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.
Bayahibe, Dominican Republic · 9h · $65 per person for the day
What is this tour like?
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 lies off the south-eastern tip of the country inside Cotubanamá National Park, and the crossing from Bayahibe is the short one. The operator writes that the tour usually runs the speedboat one way and the catamaran on the return, and that the order depends on daily operations and sea conditions — so treat the direction as something the crew decides on the morning, not a fixed schedule.
On the island the day is unhurried: lunch is laid out on the beach, and the rest of the time is for swimming, walking the sand and sitting in the shade. The price covers the buffet and the drinks on board, including beer and rum.
On the way the boat stops at the Natural Pools, the shallow turquoise sandbank where the starfish are. If you want more of the island — Canto de la Playa and the fishing village of Mano Juan — that is the VIP format, which costs more.
What are the highlights?
- One leg by speedboat and one under sail, so the day has two different rhythms
- Buffet lunch served on the beach of Saona, not on the boat
- Water, soft drinks and alcohol are part of the price
- Swimming and free time on the island between the two crossings
How does the day go, hour by hour?tap a photo to enlarge
- Departure from Bayahibe
The group gathers at the pier and boards for the short crossing to the island.
- Swimming stop
A stop in shallow turquoise water before the island, with time in the sea.
- Buffet lunch on the beach
Lunch is served on the sand; drinks are available through the day.
- Return under sail
The catamaran takes the group back to Bayahibe at a slower pace.
What's included in the price?
- Crossing by speedboat and catamaran
- Buffet lunch on the beach
- Water, soft drinks and alcoholic drinks
What's not included?
- Hotel transfer, unless agreed with the operator
- Tips for the crew
What should you know before you go?
Who runs this tour?
Where do we meet?
Bayahibe, the operator’s pier; the exact boarding point is confirmed when you book.
Exact meeting point shared after booking.
FAQ
Which way does the speedboat go, there or back?
Is lunch really on the beach?
Does the price include alcohol?
How is this different from the VIP Saona tours?
Quick questions
How can you pay?
You may also like
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.
Guides & articles about Bayahibe
Tips, destinations and everything water-sports.
Catalina island from Bayahibe: The Wall, The Aquarium and a catamaran day
Catalina's reef wall drops below 20 m right under your mask. What a sailing catamaran day there costs from Bayahibe, what it includes and what children pay.
Read article →
Saona island from Bayahibe or from Punta Cana: price, hours and stops
The same island, two starting points and a $30 gap. What a Saona day costs from each town, how many hours it takes, how many people share the boat and what the four-stop version adds.
Read article →
Diving in Bayahibe: the St George wreck, the reefs and the El Chicho cave
From $79 for a first dive off the beach to $180 for the 260-foot St George: what each Bayahibe dive day includes, which certification it needs and where the operators' own pages disagree with themselves.
Read article →