Top 15 Island Hopping Sailing Trips in the Dominican Republic

1.Catamaran Boat to Saona Island with Buffet Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 3,822 reviews · 8 hours · from $82Our pick

Travel by bus, speedboat, and catamaran from Punta Cana to Saona Island. Swim in a starfish-filled natural pool, enjoy a Dominican buffet, relax on white sand, and return with music and dancing. Guides may include Christian, Alex, Eduardo, or Juan. The day is fun but often lasts 12 hours.

“christian was an amazing tour guide who provides an amazing vibe to the trip. very versatile in both english and french. the bus ride was a little long but the bus had ac and pit stop for the washroom. The bathrooms on saona was disgusting but other then that you definitely get your moneys worth with the lunch buffet and open bar. My favourite part of the trip was the dancing girls on the catamaran.”

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2.Saona Island small group and relax – luxury catamaran

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 605 reviews · from $139Top rated

Sail from Bayahibe on the 75-foot Quetzal catamaran with up to 30 people. Snorkel at Catuano, relax on Saona Island, enjoy lunch and an open bar, then visit Las Palmillas to see starfish. Guides such as Lola, Charlotte, and Enrique add friendly commentary throughout the day.

“Easy going and they ensure you are okay with everything. The tour guide is very friendly and helpful with all the questions I have. They also made us as a group feel welcomed.”

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3.Saona Island Catamaran Tour with Food & Open Bar

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 380 reviews · 8 hours · from $67

Spend eight hours traveling from Punta Cana to Saona Island by bus, speedboat, and catamaran. You will stop at the Natural Swimming Pool, eat a Dominican buffet, and get beach time with an open bar. Guides may include Indiana Jones, and pickup varies by hotel or Airbnb.

“Saona Island is a beatyfull place 🏝️ But you should not expect 4 hours at the island. Expect more time travelling and time to stop at the souvenir shop than descibed. So if you have a lot of patience this tour is great and recommendable. Remember to bring water for the bus - no drinks are provided in the bus.”

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4.Catamaran/Speedboat Tour to a Dream Beach

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 315 reviews · 7 - 10 hours · from $89

From Bayahibe, you’ll reach Saona Island by speedboat and sailing catamaran, with 2.5 hours on the beach, buffet lunch, open-bar drinks, music, and a 30-minute natural pool stop. Guides such as Christian, Juan, and Paula have earned warm praise for their care and energy.

“it was one of the prettiest beaches we‘ve been and not to forget the guides, especially andy:)”

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5.Saona island – Small group tour – Luxury catamaran

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 139 reviews · 10 hours · from $169

Spend 10 hours aboard the Quetzal with guides such as Angel, Charlotte, or Bernard, sailing from Bayahibe to Saona Island. You’ll snorkel at Catuano, relax at a reserved beach corner, eat fresh lunch onboard, and swim near giant starfish in Las Palmillas.

“We had the best day out with the crew here to Sanoa Island! The food was delicious and the drinks were premium. The catamaran was just glorious as we sailed for the day. We were a party of 8 including 4 children and the crew couldn't do enough for everyone on board, they were fantastic! Massive shout out to the captain and to Angel for such a great day! All stops on the trip were well thought out and away from the crowd masses, the private area on Sanoa Island was great and our snorkeling stops were a big hit all round. The catamaran was not over crowded and there…”

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6.Saona Island VIP Catamaran Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 116 reviews · 7 - 12 hours · from $5Best value

Travel from a selected pickup point to Bayahibe, then reach Saona Island by catamaran or speedboat. You will stop at Laguna Azul’s starfish area, swim in a natural pool, enjoy a Creole buffet, and return with music, dancing, and an open bar. English, Italian, and Spanish support is available.

“Un día espectacular en Isla Saona gracias a Coprixa Travels. Todo estuvo bien coordinado, desde la recogida hasta el regreso. La isla es un paraíso y la parada en la piscina natural fue lo mejor del tour.”

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7.Catamaran Tour to Saona Island with Open Bar and Buffet

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 111 reviews · 9 hours · from $81

Sail from Bayahibe to Saona Island on a lively catamaran, stopping at a shallow natural pool for swimming and starfish viewing. You’ll get a Dominican buffet, beer and soft drinks, music, a guide, and three hours on the island. Guide Alex has earned special praise for his friendly approach.

“Everything was well organized, and Saona Island is truly stunning.”

