Small Group: Saona Island Full Day Tour
Recommended by 98% of travelers
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
- 9 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Head to the sparsely inhabited Saona Island on a full-day trip from Punta Cana. Join a small group and visit the town of Mano Juan, home to a turtle conservation area. Then, spend the rest of your day exploring a secret beach as well as Abanico and Palmilla beaches, each with its own charm. Your day trip includes a simple breakfast and a hearty, buffet lunch on the beach.
- Learn about turtle conservation from a community leader
- Search for starfish and marine life with a provided snorkel
- Hassle-free transfers from select locations
- A small group means more attention from your guide
What's Included
- Lunch
- Breakfast
- Alcoholic Beverages
- Bottled water
- Soda/Pop
- Use of Snorkeling equipmentUse of Snorkelling equipment
- Air-conditioned vehicle
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Pickup details
Thanks for reserve our experience Please write to us: your full name your location name where do you need to be pick up We provided pick up and drop off from Punta Cana to Bayahibe Port and back to Punta Cana. The experience is for a small groups of 14 pax. Limited 2 groups. We develop the entire excursion over speed boat in Saona Island. Punta Cana to the Port of Bayahibe by Bus. Bring swimming suits, towels, sun block, bugs repellent, money. We provided breakfast and lunch if you have any food restrictions or you need information about the food we provided feel free to contact us. We served for breakfast sandwiches with cheese and tomatoes and cheese and turkey ham with do natural juiced and a fruit salad. For lunch with provided a buffet with traditional Dominican lunch( rice with vegetables, mash potatoes salad, green salad, fruits salad, bread, pasta in tomatoes sauce marinate with lobster, grilled chicken, grilled pork chops. We do one stop in a convenient store 10 minutes before the port where you can buy anything of your preference. You are free to bring to the trip drinks or food of your preference if you need it. Thanks again for reserve with me your experience to Saona Island. Best Regards Melvin Duran +18293707381
Start time.6:00 am
Itinerary
For this Saona Island small-group tour either head directly to the meeting point on Bavaro Beach, or if you’ve requested pickup, get picked up from your Punta Cana location. This tour has a maximum of 12 travelers for an intimate full-day experience.
First your group makes your way to Mano Juan, home to a turtle conservation area. Breakfast is included, too. After a short time in Mano Juan, continue to a secret beach for stunning views and a swim.
Next, visit Abanico Beach on Saona Island for a delicious lunch buffet and free time to spend on the beach as you please.
Lastly, visit Palmilla Beach, where you can search for starfish before making your way back to Punta Cana for drop-off.
First your group makes your way to Mano Juan, home to a turtle conservation area. Breakfast is included, too. After a short time in Mano Juan, continue to a secret beach for stunning views and a swim.
Next, visit Abanico Beach on Saona Island for a delicious lunch buffet and free time to spend on the beach as you please.
Lastly, visit Palmilla Beach, where you can search for starfish before making your way back to Punta Cana for drop-off.
1
Isla Saona
3 hours • Admission Ticket Free
2
Parque Nacional del Este
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Saona Island
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
4
Parque Nacional del Este
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
5
Parque Nacional del Este
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- 0-5 not allow
- Pregnant not allowed
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 14 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Summer_S
Hands down, the best part of our trip to DR was this excursion!! Melvin & Natalia were wonderful and provided such a beautiful experience! Book this excursion, you won’t regret it!! Saona Island is amazing, and the little touches that were put into this day did not go unnoticed.
Reviews
4.9
based on 1,518 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Karen_G, Aug 2026
This excursion was the absolute highlight of our trip! We would highly recommend this trip to anyone wanting to see Saona Island. The early wake up call was totally worth it to have the beach to ourselves before all of the large groups arrive. We loved all of the details included in this trip and enjoyed Melvin's excitement in sharing the history of the Dominican Republic. Melvin and his crew thought of everything, including many group photos, saving us beach chairs on the beach, a family style lunch on the beach, drinks, going to a baby turtle sanctuary, learning about the mangroves and seeing more starfish that we could have imagined. All of the stops were thoughtful and gave us a wonderful sampling of Saona Island. Great day!
Judit_M, Aug 2026
Thanks to Mr Melvin's insider knowledge and the early start, we had the island just to our small group, very peaceful and beautiful experience. The buffet lunch on the beach was on white table cloth, very nice, unexpected touch. We left right when the large herds of tourists flooded the shore.
The powerboat ride was quite bumpy, so if you are seasick, make some preparations in advance.
