Catuano Canal by boat and take a last dip in one of the natural pools located in the middle of the crystal-clear waters of the Caribbean.

3. VIP Excursion to Saona Island

This VIP excursion is much more exclusive than the previous one and you are likely to find fewer people. It offers an unforgettable and uniquely personalized holiday experience on the island of Saona. You will be able to enjoy the beauty of this tropical paradise, visit unique places and get maximum pleasure from every minute of the trip.

• You will travel on a private yacht with a small group of people, ensuring comfort and privacy.
• The excursion offers a high level of comfort and service.
• The route can be adapted to your interests and wishes.

During the trip, you will travel on a private yacht with all the comforts. You can swim in crystal clear water and see starfish and try snorkeling and relax on the paradise beach of Saona. Throughout the day, you can enjoy a variety of drinks, as well as lunch. For an additional small fee, you can also try lobster and drink a pina colada.

4. Visiting Saona Island on your own

There is another option to visit Saona Island that you may not be considering, and that could be interesting. How about visiting Saona Island on your own, staying overnight in paradise, and being practically alone on the island? This is undoubtedly the most authentic of all the options.

From the Port of Bayahíbe, you will have to take a public boat to Mano Juan. There is only one boat a day. It leaves from the Port of Bayahíbe at 9 AM and returns from Saona Island at 2 PM (double-check this info!). This option is only recommended if you spend the night on Saona Island and two days there. Otherwise, it is better to make it a round trip.

Once in Mano Juan, remember that there are people who live there and have boats. We’re sure it’s easy for you to get from there to other beaches on Saona by boat. If not, you can also do it on foot directly. If you have time, consider it.

By the way, you can get to the Port of Bayahíbe from Punta Cana or Santo Domingo by rental car. There are a lot of options for different budgets.

You can leave your car there once you are in the Port of Bayahibe. There are a lot of different excursions to Saona: if you want to opt for the cheapest and easiest option of visiting just one beach (quite packed with people) or you want to go to a more remote beach where there are fewer people but pay a little more. You can even spend a night on the island at your leisure and get to Saona Island by public boat.

The Best Excursions for a Trip to Isla Saona

There are several popular excursions to Isla Saona. They all include a pick-up/drop-off from any hotel of Bavaro/Punta Cana by bus, and then you go by boat/catamaran from the Port of Bayahibe to the island.

Watch our video about Isla Saona trip

Top Isla Saona Tours 2024

What to See and Do on Saona Island

The trip to Isla Saona is a perfect choice if you want to calm down and relax. There are a lot of spots to see and visit, but we would like to highlight the next ones:

• Canto de la Playa. It is the furthest beach of all and also one of the least crowded. Jungle, white sand and crystal clear water, don’t you think they make a good combination?
• Snorkeling on Saona Island. With this clear water, don’t miss the opportunity to snorkel. Don’t forget your goggles!
• Mano Juan is a small fishing village where people still live in paradise today. There is a small school, some beach bars to eat at, souvenir stands, and some simple houses to stay in. It is a very authentic place. It is well worth it.
• The mangroves. This is an area where you can see the mangroves directly from the boat. You can also see them in the Los Haitises National Park in the Samana Peninsula.
• The Piscina is where you can theoretically see starfish.
• There are other beaches on Saona. Keep in mind that the whole island is lined with beaches. Where the catamaran excursion leaves you is Saona Island Beach, which is usually the most crowded, but there are many more beaches such as Playa Don Joe or Playa El Toro.

If you are going to spend the night on the island, we recommend walking to discover other beaches that are sure to be true paradises and you will be practically alone.

Visit Mano Juan village

The fishing village of Mano Juan, with less than 500 inhabitants, and located very close to the flamingo lagoon, has the largest access pier to Saona Island and concentrates almost all the hotel and restaurant offerings.

We recommend you take a walk through the numerous souvenir stalls, most of them run by Haitians, take a dip in its fantastic beach with crystal-clear waters and finish by devouring a delicious fried fish in the restaurants Saona Paradise or Zoymar.

If you have time, you can take a walk to Canto de la Playa (1 hour) or to Playa El Toro (30 minutes), two of the best beaches to visit on Saona Island and in the afternoon, wait for the sunset lying in a hammock.

