Boat & catamaran rental — Bayahibe
1 option from $700 per boat. Duration 8h. Operators: Saona Island Stars Excursions. Rated 5.0/5 from 85 reviews.
A private boat to Saona from Bayahibe costs $700 with Saona Island Stars: about thirty minutes out on a 200 or 400 hp boat, a buffet lunch on the quiet beach at Mano Juan, and a stop to feed the fish on the way back.
The short version
What it costs
The figure covers two adults, each extra person is $60, and the operator discounts it by $100 if you are staying in Bayahibe — $600 for a couple — or by $50 from Punta Cana. Cancellation is free until 12:00 the day before.
The price:
- $700 per boat — Saona Island Stars, a private run to Saona with lunch at Mano Juan, about 30 minutes each way, with a fish-feeding stop on the return; $600 from a Bayahibe hotel and $650 from Punta Cana.
What's included
- The boat for your group with crew
- Round-trip bus transfer
- Private buffet on the beach
Not included
- Tips for the crew, the driver and the guide
Good to know
- Couples and small groups who would rather not share the day.
- No preparation needed; the sea legs are short.
- Swimwear, a towel, sun protection and cash for tips.
- Pick-up at your hotel; boarding at the operator’s berth in Bayahibe.
Boat & catamaran rental prices in Bayahibe
| Tour | Duration | Group | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private Boat to Saona with Lunch at Mano Juan | 8h | — | $700 per boat |
Operators: Saona Island Stars Excursions
FAQ
How much is a private boat to Saona?
Is that price per person or per boat?
How long does the crossing take?
Which beach do we land on?
Can I cancel?
Is a private boat cheaper than buying seats?
A private boat to Saona from Bayahibe costs $600 to $700 for the vessel rather than per head, and what moves the figure is where you book from: a Bayahibe hotel takes $100 off, Punta Cana $50.
Checked against the operators’ own sites on 2 October 2026
- $700the boat, covering two adults, at Saona Island Stars
- 30 minout to Saona on the operator’s private boat
- $100off when you book from a Bayahibe hotel
- 12:00the day before — the free cancellation deadline
| What you book | Guests | Time | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private run to Saona, lunch at Mano JuanSaona Island Stars | 2 adults | 8 h | $700 per boat |
| The same, booked from a Bayahibe hotelSaona Island Stars | 2 adults | 8 h | $600 per boat |
What you are paying for#
Not speed — the shared boats reach Saona too. What $700 buys is the absence of everybody else: thirty minutes out on a 200 or 400 hp boat with nobody else aboard, lunch on the quiet beach at Mano Juan rather than the main landing, and the stops decided between you and the skipper.
- Mano Juan
- the fishing village on Saona with painted wooden houses, away from where the group boats land.
- Per boat
- the price is for the vessel, not per head — here it covers two adults.
- 200/400 hp
- the engine power the operator lists for its private boats.
The discounts#
Booking from a Bayahibe hotel takes $100 off, so $600 for a couple. From Punta Cana the discount is $50. Cancellation is free until 12:00 the day before, which is the same policy as the operator’s shared Saona day.
When a private boat is worth it#
Against $85 per adult on the operator’s own shared catamaran, the private boat never wins on money: two people pay $170 shared against $600–700 private, and four pay $340 against $720–820, since each guest beyond two adds $60. What it buys is a different kind of day, not a saving.
- How many the price covers: the $700 is for two adults, and each extra person is $60.
- Which beach you land on: Mano Juan, not the main group landing.
- Whether the fish-feeding stop matters to you: it is on the way back and included.
Important
The operator prints this under a heading that reads “prices per person”, but the $700 covers two adults — it is a price per boat. Ask for the total for your group in writing before you pay.
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