Jennifer_M, Aug 2026
There were quite a few rocks when getting off the boat and making our way onto the island, so a heads-up to wear water shoes would have been very helpful.
That being said, all of the stops were absolutely worth seeing and learning about! We especially loved the hands-on experience with the starfish and the snorkeling. The guides were very pleasant, knowledgeable, and helpful throughout the excursion. Overall, it was a fun and memorable experience!
Wendy_M, Aug 2026
Waking up early pays off. You get to enjoy the island before it gets crowded. Everyone is very friendly and nice!
Helena_H, Aug 2026
What an incredible excursion! A huge shout out to Melvin (tour guide) and his staff. We had the most incredible day. Pick up was prompt at 6am and we arrived back safely at our hotel at 4:30pm. It was so worth the early pick up, as we were able to enjoy a few hours on the stunning Saona Island beach before hundreds of tourists arrived around midday. The excursion was only 12 of us on a speed boat, which made the experience a whole lot better. We couldn’t have asked for a better day. We had the opportunity to visit the local turtle sanctuary (even saw some hatch), see the only part where people live on the island, before heading to the main beach for a few hours and lunch, then visiting the mangrove (seeing the sea turtles) and having the opportunity to swim with star fish. I could not recommend this excursion enough!
Kevin_W, Aug 2026
Wonderful trip which i and family (wife and two teenage girls 13&16) would recommend.
Melvin and crew are great and trip is perfectly timed to show you the most possible and avoid the crowds. Melvin is knowledgeable and a nice guy and while keeping our group of twenty continually happy also found the time to help others not in our party.
Highlight of the trip for us were the starfish snorkeling!!
Be warned though it is a long day....and bring water shoes as beach can be rocky
Traci_T, Aug 2026
It was a long day, but what an experience! Travel there and back was long. We stopped and picked up 3 other groups from other properties. Melvin has to be the smartest man on the DR! He was the best! Would repeat just because of him and his team!
Danna_A, Aug 2026
Highly recommend booking the small group tour. Your tours will be more personable. The bigger tours have too many people. This tour is about 14 people per boat. Keep in mind the boats are small so the waves sometimes feel bumpy but it’s not too bad. The beaches and sand bar you go to are beautiful
Leslie_J, Aug 2026
The island was beautiful. Melvin and his crew were awesome! Everything was smooth, not confusing. He explained everything and every step of the trip. The team was great all around. Wish we could have stayed longer were the starfish but it was still a great experience. I would definitely recommend this excursion.
Saidah_H, Aug 2026
This was one of the highlights of my trip to the Dominican Republic. Pickup was on time, communication was excellent, and the entire experience was organized and professional from start to finish.
The small group size created a welcoming, family-like atmosphere that was especially enjoyable as a solo traveller. Melvin and Natalia were attentive throughout the day, taking the time to get to know everyone and making sure each guest had a great experience. The scenery was breathtaking, and visiting a turtle sanctuary on a private island was unforgettable. Melvin also shared a brief but fascinating history of the Dominican Republic that added so much value to the excursion.
I loved being able to hold a starfish, observe turtles in their natural habitat, and interact with other marine life while learning how to protect the local ecosystem. The food and drinks were plentiful, and the team's respect for the culture and the environment was evident throughout the day.
I highly recommend this excursion. If you're visiting the Dominican Republic, book it—you won't regret it. I will definitely tour with this team again.
Jason_K, Jul 2026
Melvin and Pedro where such excellent guides, be prepared for a speed boat ride but was very fun. Getting to the island early was a game changer. Best the crowds and the sun. I would rate this as one of my best excursions in DR.
katherine_p, Jul 2026
Melvin , Diego and the entire crew were amazing , treated us very good and took care of everything from pickup to drop off at our hotel , I would recommend this experience to everyone, very good hospitality
YvetteDenise_M, Jul 2026
Best excursion to Saona! History/Cultural tour of Saona, pristine beach, delicious lunch, snorkeling, starfish, turtles, mangrove -- what more could you want? Melvin is a fantastic guide and historian, very organized and well-run trip with service oriented and fun team members.
Julia_W, Jul 2026
Ok, I cannot say enough about how incredible this experience was! My last trip to saona was on a private yacht so I was hesitant to book a group outing but saw the reviews and decided to take a chance. 10/10! It was my 15 year old daughter and I. Melvin and his crew were fantastic. They showed us a ton of different areas. The turtle sanctuary was incredibly moving for us as animal lovers. They watched our belongings on the main beach so we could swim and explore. Saw sea turtles, snorkeled over the reef, held starfish. The boat ride was a BLAST!!! It’s a speedboat so don’t expect a leisurely cruise. We learned a ton about the mangroves, the marine life, the culture. Perfect size group. This will not disappoint!!
