Saona Island from Punta Cana with Transportation and Lunch Included

“Unfortunately, this was one of the most poorly organized excursions I have ever experienced. Although the Dominican Republic was incredibly beautiful, the tour itself was confusing, frustrating, and poorly managed from start to finish. We were picked up outside our hotel gate at 8:00 AM without a clear introduction or explanation of the itinerary. We were then taken to a gas station and told to get out of the van, again without any explanation. Because there was no English translator available, the situation was even more confusing. We were eventually moved to another van and taken to a gift shop, an unnecessary stop that added more time to an already long day. After another 45-minute drive, we arrived at a parking lot and walked approximately 15 minutes to the marina. We then boarded a ferry to the catamaran, which was one of the highlights of the excursion. The catamaran staff were energetic, entertaining, and successful in creating a fun atmosphere. We reached Saona Island around 1:30 PM. The island was beautiful and well worth visiting. Around 3:30 PM, we left by speedboat for a natural pool, which was also stunning. Unfortunately, the return trip was just as confusing as the beginning. After returning to the marina, we walked back to the parking area, were taken to the gas station, and then left to determine which van would take us back to our resort. Throughout the day, communication and direction were consistently lacking. The biggest issue was the amount of time spent unnecessarily transferring between vehicles, stopping at places that did not seem necessary, and trying to figure out what would happen next. What should have been an enjoyable excursion became exhausting and frustrating because of the poor organization and communication. We finally returned to our resort around 9:00 PM—13 hours after pickup. That is an extremely long day, especially considering how much of it was spent traveling rather than enjoying the destination. Saona Island, the natural pool, and the entertaining catamaran staff were the main highlights. However, the poor organization, lack of communication, unnecessary stops, and excessive transportation overshadowed what could have been an amazing experience. I strongly recommend improving coordination among the transportation providers, offering clear instructions in multiple languages, and eliminating unnecessary stops and transfers. The destination is beautiful, but the tour experience itself needs significant improvement.”

“Unfortunately, this was one of the most poorly organized excursions I have ever experienced. Although the Dominican Republic was incredibly beautiful, the tour itself was confusing, frustrating, and poorly managed from start to finish. We were picked up outside our hotel gate at 8:00 AM without a clear introduction or explanation of the itinerary. We were then taken to a gas station and told to get out of the van, again without any explanation. Because there was no English translator available, the situation was even more confusing. We were eventually moved to another van and taken to a gift shop, an unnecessary stop that added more time to an already long day. After another 45-minute drive, we arrived at a parking lot and walked approximately 15 minutes to the marina. We then boarded a ferry to the catamaran, which was one of the highlights of the excursion. The catamaran staff were energetic, entertaining, and successful in creating a fun atmosphere. We reached Saona Island around 1:30 PM. The island was beautiful and well worth visiting. Around 3:30 PM, we left by speedboat for a natural pool, which was also stunning. Unfortunately, the return trip was just as confusing as the beginning. After returning to the marina, we walked back to the parking area, were taken to the gas station, and then left to determine which van would take us back to our resort. Throughout the day, communication and direction were consistently lacking. The biggest issue was the amount of time spent unnecessarily transferring between vehicles, stopping at places that did not seem necessary, and trying to figure out what would happen next. What should have been an enjoyable excursion became exhausting and frustrating because of the poor organization and communication. We finally returned to our resort around 9:00 PM—13 hours after pickup. That is an extremely long day, especially considering how much of it was spent traveling rather than enjoying the destination. Saona Island, the natural pool, and the entertaining catamaran staff were the main highlights. However, the poor organization, lack of communication, unnecessary stops, and excessive transportation overshadowed what could have been an amazing experience. I strongly recommend improving coordination among the transportation providers, offering clear instructions in multiple languages, and eliminating unnecessary stops and transfers. The destination is beautiful, but the tour experience itself needs significant improvement.”

