Snorkeling at Saona Island by speedboat: Private tour with lunch

Eight hours on the water: speedboat, natural pool, snorkeling stops, and a beach lunch

A private speedboat tour to Saona Island, off the Dominican Republic's southern coast, where you snorkel at three named sites (Turtle Lagoon, Starfish Bay and the natural pool) with gear provided and a guide in English or Spanish. The day includes round-trip transfers from your hotel, lunch on a private beach and an open bar. You choose your beverages before departure. Sea turtles appear on roughly nine of ten trips. Stingrays and manatees are less common. The eight-hour excursion is built around what you do in the water and on the sand, not what you watch from a boat.

Step-by-step itinerary

Full day at Saona Island

• Travel by speedboat to Saona Island
• Stop at natural pool for swimming
• Relax on private beach area
• Enjoy typical lunch buffet
• Swim in calm turquoise waters
• Visit open bar and drink beverages
• Nap in beach hammock
• Play volleyball on the beach
• Walk along the coast

The experience

You start with pickup from your hotel and a speedboat ride to the natural pool: a stop in the open sea where the water is so clear and shallow you can stand in the middle of it without touching bottom. From there the boat takes you to Saona Island itself, a 42-square-kilometer stretch of white sand and turquoise shallows that Christopher Columbus renamed in 1494. The snorkeling happens at three locations: Turtle Lagoon in the mangroves, Starfish Bay where you can touch the creatures on the seafloor, and the waters around Clearwater Beach. A guide in English or Spanish points out what lives there: sea turtles show up about 90 percent of the time, and stingrays and manatees are possible but not guaranteed, since they are wild animals.

Lunch is a typical Dominican buffet served on the private beach section, and the open bar runs all day. You pick your drink preferences when you book, so the boat carries what you want. Between the water and the food, the afternoon fills with swimming in the calm shallows, napping in a beach hammock, playing volleyball on the sand, or walking the coast. Most travelers do all of it. The boat leaves Saona in the late afternoon and stops again at the natural pool on the way back, so you get a second swim in that particular water before the ride home to your hotel.

What’s included

• Round-trip hotel transfers.
• snorkeling gear for all three sites.
• lunch on the private beach.
• open bar with your choice of beverages.
• a professional guide in English or Spanish.
• and access to the natural pool, Turtle Lagoon, Starfish Bay and Clearwater Beach.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 08:30 and 09:00

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (4 to 12 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupUp to 32

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 3 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 8 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Bia travels

Is this one for you?Book this private speedboat if you want to snorkel multiple island stops in one day with your own group. You'll move at your pace between the natural pool, mangroves, and starfish bay without syncing to other groups' schedules.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 12 years); Infant (under 4): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What kind of sea life will I actually see when I snorkel at Saona Island?

Sea turtles appear on roughly nine of ten trips, making them the most reliable sighting. Starfish live on the seafloor at Starfish Bay and you can see them up close. Stingrays and manatees are possible but less common, since they are wild animals and their presence varies day to day.

Is the snorkeling gear included, or do I need to bring my own?

Snorkeling equipment is provided as part of the tour. You don't need to bring your own or rent it separately.

How long is the full day, and what time does the boat leave?

The tour runs eight hours total, including round-trip transfers from your hotel. The operator will confirm your specific pickup time when you book.

What is the natural pool, and why do we stop there twice?

The natural pool is a shallow, crystal-clear patch of water in the open sea between your hotel and Saona Island. You stop there on the way out so you can swim in it, and again on the return journey, giving you two chances to experience it.

Can I choose what drinks are available on the boat?

Yes. The open bar is included, and you select your beverage preferences when you book so the boat carries what you want for the day.

Do I need to arrange my own transportation to meet the boat, or is pickup included?

Round-trip hotel transfers are included. The operator picks you up from your hotel and returns you at the end of the day.