Experience turtle sanctuary

Another of the best things to do on Saona Island is to visit the Turtle Sanctuary, a Sea Turtle Recovery Center located in the town of Mano Juan. In this center they have the mission of promoting the protection, conservation and recovery of sea turtle populations that are in danger of extinction due to fishermen and poachers.

During the visit, you will learn about the characteristics of the three species of sea turtles, Carey, Green, and Leatherback, that nest on this island. You will also learn about nest tracking and, with a little luck, watch the hatchlings leave the nest and reach the sea.

Go to Cotubanamá Cave

The Cotubanamá Cave, located to the east and accessible by a trail from Catuano, is another of the places to visit on Saona Island and the Dominican Republic. Linked to a legend that a Taino chief hid in its depths, who was finally killed by the Spanish settlers, in this cave you will find some of the remains and samples of indigenous rock art.

Swim in Caballo Blanco Reef

The Caballo Blanco Reef, located to the southeast and with a rich seabed, is a must-visit spot for lovers of diving and snorkeling.

In addition to observing thousands of tropical fish and colorful corals, in this beautiful reef you can see the remains of an 18th century Spanish galleon and with a little luck, families of dolphins, whales and turtles.

Accommodation During the Isla Saona Trip

If you decide to spend a night on Saona Island, we recommend that you book your accommodation as far in advance as possible. Bear in mind that you are in the middle of nowhere, there is hardly any accommodation available and the ones that are available are sold out.

The accommodation on Saona Island is simple, so don’t expect much from it. But as an opportunity to see this island without tourists and at your leisure, it must be a delight. You can take a look at Saona Lodge in Mano Juan.

If you are going to spend the night in Bayahibe and want to arrive early on Saona Island, we recommend staying at the Bayahibe Guest House Hotel, a small hotel very close to the port that has all the amenities. Although you can take luggage (suitcases) on the public boat, the ideal is to take a small backpack with what you need for 2-3 days and leave the suitcases at the accommodation in Bayahibe or even in the rental car, as long as it is parked in a safe place.

If you are not going to spend the night on Saona, you need to book a hotel in advance or private apartments, villas, condos, etc. With the second option, we can help you select any property for your budget, number of people, and any other requests.

All ocean-view apartments

Tips for Your Isla Saona Trip

To finish, we will leave you with a compilation of the best recommendations for visiting Saona Island:

• If you go in high season, book your boat tickets in advance. If you don’t go in high season, you can go directly to the Port of Bayahibe, but go very early in the morning, around 8 or 8.30. Especially if you’re interested in the VIP option.
• Bring plenty of sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses and flip-flops, as it’s very likely that on the boat they’ll make you take your shoes off or even get a little wet, especially if you’re going by speedboat. If you’re prone to mosquito bites, bring a Relec as well.
• Don’t forget your snorkeling goggles, because the color of the water is unbeatable.
• Please, if you see a starfish, don’t touch it or take it out of the water.
• Avoid sunbathing under the coconuts on the palm trees. If the wind starts to blow and one falls on your head, you don’t tell anyone.
• Don’t forget to travel to the Dominican Republic with travel insurance.

You may read that Saona Island is a “wild” destination where there is nothing. Don’t pay too much attention to it, because although it really is a place where you won’t find the comforts you can find on the mainland, we cannot forget that it is an island and also a protected area; in Mano Juan there are restaurants, a shop with basic products and you will even have an internet connection if you have a Claro card in most of the island.

As a conclusion

Saona Island is a real corner of paradise. Snow-white beaches, crystal clear sea, lush tropical nature and warm atmosphere create ideal conditions for rest and relaxation. Whether you are looking for active recreation, a romantic environment or simply want to enjoy the beauty of nature, the island of Saona is sure to delight you.

If you are planning to visit the Dominican Republic, include an excursion to Isla Saona in your trip. It will be one of the highlights of your travels.

Frequently Asked Questions About
Isla Saona Trip

Updated on: 2024-09-18. Author: Karina Volf

Tags: Excursions Top activities Tourist destinations