Booking choice: The small-group Saona tour, from $165 per person. Check dates Tour details
Punta Cana sits on the east coast; Saona lies off the south coast, in front of Bayahibe in La Romana province. A Saona day from a Punta Cana or Bávaro resort is a road trip first and a boat trip second.
This guide explains the timings from the listings, and when it is worth staying near Bayahibe or picking a tour that avoids the drive.
The quick answer
Tours from Punta Cana drive to Bayahibe and board the boats there; one operator puts the bus ride at about an hour from Punta Cana hotels, and pickups add time. The small-group tour starts at 6:00 AM and lasts about nine hours; the big-group classic starts around 6:30 AM. If you stay in Bayahibe or Dominicus, a local tour saves the drive.
Do Saona tours leave from Punta Cana?
No. They pick you up in Punta Cana and drive you to Bayahibe, where the boats leave.
The small-group tour says it plainly: Punta Cana to the port of Bayahibe by bus, then the whole excursion by speedboat. The big-group classic starts in the East National Park area of La Romana, an hour by bus from Punta Cana hotels. The official tourism board confirms that most excursions leave from the beach at Bayahibe.
How long is the drive from Punta Cana to Bayahibe?
About an hour according to one operator, plus the time it takes to collect everyone on the bus.
Pickups are where days stretch. One big-group guest wrote it took four hours from the hotel to the natural pool because of the stops to collect other passengers; others had smooth mornings. Smaller groups mean fewer pickups.
Fewer pickups, smaller boat: the small-group tour carries 14 guests at most.
Check dates for the small-group Saona tourWhat time do Saona tours pick you up?
Early: the small-group tour starts at 6:00 AM and the big-group classic at 6:30 AM.
The Bávaro pickup tour starts later, at 8:30 AM, which means a later arrival on the island. After booking the small-group tour, send the operator your full name and your pickup place; they confirm the details.
How long is the whole day?
About nine hours for the small-group tour and the big-group classic, and up to ten for some others.
Expect to be back at your hotel in the late afternoon. Book nothing for that evening that can't move.
Is it better to stay in Bayahibe?
If Saona is your main reason for the trip, yes: Bayahibe tours skip the long drive.
The catamaran, the budget Bayahibe excursion and the private boat all collect from Bayahibe and Dominicus hotels, and the speedboat tour has an office in Bayahibe within walking distance. The catamaran starts around 8:30 AM from Bayahibe.
Staying near Bayahibe? The catamaran collects you locally and sails to Saona with lunch on board.
Explore the catamaran from Bayahibe Tour detailsCan I get to Saona on my own?
Not practically: Saona is an island inside a national park, and visitors arrive by boat tour from the Bayahibe side.
Even the private boat starts from Bayahibe. From Punta Cana, booking a tour with pickup is the simplest option.
What if I don't want such a long day?
Take a half-day boat from Punta Cana instead: the snorkel catamaran lasts about three and a half hours.
It picks you up at your hotel, sails close to shore, stops to snorkel in a reserve and anchors at a sandbar with a floating bar. Read Saona tour prices if you are weighing cost against time.
Short on time? A half-day snorkel catamaran with hotel pickup in Punta Cana.
Explore the half-day snorkel catamaran Tour detailsFrequently asked questions
How far is Saona Island from Punta Cana?
Saona lies off the south coast, reached from Bayahibe; tours from Punta Cana drive about an hour to Bayahibe according to one operator, then take a boat.
Is hotel pickup included?
On the small-group tour and the big-group day, yes, from Punta Cana. On the catamaran and the Bayahibe excursion, only from Bayahibe-area hotels.
What time will I be back?
Most full-day tours last about nine hours, so plan on a late afternoon return.
Can cruise passengers do a Saona tour?
It is a full day with an early start, so check your ship's times carefully against the listing before booking.
Ready to book
Choose your day
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Small-Group Saona Island Full Day Tour
- Bus from Punta Cana to the port of Bayahibe and back; speedboat for the whole day
- Breakfast and a Dominican buffet lunch on the beach
- Alcoholic drinks, soft drinks and bottled water
Saona Day Trip with Lunch & Open Bar
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in the Punta Cana area
- Speedboat out, party catamaran back
- A 30-minute natural pool stop and about 3 hours on Saona
Saona Catamaran Day from Bayahibe
- Pickup from Bayahibe and Dominicus hotels only
- Transfers from Punta Cana, La Romana or Santo Domingo cost extra
- Lunch on board, snacks, unlimited beer, rum and soft drinks
