Saona Island Tours in La Romana: 12 Worth the Crossing

1.Saona Island small group and relax – luxury catamaran

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 605 reviews · from $139Our pick

Cruise from Bayahibe aboard the 75-foot Quetzal catamaran, limited to 30 people. Snorkel at Catuano, relax on Saona Island, and swim at Las Palmillas among starfish. Lunch, snacks, drinks, equipment, commentary, and Bayahibe hotel transfers are included. The mood is calm and polished, not a loud party cruise.

“Booked a tour and they never showed up Finally called the local operator after an hour and a quarter and they agreed to refund our money so a happy ending!”

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2.Saona Island and Altos de Chavón Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 340 reviews · 1 day · from $92

You’ll visit Altos de Chavón, a stone-built 16th-century Mediterranean replica village, then sail toward Saona Island for a natural pool stop, beach time, buffet lunch, and drinks. Guides such as Benjamin, Alberto, and Pedro have led lively outings with music, dancing, and useful local commentary. Expect an early start and a long day.

“I absolutely loved this activity. We had so much fun, the tour guides were full of energy and had us dancing all the way. Saona Island is a must, the water colors are spectacular. Altos de Chavon is so beautiful, it does transport you to a European city, I only wish they had given us a little bit of time to wonder the place on our own as well. I wish I had gotten to see the museum.”

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3.Saona Island & Altos de Chavon Day Trip with Lunch and Open Bar

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 332 reviews · from $99

Spend a long day traveling from Punta Cana to Altos de Chavon and Saona Island. Expect hotel pickup, a village visit, boat rides, a natural pool stop, three hours on the island, buffet lunch, beer, soft drinks, and lively guides such as Benjamin and Danny Boy. Bring snacks, cash, and patience for a busy schedule.

“The water, the trip... It was all beautiful. We were there for my friend's birthday. She had a blast! That's all that mattered to me.”

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4.Saona Island: Small Group Virgin Beaches Cruise Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 178 reviews · 8 - 11 hours · from $128

Travel by 45-foot boat from Bayahibe to Saona Island with a small group, stopping at Mano Juan, a turtle nursery, Canto de la Playa, and the Natural Pool. Guides such as Christian lead the day in English, Spanish, and French. Lunch, drinks, snacks, hotel pickup in selected areas, and snorkeling time are included.

“Dominican Attitude Excursions is an excellent guide with professional staff who provide an authentic, fun, educational and safe experience throughout. We were picked up at our hotel lobby, the transport made a few other hotel stops which takes some time but to be expected. Once we arrived, we were met by the staff who checked us in and brought us directly to the boat. From that point it was nothing but fun and sun, some music and drinks on the boat, visits to several places around Soana island and swimming and snorkeling in tropical waters. We met several local islanders who provided some of the best Dominican food we’ve had…”

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5.Saona Island for Aida Cruises Passengers

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 167 reviews · 8 hours · from $128

Travel from La Romana to Saona Island with a guide such as Christian, visiting Penon, Taino sites, mangroves, Mano Juan village, a turtle nursery, Canto de la Playa, and a starfish pool. The day includes lunch, drinks, snorkeling gear, snacks, and a shaded motorboat.

“Es hat uns ALLES gefallen. Der gesamte Ausflug war super organisiert. Alle Beteiligten Personen waren super nett, freundlich, hilfsbereit.”

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6.Saona island – Small group tour – Luxury catamaran

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 139 reviews · 10 hours · from $169

Sail from Bayahibe aboard the Quetzal for a calm 10-hour Saona Island day. You’ll snorkel at Catuano, relax in a reserved beach area, eat lunch onboard, and swim with starfish at Las Palmillas. Guides including Angel, Charlotte, and Angèle have been praised for attentive service. Pickup from Bayahibe and Dominicus is included.

““Saona Island” , Say Less. Great Staff . Good luck to the young lady from Frances . Her Chill job is over in December, then the real work starts. Dream Big”

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7.Saona Island Tour with Lunch and Pickup

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 111 reviews · from $57Best value

Spend a long beach day traveling from your hotel to Bayahibe, stopping at a shallow natural pool, then reaching Saona Island by boat. You get about 2 hours and 45 minutes on the island, a buffet lunch, soft drinks, and transport back. Guides such as Jose may lead the group, with music and dancing on the catamaran.

“We were told this was a 9 hour day...ended up being 13 hours. Traveling with children 5 & 8 years old, this is too long to go with only lunch served. We were crammed like sardines in a boat for the first 40 minutes and there was a total of 2 hours of water time. No snorkeling equipment was offered to anyone although we brought our own. Also, not a lot to see snorkeling on a sandy beach.”

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8.Saona Island Excursion from Bayahibe

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 103 reviews · from $69

From Bayahibe, you’ll ride a speedboat or catamaran to Saona Island, spend about three hours at the beach with lunch and drinks, then stop at a waist-deep natural pool. Guides such as Angelo and Tío Rocky help manage the day, though boat changes and loose timing can occur.

“AWFUL experience. Even though it states transportation was included, it isn’t. We were charged extra for the trip. Completely disorganized. They told us we would get back to our resort at a certain time and we made it back 2 hours aftRead more”

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9.Saona Island for Marella Discovery Passengers from La Romana Port

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 98 reviews · from $109

Leave La Romana at 9:00 a.m. for a speedboat trip to Saona Island. Your English-speaking guide leads you through Mano Juan fishing village, mangroves, Canto de la Playa, and a starfish-filled natural pool. Lunch, drinks, snacks, and snorkeling gear are included. Transport from the port costs $15 per person.

“The crew was great. The island was beautiful. The buffet lunch was delicious. There were a few issues that made the trip less than five stars: They did not have snorkel equipment for children, or even enough life vest for all of the kids. The privRead more”

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10.Private Luxury Catamaran – Saona or Catalina island

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 93 reviews

You’ll cruise from La Romana on a private Quetzal catamaran with your own group, captain, and crew. Choose between Saona or Catalina, then shape the day around swimming, snorkeling, beaches, and quiet stops such as Catuano and Las Palmillas. Guides including Joy and Lola are praised for attentive service, while snacks, drinks, hotel transfers, and live commentary are included.

“I could not recommend this experience more to anyone! Everything from the boat, to the staff, to the food/drinks and to the sights it was truly an amazing day!”

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11.Saona Crusoe VIP for cruise guests

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 84 reviews · 9 hours · from $139

From the La Romana cruise port, you’ll travel by van and speedboat to Saona Island with a professional English or German-speaking guide. Visit Mano Juan, a turtle project, remote Canto de la Playa, Catuano Beach, the outer mangroves, and a starfish-filled natural pool. Guides such as Ingrid and Laura help make the day personal and easy to follow.

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12.Saona Crusoe VIP – Kreuzfahrtgäste

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 56 reviews · from $145

Travel from La Romana to Saona Island in a small group of up to 24, using a speedboat to reach Mano Juan, Canto de la Playa, Catuano, mangroves, and Palmilla’s starfish pool. Guides such as Ingrid add useful nature and cultural context. Lunch, drinks, snorkeling gear, and port pickup are included.

“We had a beautiful, full, and fun day on this tour. Our guide Ingrid was lovely, helpful, fun, and interesting. We visited some gorgeous locations - amazing beaches, water, wildlife.”

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