Natural Pool And Lunch, Pickup Included

Full-Day Cruise to Saona Island - Natural Pool and Lunch

★ 4.0 284 verified reviews

10 hours 30 minutes, hotel pickup listed, lunch included.

from $75 per person

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Duration: 10 hours 30 minutes
Meeting point: Punta Cana (Bavaro Hotel Zone)
Cancellation: Free cancellation
Meal: Meal included
Run by: Dominican Tours Punta Cana

Overview

This is a full-day, shared excursion from Punta Cana to Saona Island, running 10.5 hours from hotel pickup to drop-off. Dominican Tours Punta Cana collects guests by bus from area hotels, then transfers everyone to the departure point for the boat legs: a speed boat and a catamaran to Isla Saona, with a 25-minute stop at the biggest natural swimming pool along the route. Lunch is served on the island, and national rum drinks (not beer) are included.

The transport is collective, meaning a shared bus and a shared tour with up to 65 travellers per departure. Roughly three hours are spent on Saona itself, with the remainder taken up by hotel pickups, the drive to the dock, boarding, and the return transfer. Reviewers describe the guides as helpful and friendly. Others warn that the logistics eat time, with multiple pickup stops before the group even reaches the water.

It suits travellers who want a busy, full-day group outing and who are comfortable with crowds and waiting. It does not suit anyone needing wheelchair access, and the listing advises against it for pregnant travellers or those with serious heart conditions. Towels, beer, seafood and photos all cost extra or are simply not included.

What's Included

Included

Hotel pickup and drop-off
Professional guide
Speed boat and catamaran to Isla Saona
Drinks National Rum ( Not Beer )
Lunch (Grilled chicken, Grilled pork, Rice, Pasta, Tropical fruits)
25-minute stop at the biggest natural swimming pool
The pick up for this tour is collective
It's a shared bus with more people
This tour is shared with more people

Not Included

Towels
Fish, Shrimp, Lobster ( Available for extra payment)
Tips (not mandatory)
Photography (external company cost additional)
Beers, Piña Coladas ( Additional cost for another company)
This tour does not include pickups in Veron Pueblo Bavaro, additional cost US$25.00 per booking
This tour does not include pickups in Cap Cana, additional cost US$25.00 per booking

Itinerary

Hotel pickup in BavaroShared collective bus pickup, 30 minutes at this stop. Pickup is by bus with other guests.
Punta Cana pickupsFurther hotel stops of 10 minutes and 50 minutes as the bus collects the rest of the group.
Palmilla stopA 40-minute stop at Palmilla. The listing separately notes a 25-minute stop in the water at the biggest natural swimming pool.
Saona IslandThree hours on the island. Lunch of grilled chicken, grilled pork, rice, pasta and tropical fruit is served here.
Return transferA 1-hour stop with Saona Island on the way back, then the shared bus back to the hotels. Drop-off at your hotel is included.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points recur across the listing and traveller reviews, and they shape the day more than the brochure suggests.

Bring a towel. Towels are explicitly not included, so pack your own. Swimwear is needed for the natural pool stop, where you stand in shallow water rather than snorkel, as one reviewer put it.
Long day, crowds. The tour runs 10.5 hours with up to 65 travellers, and several reviewers describe packed boats and long stretches of waiting. Go in expecting a group logistics operation, not a private outing.
Food and drink. Lunch is grilled chicken, grilled pork, rice, pasta and tropical fruit. National rum drinks are included but beer, piña coladas and seafood such as lobster cost extra. Reviews split on the food, with some calling it good and others finding it plain.
Photo sellers. Photography is handled by an outside company at additional cost, and the listing is clear that those photos do not belong to the tour operator. One reviewer describes staff pushing photo packages persistently, so decide in advance whether you want them.
Fitness and health. The listing requires a moderate level of physical fitness and excludes wheelchair users, pregnant travellers and anyone with serious heart problems. Pets are not accepted.
Money on hand. Bring cash for extras: seafood, beer, tips (not mandatory, per the listing) and the photo packages sold on the boat. Treat any photo purchase carefully, as one reviewer reported being charged more than the quoted package price.

Common issues. The honest downsides are time and crowding. Several reviewers said most of the day goes to pickups, waits and transfers, with one measuring the whole door-to-door span at nearly 12 hours against far less time actually on the island or in the water. The boats and beach can be packed with other tour groups, and one traveller describes vendors and photo staff as pushy. Pickups from Veron Pueblo Bavaro and Cap Cana are not included and carry an extra charge of 25 USD per booking for each. One reviewer reported a group being left behind at the end of the day until the guide decided to wait for them. The tour is not wheelchair accessible, and cancellations less than 24 hours before start are not refunded, though poor-weather cancellations come with a new date or a full refund.

Common Questions

Is Hotel Pickup Included?

Yes, hotel pickup and drop-off are included, but the pickup is collective, on a shared bus that stops at several hotels. Pickups in Veron Pueblo Bavaro and Cap Cana are not included and cost an extra 25 USD per booking for each area.

What Is Included In The Price?

Hotel pickup and drop-off, a professional guide, the speed boat and catamaran transfers to Saona, a 25-minute stop at the biggest natural swimming pool, lunch, and national rum drinks (not beer). Towels, beer, piña coladas, seafood, tips and photos from the external photography company are all extra or excluded.

How Long Is The Tour And How Much Time Is On The Island?

The full experience runs 10.5 hours from pickup to drop-off. About three hours of that is on Saona Island, plus the 25-minute natural pool stop. Some reviews mention that transfers and waiting take up a large share of the day.

Is The Tour Suitable For Kids Or People With Limited Mobility?

The listing says the tour is not wheelchair accessible and requires a moderate level of physical fitness, and it is not recommended for pregnant travellers or anyone with heart problems or other serious medical conditions. The minimum drinking age is 18. Pets are not accepted.

What Is The Cancellation Policy?

A full refund is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start time, based on local time. Cancellations or changes inside that 24-hour window are not refunded or accepted. If the operator cancels for poor weather, you are offered a different date or a full refund.

What Should I Bring?

A towel, since towels are not included, plus swimwear for the natural pool and cash for extras like seafood, beer, tips and the photo packages sold by the outside company. The listing also states the operator is not responsible for lost items, so keep track of your belongings.