Boat & catamaran tours — Bayahibe
4 options from $44 per person. Departures from Punta Cana. Duration 2h 30min – 9h. Rated 4.8/5 from 1,816 reviews.
A boat trip from Bayahibe starts at $44 per person: half a day with Ryanna Sun, two snorkelling stops on the reef with the hotel transfer included, which needs six adults to sail.
The short version
What it costs
The full-day trips all go to Saona, and what separates them is the boat and the number of stops. Saona Island Tours runs it at $65 per person with a buffet lunch and drinks on the beach; Dominican Emotion makes four stops for $90 and caps the group at 35.
From $44 to $90, in order of price:
- $44 per person — Ryanna Sun, half a day with two snorkelling stops, hotel transfer included; the boat needs a minimum of six adults.
- $65 per person — Saona Island Tours, a full day to Saona, out by boat and back by catamaran depending on daily operations and sea conditions, buffet lunch and drinks included.
- $85 per adult — Saona Island Stars, boat out, sailing catamaran back, with the Piscina Natural and a beach for lunch; pick-up from Bayahibe hotels 09:00–09:15, free cancellation until noon the day before.
- $90 per person — Dominican Emotion, four stops: Canto de la Playa, Mano Juan, a beach for lunch and the Piscinas Naturales, 8:30 to 17:00 from Bayahibe, group of 35 at most.
Options 4
Saona Island from Bayahibe: Speedboat and Catamaran
The standard Saona day from Saona Island Tours: one leg by speedboat, the other under sail on a catamaran, with a buffet lunch on the beach. $65 per person, drinks included.
Saona by Sailing Catamaran with Natural Pool Stop
Saona Island Stars combine a speedboat with a sailing catamaran and stop at the Piscina Natural sandbank on the way. $85 per adult, all inclusive, with hotel pick-up.
Saona VIP from Bayahibe: Four Stops in One Day
Dominican Emotion run the long version of the island: Canto de la Playa, the village of Mano Juan, a beach for lunch and the natural pools. $90 per person from Bayahibe, out at 8:30 and back at 17:00.
Bayahibe Reef Snorkelling: Half Day, Two Stops
Ryanna Sun take a small group out from Bayahibe for two snorkelling stops over half a day. $44 per person with hotel transfer; the boat needs six adults to sail.
What's included
- Crossing by speedboat and catamaran
- Buffet lunch on the beach
- Water, soft drinks and alcoholic drinks
- Round-trip hotel transfer by bus
- Speedboat and sailing catamaran
- Buffet lunch and open bar
- Transfer to and from the departure point in Dominicus
- Soft and alcoholic drinks through the day
- Guides, with several languages available
- Hotel transfer from Bayahibe
Not included
- Hotel transfer, unless agreed with the operator
- Tips for the crew
- Tips for the crew, driver and guide
- Personal purchases on the island
- Professional photography, $45 on request
- Tips and personal extras
Good to know
- Travellers who want the island day without a long programme of stops.
- No preparation needed; swimming is optional.
- Swimwear, a towel, sun protection and cash for tips.
- Families: children’s rates are published and the sandbank is shallow.
- No preparation needed; the day is spent on the boat and the beach.
- Those who want to see more of Saona than the lunch beach.
- Bayahibe, the operator’s pier; the exact boarding point is confirmed when you book.
- Pick-up at your hotel in Bayahibe, Punta Cana, Bávaro, Uvero Alto, Cabeza de Toro or La Romana.
- The operator’s office in Dominicus; the boat leaves from the public beach there.
- Pick-up at your hotel in Bayahibe; the fare is quoted from there.
Boat & catamaran tours prices in Bayahibe
| Tour | Duration | Group | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saona Island from Bayahibe: Speedboat and Catamaran | 9h | — | $65 per person |
| Saona by Sailing Catamaran with Natural Pool Stop | 8h | up to 50 guests | $85 per person |
| Saona VIP from Bayahibe: Four Stops in One Day | 8h 30min | up to 35 guests | $90 per person |
| Bayahibe Reef Snorkelling: Half Day, Two Stops | 2h 30min | — | $44 per person |
Operators: Saona Island Tours - Isla Saona Bayahibe La Romana · Saona Island Stars Excursions · Dominican Emotion · Ryanna Sun
FAQ
How much does a Saona day cost from Bayahibe?
Is there anything shorter than a full day?
How big are the groups?
Do I go out and back on the same boat?
What is the Piscina Natural?
Can I cancel if the plan changes?
Is the same trip cheaper from Bayahibe than from Punta Cana?
A day at sea from Bayahibe costs $44 to $90 per person, and what moves the price is the day itself: a half-day on the reef against a nine-hour run to Saona with lunch, drinks and up to four stops.
Checked against the operators’ own sites on 2 October 2026
- $44half a day with two snorkelling stops at Ryanna Sun
- 35people at most on Dominican Emotion’s boat
- 6adults Ryanna Sun needs before the boat sails
- 2 h 30at the lunch beach on Dominican Emotion’s four-stop day
| What you book | Stops | Time | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reef snorkelling, half dayRyanna Sun | 2 | 2 h 30 | $44 per person |
| Saona, boat out and catamaran backSaona Island Tours | 2 | 9 h | $65 per person |
| Saona with the Piscina NaturalSaona Island Stars | 2 | 9 h | $85 per adult |
| Saona with four stopsDominican Emotion | 4 | 8:30–17:00 | $90 per person |
Half a day or a whole one?#
Ryanna Sun’s half day is the only trip here that is not about Saona: two snorkelling stops on the reef for $44 per person with the transfer included, and it needs six adults before it sails. Everything else is a nine-hour day. Saona Island Tours sends you out one way by boat and back the other by catamaran at $65, with the order decided by daily operations and sea conditions rather than fixed in the booking.
- Piscina Natural
- a shallow sandbank offshore where the boats stop and people stand in waist-deep water.
- Canto de la Playa
- the eastern end of Saona, a quieter beach than the main landing.
- Mano Juan
- the fishing village on Saona, with painted wooden houses.
- Motomarán
- a motorised catamaran, as opposed to a sailing one.
How many people will be on the boat?#
Dominican Emotion caps the group at 35 on its Lancha Rápida or Motomarán. Saona Island Stars takes up to 50 on its catamaran day, which runs on Fridays.
Coming from Punta Cana instead#
Dominican Emotion runs the same four-stop day from Punta Cana for $120 per person, 7:00 to 19:00 rather than 8:30 to 17:00. Saona Island Stars picks up in Punta Cana and Bávaro at 07:00–08:00 against 09:00–09:15 in Bayahibe. Staying in Bayahibe buys you two hours of your day back.
- How long you actually get on the beach: Dominican Emotion gives about 2 hours 30 at the lunch stop and about 50 minutes at the Piscinas Naturales.
- Whether photographs are included: Dominican Emotion charges $45 for the photo service, which is not in the price.
- Whether the trip is confirmed: Ryanna Sun needs six adults before the boat goes.
Important
Dominican Emotion gives the Dominicus pick-up both as “from 08:30” and as leaving the public beach between 08:50 and 09:00. Those are two different things — the collection and the departure — so plan for the earlier one.
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