Saona Island Excursion
Saona Island (Isla Saona in spanish), is one of the must-see places for tourists visiting the Dominican Republic.
This island has an enviable natural beauty, its flora and fauna are protected since the island is part of a national park called Parque Nacional del Este (now called Parque Nacional Cotubanamá).
Where Saona Island is located?
To locate Saona Island you have to go to the southeast of the country, at the southern end of the province of La Altagracia, in the Caribbean Sea.
It is the largest island in the Dominican Republic, its extension is approximately 110 km2.
Saona Island, being part of a national park, preserves all the natural beauty of a tropical paradise: kilometers of virgin paradisiacal beaches of fine white sand with crystal clear waters, exuberant exotic vegetation of the area such as palm and coconut trees, a great variety of animal species from birds to reptiles, forests with exotic vegetation, mangroves, lagoons and natural pools.
How to get to Saona Island?
The excursion to Saona Island from Punta Cana is the most requested and popular among tourists, although the island is quite far from the tourist area of Punta Cana and Bavaro.
On the excursion to Saona Island, you must first go to Bayahibe, where boats and catamarans sail to the island.
The trip by catamaran or motorboat to Saona Island lasts from 30 minutes to an hour approximately. But this trip is not so tiring, since most of the excursions stop in the middle of the sea, in the famous natural pool that we will see later.
What to do in Saona Island. Excursion & Tour.
Besides the paradisiacal beaches, the island is famous for the abundance of coral reefs and marine species such as starfish, sea turtles and exotic fish.
Visiting the villages of Saona Island
The island has two small villages: Mano Juan, a small village where its inhabitants are mostly engaged in fishing and tourism-related activities. And then Catuano, a settlement even smaller than the previous one, where many catamarans and boats arrive due to its proximity to Bayahibe.
Saona Island Beaches
Enjoying the beaches and the turquoise sea is undoubtedly the main attraction of Saona Island. They are beaches of great extensions, kilometers of white sand with turquoise water, in an environment surrounded by exuberant vegetation.
The beach "Canto de la Playa" is considered the best beach of Saona Island, although it is the farthest to reach since it is located at the southeast end of the island. But this beach is worth a visit, as it is a "perfect" beach that has all the virtues, a dream place where you can take postcard pictures of the Caribbean.
Then there are other beaches: Playa Bonita and Playa del Gato which are closer to Catuano, one of the only two villages on Saona Island.
Blue Lagoon, the Natural Pool in the middle of the sea.
One of the most important tourist attractions of Saona Island is the largest natural pool in the world, located in the middle of the sea 400 meters from the coast, an area where the depth barely reaches one meter, ideal for diving.
It is also called "Blue Lagoon" because it was the place where the movie The Blue Lagoon, starring Brooke Shields and Christopher Atkins, was filmed.
It is also a perfect place to see and touch all kinds of exotic marine species present under the pool, such as starfish, corals, tropical fish, shells and snails. Without a doubt, the best of Saona Island.
On the island we can see some exotic mammals, some endangered species, such as the manatee.
If you want to know in detail about the excursion to Saona Island, you can see it in the following link: Saona Island Day Trip From Punta Cana.