Saona Island day tour from Santo Domingo with lunch

Summary

Saona Island escape with natural pool & catamaran return

Swim in Saona’s shallow blue lagoon among starfish, relax on white-sand beaches with a buffet lunch, and dance on a catamaran ride back—all with a local guide handling transport from Santo Domingo. You’ll taste fresh Dominican flavors and feel the island rhythm long after you’ve left.

What’s the experience like?

Someone hands me a plastic cup of chinola juice, still cold, as we bounce along in the van out of Santo Domingo. I’m not really a morning person, but there’s something about watching the city fade into green fields that wakes you up differently. Our guide—Miguel—keeps switching between Spanish and English, joking about how everyone will forget sunscreen until it’s too late. He’s right, by the way. The drive to Bayahibe isn’t short (maybe two hours?), but I barely noticed because people started sharing stories about their hometowns. One woman from Canada said she’d never seen water this color before.

The first real “wow” moment is stepping onto the speedboat at Bayahibe. It’s loud and smells like salt and sunscreen and engine oil—somehow comforting? The ride out to Saona Island is fast, wind whipping hair everywhere, but then we stop suddenly at this shallow patch called the Natural Pool. I didn’t expect to just stand waist-deep in water that clear, holding a drink and watching tiny starfish move around my feet. Miguel pointed out which ones not to touch (he was pretty serious about that), and I tried to say “estrella de mar” correctly—he laughed at my accent.

On Saona Island itself, time gets weirdly slow. There are palm trees everywhere and music drifting from somewhere behind the buffet tables—bachata, maybe? Lunch is simple: rice, grilled chicken, some kind of salad with lime that I kept going back for. People wandered off to nap under trees or swim again; I just lay back in the sand for a while listening to kids argue over who could build the tallest sandcastle. The sun felt heavy but not harsh—maybe because of the breeze coming off the sea.

The catamaran ride back is all dancing and singing (or pretending to sing). A few people really got into it; others just watched the sky change colors over the water. There was this one quiet moment when everyone stopped talking at once—I think we all realized how far away regular life felt right then. And then someone spilled their drink and it turned into laughter again. I still think about that view as we pulled into Bayahibe at dusk—like you’re carrying a bit of that light home with you.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Saona Island Full-Day Tour

• Boat trip from Bayahibe port
• Visit Blue Lagoon natural pool
• Free time on Saona Island

Top questions

How long does the Saona Island day trip from Santo Domingo take?

The full tour lasts approximately a full day including roundtrip transport from Santo Domingo.

Is lunch included on Saona Island?

Yes, a buffet-style lunch with various side dishes and meats is included on Saona Island.

Does this tour include hotel pickup in Santo Domingo?

Yes, roundtrip transport from your hotel in Santo Domingo is included.

What is the Natural Pool stop during the tour?

The Natural Pool (Blue Lagoon) is a shallow sandbank where you can swim among starfish before reaching Saona Island.

Is there a guide during the Saona Island tour?

Yes, an experienced local guide accompanies you throughout the tour.

How much free time do you get on Saona Island?

You have approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes of free time on Saona Island.

Are drinks included during the tour?

Yes, drinks are included along with your buffet lunch on Saona Island.

Is this tour suitable for families or children?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels and specialized infant seats are available.

What’s included

Your day includes roundtrip hotel pickup from Santo Domingo, boat rides by speedboat and catamaran with a local guide leading throughout, entrance to both the Natural Pool (Blue Lagoon) for swimming among starfish and beautiful Saona Island itself where you’ll enjoy a buffet lunch with drinks before returning by catamaran in the afternoon.