“We certainly didn't get lobster !! We had ,cheese,square ham and pineapple,melon on sticks and wraps , literally cut into not even bite size which had some Sam if you could find it in it . Drinks were a bottle of coke,sprite,beer,then rum. We don't drink but the bottle of beer was shared .the BBQ on the beach was basic to say the least .small bits of chicken,small bits of fish and prawns on a stick , he was very reluctant to give me two sticks of prawns and I had no chicken or fish .the salad was pretty poor , there was apparently wine but we had sprite but we were coerced into giving tips on the boats , then there was a tip box on the bar at BBQ . Boat trip back again tips were expected both ways even though rep said who ever goes on catermaran/speedboat on the morning gets them from who they take but then we were expected to do it again on return .the coach trip back although Jonny was a funny guy he as usual on a coach trip mentioned tipping the driver ,fair enough but then preceded to say I'll come round as I'm getting off half way as I live this side and I'll shake your hands and thank you and if you wish to tip that would be nice , I have never in all my travels been expected to give the TUI tour guide a tip ! So all in all we tipped 4 times . And that's without the stop in the morning at a toilet,and shop and at the toilets they hand you one sheet of paper and were expecting a Dollar for it ! Not their fault but worth mentioning sadly a chap became ill on the beach and sadly died . Now it is a 40 mins speedboat to main island. No defib on the island or boats that seem available, it didn't appear to me that they had much idea of first aid .not sure what had happened but he was left in the sun bed chair , then eventually carried to a boat and taken off . So be cautious if anyone has health issues . The chaps on the boats , bus driver and Jonny were funny and helped on and off the boats . Its not their fault it was sold as a very different trip " luxury, tranquil , TUI own a part of the beach , but the fact is there are still boats and 40 ish on each . Quite disappointed but it is a beautiful island . Tui should ensure they have first aiders Tui should have a defib with them And after the poor chap dieing that day TUI should a rep stays with the tour until the end , although chap was not on our actual bus what would happen if someone took ill and only the driver was there ? They need to rethink these tours on a safety level”

“The trip for us started at cap Cana. We had to take 2 buses until our destination. With stops and all it took us two hours to get to the marina. Our bus guides were great. Our main tour guide Nestor was great just a little pushy with the tips. We are great tippers and work based on tips and we understand that not all people tip but it was a little too many times that it was asked. The boat ride and the sandbar were the highlight. They took a bunch of pictures that were able to bargain for a good price. The boat ride they kept the drink flowing and the music was great. The boat went nice and slow even with 12 knot winds and seas around 1-2 feet. They kept close to shore to minimize the elements. The sandbar was crystal clear with tons of starfish everywhere. Then when we got to the island which in my opinion I don’t think we went to an island because we ran the coast the whole time lol. The island was not that great. Tons of rocks that made it difficult to disembark with kids and to enjoy. The food wasn’t bad but we were hungry sooo. They had volleyball going on which we partook in. They were very funny during the tournaments. When it comes to embarking again it was complete mayhem and not controlled whatsoever. People were rushing and pushing around and not as safe with kids but we mad it back safely. Overall good thing to do if you have never done it. Just be well prepared with good footwear.”

“Overall, the trip to Saona Island was great. The island itself was beautiful, the people were friendly, and the food was excellent. We had a wonderful time once we arrived. My biggest issue was with the transportation and the way the tour length was communicated. We were told the excursion would be 10 hours, but that did not include all of the transportation time. We left our hotel at 7:30 AM and were first taken to a separate meeting location then to be taken to another bus which then took us to the last stop, then walked to the speedboat departure area. By the time we finally arrived at Saona Island, it was around 3½ hours after our initial departure. The island experience itself was very enjoyable. However, there was not enough water or non-alcoholic drink options available for children. If we had known how long the day would actually be, we would have brought extra drinks and snacks for our kids. The return trip was even more confusing. We made an unexpected stop at a souvenir shop that was never mentioned in the itinerary. After that, we were taken back to the meeting location, switched buses, were then told to get off and get into a van, and later told to get back on the bus. The transportation logistics felt disorganized and poorly communicated throughout the day. We did not arrive back at our hotel until 8:30 PM, making it a 13-hour day rather than the 10 hours we were expecting. Despite the transportation issues, the island was beautiful and the staff and locals were wonderful. I would still recommend the trip, but the tour company should do a much better job explaining the full transportation process and the actual total time required. Had we known what to expect, we still would have gone, but we could have planned accordingly and brought additional drinks and snacks for our children.”