Full Day Snorkeling in Catalina Island with Transportation and Lunch
Catalina Island was discovered in 1494 by the navigator Christopher Columbus on his second trip to the American continent and was named in honor of the daughter of Queen Isabella of Castile, but it is also known as Ikiita Island and is called by the indigenous people places like Labanea or Toeya. It is part of the trio of adjacent islands in the southeast of the Dominican Republic, together with Saona and Catalinita, with Saona being the only inhabited island. Catalina Island was, like other areas of the Caribbean, a refuge for pirates and corsairs from 1520 until the 1980s. 1720. They waited for the Spanish ships that passed by to attack and rob them, which is interesting for lovers of these ancient stories.
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Traveler reviews
“From start to finish, this so-called excursion was nothing short of an absolute disaster — the worst trip I have ever been on, and one I wouldn’t wish upon anyone. If I could give it zero stars, I would. Avoid this company at all costs. We were scheduled for an early pickup, and we still weren’t collected on time. Picked up at 6am, exhausted and expecting a smooth ride, we instead spent hour after hour crawling from point to point with no communication whatsoever. Not a word, not an update — nothing. The staff didn’t speak English, which meant nobody received information, instructions, or reassurance. We were left confused and completely in the dark the entire time. Instead of heading straight to Catalina, we stopped at five different trailer parks along the way — each one feeling more pointless than the last. But these stops weren’t accidental. At every stop, someone tried selling us something — souvenirs, food, extras — like the trip itself was a travelling market stall instead of a tour. The whole thing felt like a money-grab disguised as a day out. By the time we finally arrived at Catalina, it was 1pm. Seven hours after pickup. Seven hours wasted. The chaos didn’t end there. We were herded toward the snorkelling area with no instruction or organisation. Scuba divers were dropped into the same space as snorkellers, making it not only difficult but unsafe to snorkel properly. Instead of a relaxing ocean experience, we were dodging tanks, flippers, and people surfacing everywhere. We were given just one hour — one hour after an entire morning lost — to rush through an activity that should’ve been enjoyable. Then, as if that wasn’t enough, we were taken to a beach for another hour — just one — where we were swarmed by persistent salespeople. You could barely sit down before someone else was trying to sell you jewellery, drinks, food, trinkets, anything. No peace, no space, no chance to relax. Speaking of food — the food was a complete shambles. Bland, unorganised, poorly handled, and absolutely not what you expect after paying for a “tour”. It felt like an afterthought, and a cheap one at that. Throughout the entire experience, not one guide explained what was happening, what was next, or how long we would have anywhere. No communication, no professionalism, no care for the people who paid for this experience. Pure chaos from beginning to end. After enduring all of this, I can say confidently and clearly: Do NOT book this trip. Don’t let these crooks take your money. There are better tours, better companies, and better ways to spend a day. This one needs to be shut down for the sheer mismanagement, disrespect, and disappointment it causes. Avoid it at all costs — you’ve been warned.”
“We made the Vacation Package that included visiting Isla Catalina and Isla Saona, a full day tour with sunsets. It was a wonderful tour, very nice, complete, with snorkeling, lunch, drinks, music, natural pools, live music and champagne. It was perfect, a magical day.”
“4 hours on the bus… and 30 minutes snorkel… the rest of the time we ate lunch and swam. It was a 12 hour day. ”
“We reserve this activity and chose a pickup point but the bus to go to this activity never showed up. We tried to call and to text them but nobody answered. We were thrill to go visit Catalina Island but we didn't got the chance because of that. I suggest that you take another compagny if you want to be sure to get there. Very disapointed.”
“Well, an excursion like any other. The food not bad but excellent. Spend lot of time in departure. Really really, excursion time no longer that 4 hours.”