Samana Full-Day Tour from Punta Cana: Waterfall & Bacardi Beach

“Great day trip! Bus ride to Carnitas was fun and informative. Nacho( our guide was great! Boat ride for the whale watching was clean and we saw some great whale shots. Bacardi Island beach was picturesque ! The whole trip was well planned and worth it!”

“Make sure to confirm specific meeting point. There was confusion finding the correct boat. Once we finally met up with our guide, the trip was amazing.”

“Wonderful excursion! So much to see. Efficiency and timing were spot on. We had enough time in the beach. Lunch was authentic. Enjoyed the boat ride and safari jeep. Staff were incredibly thoughtful. ”

“This is a very long excursion, so be prepared for a full day. We left our resort at 6:45 AM and didn’t return until 7:30 PM. Overall, we did enjoy the experience, but the transportation logistics were clunky and poorly communicated, which made parts of the day feel disorganized. For pickup, we were collected from our resort and then transported to a gas station, where we were asked to transfer to a coach bus. This transfer was not communicated in advance, and we ended up loading onto the bus on the side of the road, which felt confusing and a bit uncomfortable. The same process occurred on the return trip. We were dropped off on the side of the road to transfer into a smaller van. This portion felt especially awkward in the evening, as it was already dark outside. Our main goal was to see an active waterfall, and Limon Waterfall absolutely delivered. It was beautiful and well worth the effort. That said, this excursion is not ideal for anyone who isn’t active. Expect to walk on uneven paths, navigate uneven stairs, and do a fair amount of hiking. Proper footwear and clothing suitable for hiking are a must. The food throughout the day was underwhelming. In the morning, before boarding the catamaran to Samana, we were provided ham and cheese sandwiches with ketchup, some fruit, and espresso coffee. Lunch was served buffet-style, but much of the food was cold, and we ended up mostly eating the salad. The best part of lunch was the view from the dining location, which was beautiful. After lunch, we got on the boat, and was taken to the beach. This was wonderful and a highlight of the day. We only wished we had more time there, as it was a relaxing and scenic way to wrap up the excursion. Do be prepared to walk past a large number of local vendors to access the beach. While it’s great to support the local economy, the selling can be quite persistent. One additional note: bring cash for tips and for the beach vendors. Volunteers help guide the horses down toward the waterfall area, and tipping is clearly expected - we did $30 for each volunteer who helped us. The beach vendors also need to be paid with cash. If you’re up for a long, physically demanding day and want to experience a stunning waterfall, scenic views, and a lovely beach stop, this excursion can be rewarding. Go in well prepared and with realistic expectations about transportation, food, and pacing. ** We did book this a couple of days in advance. In regard to the tour company, our only main issue was the transportation from our resort. We did feel uncomfortable with the pickup and dropoff part of the day. The communication should have been much better. Also, the pickup was late getting to our resort. **”

“This is a very long excursion, so be prepared for a full day. We left our resort at 6:45 AM and didn’t return until 7:30 PM. Overall, we did enjoy the experience, but the transportation logistics were clunky and poorly communicated, which made parts of the day feel disorganized. For pickup, we were collected from our resort and then transported to a gas station, where we were asked to transfer to a coach bus. This transfer was not communicated in advance, and we ended up loading onto the bus on the side of the road, which felt confusing and a bit uncomfortable. The same process happened on the return trip as we were dropped off on the side of the road to transfer into a smaller van. This portion felt especially awkward in the evening, as it was already dark outside. Our main goal was to see an active waterfall, and Limon Waterfall absolutely delivered. It was beautiful and well worth the effort. That said, this excursion is not ideal for anyone who isn’t fairly active. Expect to walk on uneven paths, navigate uneven stairs, and do a fair amount of hiking. Proper footwear and clothing suitable for hiking are a must. The food throughout the day was unfortunately underwhelming. In the morning, before boarding the catamaran to Samana, we were provided ham and cheese sandwiches with ketchup, some fruit, and espresso coffee. Lunch was served buffet-style, but much of the food was cold, and we ended up mostly eating the salad. The best part of lunch was truly the view from the lunch location, which was beautiful. On thing to note - if you are one who is concerned with needing hand sanitizer, take it with you! After lunch, we were taken on the boat to an island for a beach break, which was wonderful. We only wished we had more time there, as it was a relaxing and beautiful way to end the day. Do be prepared to walk past a large number of local vendors to access the beach. While it’s great to support the local economy, the selling can be quite persistent at times and may feel a bit uncomfortable. One additional note - bring cash for tips and to buy items at the beach. Volunteers help guide the horses down toward the waterfall area, and tipping is clearly expected. The local vendors at the beach also need to be paid in cash. If you’re up for a long, physically demanding day and want to experience a stunning waterfall and scenic views, this excursion can be rewarding. Go in well prepared and with realistic expectations about transportation, meals, and the ruggedness of this excursion.”