Leza_L, Jul 2026
The boat ride to Mano Juan is about 45 minutes and can be pretty rough. One member of our group did not like that part at all. If you are wanting a party, this is not for you at all. Be prepared for a long day but if you are interested in learning this is the one for you.
I loved it and learning about the history of the island and the importance of the Mangroves and about the work of the Turtle Sanctuary.
The “natural pools” were amazing and Melvin and his team are top notch. Fun and friendly!
STAVROS_K, Jul 2026
small group excursion professional Pedro is very informative crew is very professional and very helpful
Alex_K, Jul 2026
Whenever we go on trips, we try to do excursions that support the right causes, we know there are lots of options to go to Saona Islands, but we're happy we chose this one.
We love that that this tour supports local schools as well as the sea turtle sanctuary. The amount of history that Melvin knew was absolutely impressive. It was nice having a smaller group. We felt like a tight-knit family during the excursion.
Getting up a little bit earlier was totally worth it because the island didn't have tons of tourists yet and we had our own private section where we could have our lunch and enjoy the water peacefully.
The snorkeling was amazing. We love that they take precautions with the starfish to make sure that it doesn't injure them. We were able to see live sea turtles swimming during the excursion as well.
We would highly recommend this trip to anyone coming here. Their company and group was amazing and extremely professional.
Simon_A, Jul 2026
Superb from start to finish… the itinerary was great and the kids had a superb time. Everything runs like clockwork.
The beach you go to is just stunning and the early start means you get there before everyone else, you really notice this when going head to your next stop and there are 20 boats arriving at the beach you left.
The reef snorkelling was incredible, we saw fish we have only seen in a tropical aquarium before.
Add into this the fact it’s clear Melvin really cares about the communities he visits and the impact that things like the turtle sanctuary have and it’s a really well rounded day.
Would do it again in a heartbeat.
Taylor_T, Jul 2026
If you are going to Saona Island - do it like this! Best experience we’ve had in Dominican Republic! Melvin and his team were very professional and knowledgeable. We felt like we learned so much about the culture, and were able to experience a side of Saona Island that many people don’t get to see. Drinks were also a huge vibe, the food was good, and the small group and early start was absolutely worth it! We got the clear waters all to ourselves, and got to see the beautiful sand bars, mangroves, starfish and turtle sanctuary. There’s no other way we’d do this excursion after such a great experience.
FRANCISCO_M, Jul 2026
Excellent, tour guide was very knowledgeable, the staff on the boat very helpful,professional and polite.
Beautiful island, saw turtles in their environment, also sea stars.
Austin_H, Jul 2026
Absolutely amazing! Tour guide is also the owner and does a phenomenal job. We have done Saona island before in the large group on a catamaran and this experience blows that away. Highly recommend to spend the extra money and have a more personal experience. Plus, you are the first group to the beach and are leaving as it starts to get really busy with the large groups. You also get to see Sea Turtles in the wild and learn about their conservation at your first stop. Water can be a little rough on that first ride, about 35 minutes. Motion medicine recommended if you do not ride well in the ocean. Back at our hotel by 5pm. 10/10 experience!! Will do this again should we return to DR. Thank you amigos!!
Heather_A, Jul 2026
Pedro and the entire crew provided an absolutely unforgettable experience! From start to finish, everything was well organized, fun, and exceeded our expectations. The scenery was breathtaking, and I made memories that will last a lifetime. A special shoutout to the chef—the lunch was delicious! I highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Punta Cana or Saona Island. Thank you for an amazing day!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Good evening
In behalf of our staff we want to give you thanks for reserved our excursion for small groups to saona island and thank you very much for wrote your review, really thank you.
Best regards
Melvin Duran
Laura_E, Jul 2026
The whole experience was smooth from pickup to drop off and everything in between. All of the staff from the drivers to the deckhands, and of course the guides were all knowledgeable and friendly every step of the way. Due to the small groups we were able to get to the island before the crowds, along with an informative pit stop at the turtle sanctuary. They were the best and we highly recommend them.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Good morning Laura
Thanks for wrote your review.
Thanks for reserved our Saona Island Small Groups Excursion on Viator.
It’s was a pleasure for us to have you in our experience.
As you can see our itinerary it’s perfect created for avoid crowds if the participants are on time for their pick ups everything work nice and smooth.
