Snorkeling Saona Island from Bayahibe: Natural pools and starfish

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Free cancellationExcellent quality

1/9

Duration7h–8h

GroupUp to 25

LanguagesEN · PT +1

PickupAt your hotel

Starfish in waist-deep water, then hours alone on white sand

A speedboat snorkeling tour from Bayahibe to Saona Island in Punta Cana with guide, meals and open bar included. You stop at Palmilla Natural Pool to see giant starfish in shallow water, then spend several hours on Saona's beaches before returning on a catamaran with Caribbean music and drinks. The tour runs 7 to 8 hours and includes park entry, ground transport from your hotel, and a buffet lunch.

7h–8h

Step-by-step itinerary

Saona Island speedboat tour with activities

Pickup passengers and travel to Bayahibe
Stop at Palmilla Natural Pool and drink rum
Arrive at Saona Island and enjoy free time
Have buffet lunch on the island
Return on catamaran with music and open bar
Transport back to hotel in Punta Cana

The Experience

The boat leaves Bayahibe in the morning after hotel pickup from the Punta Cana area. Before reaching Saona Island itself, you make a mandatory stop at Palmilla Natural Pool—a sandbank in the middle of the sea where the water only reaches your waist. This is where the giant starfish live. You can watch them without touching, and the crew serves Dominican rum here. The water is clear enough that spotting them is straightforward, and the shallow depth means you're standing, not swimming.

Once at Saona Island, you have several hours of free time. The beaches stretch for kilometers, and the itinerary notes that the appeal of this tour is getting away from the crowds—you're not herded through a schedule. Swim in the clear water, walk the shore, or stay under a palm tree. Lunch is a buffet with grilled chicken, rice with beans, fresh salads and tropical fruits, served on the beach while you listen to the waves. Cold snacks and soft drinks are available throughout the day; the VIP option includes an open bar.

The return happens on a wide catamaran where Caribbean music and dancing start as soon as you board. The open bar runs for the whole ride back to Bayahibe. Ground transport then takes you back to your hotel in the Punta Cana area. Your guide speaks English, Spanish or Portuguese, and the whole experience—boat, snorkeling, meals, drinks and transport—is included in the price.

What’s included

Park entrance to Saona Island.
speedboat and catamaran transport.
snorkeling in the natural pool and island waters.
guide in English, Spanish or Portuguese.
buffet lunch with grilled chicken, rice, beans, salads and tropical fruit.
cold snacks and soft drinks throughout the day.
ground transport from your hotel in the Punta Cana area (or La Romana and Bayahibe, depending on your option choice).
open bar on the return catamaran (VIP option only).

Good to know

Easy physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by ParaViajantes Tours

Is this one for you?Book the VIP option if the open bar and catamaran celebration on the return matters to you; the Low Cost option gives you the same snorkeling, beaches and lunch without it. Choose the La Romana or Bayahibe pickup if you're staying outside Punta Cana and want to avoid a longer hotel transfer.