Transport
Danny, our guide was brilliant, very knowledgeable, good fun and made the experience much more enjoyable. Speed boat was not quite a ‘speedboat’ and likewise the katamaran was not the typical image of a katamaran with the netting etc you’d expect. Minor things but 2nd time we have done this experience and nine years ago it was a little better for those reasons.
Pure relaxation awaits on this trip to Saona Island. If you're looking for that perfect Insta-ready escapade, you've found it. Saona is a textbook tropical daydream of an island, swathed in exotic flora and fringed with swaying palm trees, powder white sands and endless blue-green waters. You'll reach the island in a combination of catamaran and fast boat, with an outbound snorkel stop.
Ramon, one of our expert guides, says "we work hard to protect our pristine environment and all the species that make it so special. We were the first country to protect manatees by law, and we have a turtle conservation programme here on Saona, too." The island and surrounding sea are of such importance for their biodiversity that they're protected as a national park.
You'll set sail from Bayahibe into the sun-splashed seas surrounding Cotubanama National Park. Along the way, you'll stop to swim or snorkel among shoals of tropical fish at a shallow pool formed by sandbanks in the middle of the sea. Once you arrive at Saona, you'll have plenty of time to soak up those dazzling vistas and snap lots of photos. Perhaps you'll take a barefoot stroll along the one-kilometre-long private beach, or maybe you'd prefer simply relaxing with a cocktail. Although Saona is one of the country's most-visited areas, there's an exclusive beach area reserved just for you. Another highlight is the surf'n'turf lunch at a beachfront restaurant. And don't worry about getting thirsty – all your drinks are included.