Thanks again for coming.
Best Regards
Melvin Duran
Desiree_H, Jul 2026
Super informative and wonderful tour. Had a great time with my friends! The staff were friendly and the island was beautiful.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Good morning Desiree
In behalf of all the staff we want to thank you for reserved our saona island full day small group excursion on Viator the app for experience create by TripAdvisor, thanks for reserved our saona island experience.
Best regards
Melvin Duran
Gregory_A, Jul 2026
Melvin and his team were phenomenal! The tour was beautiful, educational and so much fun! They went out of their way to make sure everyone had a great time and that our belongings were kept in a safe area with their supervision which enabled us to explore the island without any stress!
Saona is breathtaking and worth the full day excursion! You beat the crowds to Saona and have the island to yourself before the crowds come. The turtle sanctuary portion, history and conservation efforts of the island are a unique and informative experience to see the hard work that is put in to keep the island a safe haven for turtles and immaculate for anyone who is lucky enough to visit!
Highly recommend taking this tour with Melvin and his team- you will not be disappointed!
If I could give 10 stars I would.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Good morning Gregory
Thanks for your words.
Thank you very much for reserved our Saona island small groups excursion full day.
As you can see if the participants are on time for the pick ups we can avoid the masses
It’s important for us to show Mano Juan inside Saona Island and the effort doing by the creator of the turtle sanctuary. I believe it’s important to support them in somehow we need to protect the turtles or project like the one Mr Pelagio Paulino “Negro Tortuga” is running that try enhance the life of the turtles. In our experience we try to give to our customers information that can be useful for the future.
Thanks again for coming with us I really appreciated.
Best Regards
Melvin Duran
Amy_E, Jul 2026
My hotel took me to the area where all the excursions come to pick you up (an area next to the pharmacy that this excursion told me to go to that has several benches and an area for the buses can pull in and turn around). I sat there for over two hours, watched dozens upon dozens of people get picked up. They went to the lobby, took pictures, said I wasn’t there. Why would I go to the lobby when I was told to go to the large excursion pick up area? Do disappointing.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Good afternoon
Thanks for wrote your review. You came 20 minutes late to your pick. We look for you at the meeting points and we look for you at the lobby in neither places you were not there, pictures can proved. It’s more easy to accept your mistakes and not try to blame the others of your own mistakes, better accept that you oversleep and do not show up on time for your pick up, that’s all. The problem that you have is that after we denied to refund you because you were late you try to come to our wall to destroy our 10 years reputation, but, things are not like that, we send you proved with photos of each places visiting from our drivers took on time and your were not there, unfortunately you lost your day, but that was not our fault. Others guest was pick up without any problem except of you. All others guest that come to our excursion experience a good day out but you didn’t come to our experience you are just frustrated because you didn’t received a refund., The rules are clear in this business we are able to reschedule if we have spaces and we do give you the option to reschedule for the next day but you decides not to come for your own reasons., We have been working with solo travelers all in peace and nice and safe over the past 10 years., but, your perception about the country and the locals do not allowed you to enjoy the island in peace.
Enjoy your life in peace and do not try to arruines the life and business of the others karma works.
Best Regards
Melvin Duran
Emma_G, Jul 2026
Very informative and knowledgeable guide perfect if you want to see the island before all the masses come
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Good morning Emma
It’s a pleasure to meet you.
Thanks for reserved our Saona island full day small groups excursion.
Best regards
Melvin Duran
carl_m, Jul 2026
It's very, nice day, very educational. Great people. If it was great, good drinks it's very easy, picked up and dropped off of your resort.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Good morning Carl
Thanks for wrote your review.
As you can see we provided pick up and drop off, in case the hotel it’s not listing you can always write to us over the platform or our company numbers.
Thanks again for your help
Best regards
Melvin Duran
Lisa_P, Jul 2026
Early start but well organized. Bring snacks for the morning time. Breakfast isn't till you get to the first stop. Our resort beach has sargassum but the island didn't when we went so it was worth it to get into the water. The beach is very rocky and we saw some broken glass so water shoes would be suggested.
karen_c, Jul 2026
This is such an amazing excursion! This experience isn't just a trip to an island! This particular one is worth the extra money in everyway.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Good Morning Karen
Thanks for wrote your review, really thanks.
To all guest that went on Friday 10 July, that haven't received their pictures, you will received on Tuesday when I will receive my phone back sorry for the incovience my phone went to the water but will be fixed by tuesday, thanks for your patient.,
Best Regards
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