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8.Saona Island Full Day Excursion from Punta Cana + Catamaran Party

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 103 reviews · from $79

Spend about nine hours traveling from Punta Cana to Saona Island by road and boat. You will stop at a natural pool, eat a Dominican buffet, enjoy white-sand beaches, and join a catamaran party with music, dancing, and drinks. Guides such as Enrique and Danny have earned strong praise for friendly service.

“It was a great pleasure, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Thank you, Will. First time going to isla saona and it was the best time will definitely recommend to other families and friends.”

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9.Island Escape to Saona • catamaran & Beach lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 74 reviews · 570 minutes - 10 hours · from $59

Spend a full day traveling from Punta Cana, Bávaro, Uvero Alto, or Bayahíbe to Saona Island. Swim at a starfish-filled natural pool, eat a Dominican buffet, enjoy beach time, then return by catamaran with music and an open bar. Guide Mama Diaris may assist in English, Spanish, and French.

“If you’re visiting Punta Cana, this trip is a must. Saona Island truly feels like paradise, and doing it by catamaran by visiting multiple beach stops makes it even more unforgettable. From start to finish, it felt like a perfect mix of fun, relaxation, and unreal scenery!”

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10.Snorkeling & Catamaran Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 33 reviews · 7h 30m · from $90

Sail from Bayahibe at 9 AM to Catalina Island with a multilingual guide such as José. Snorkel for 45 minutes at La Pared, then enjoy a buffet lunch, open bar, sunbeds, and about 2.5 hours on the beach. The trip also passes the Chavón River, known for movie filming locations.

“Trop de monde sur le catamaran Une des hôtesses n'était pas du tout sympathique Repas sous forme de buffet très moyen L'île Catalina autrefois préservée et magnifique est devenue un piège à touristes a l'identique de Saona”

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11.Saona Island Tour All Inclusive Speedboat and Catamaran

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 33 reviews · 10 hours - 630 minutes · from $70

Spend a full day traveling from Punta Cana to Bayahibe, then by speedboat to Saona Island. You’ll stop at a starfish natural pool, enjoy two hours of beach time, lunch, local drinks, and a catamaran ride back. Guides speak English, French, and Spanish.

“Massentourismus pur. Das Wasser ist über die Jahre durch den Massentourismus ki plett zerstört. Überall im Wasser liegen Knochenreste vom essen und das Wasser ist aufgrund 100 er Bote aufgewirbelt. Man erkennt überhaupt nichts einfach nur Müll. Bist 3 h unterwegs weil der Bus diverse andere Touristen von hotels einsammeln, voll mit Urlaubern aus frn Nachbarländern (Kolumbien, Kuba etc.). nicht zu empfehlen!!”

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12.Catalina Island Swim, Sail & Snorkel

★★★★★★★★★★3.7 · 20 reviews · 8 hours · from $79

From Punta Cana, ride by air-conditioned bus to the La Romana area, sail toward Catalina Island, snorkel at the Caribbean Sea Coral Reef Wall, then spend about four hours on the beach with lunch, drinks, and snacks. Your return ride ends with bachata and merengue lessons.

“Perfect tourist guide who can speak more languages. We had enough time in the island to snorkelling. There is beautiful places, white sand and turquoise sea. Really good day.”

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13.Saona Island Catamaran and Speedboat …

★★★★★★★★★★3.7 · 16 reviews · 10 hours · from $57

Spend about 10 hours traveling from Punta Cana to Bayahibe, then to Saona Island by speedboat and catamaran. You will swim at a shallow natural pool, eat a Dominican-style buffet, and return with music and an open bar. Federico has led small, well-run groups, but transfers can be slow.

“El servicio pésimo, llegaron retrasado a buscarnos al hotel, luego estuvimos casi una hora en una gasolinera subiendo y bajando de buses porque no tenían coordinadas las cantidades, al llegar a bayahibe nos subieron en una lancha y luego de eso estuvimos en cada parada máximo 20-25 minutos. Al terminar el tour almorzamos donde nos comentan que después de almorzar nos vamos en 30 minutos, terminamos de almorzar y volvimos 2 horas después al bus recién. En ese bus había gente esperando dos horas que se completaran los asientos, nosotros también esperamos 30’minutos más. Finalmente esas 10 horas que aparecen en el tour son 4 o 5 de solo traslado…”

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14.Saona Island All Included Open Bar Catamaran

★★★★★★★★★★3.3 · 15 reviews · 8 hours · from $76

Travel from Punta Cana to Bayahibe, then cruise to Saona Island by catamaran with local drinks, Dominican music, lunch, and beach time. A multilingual guide leads the day in English, Spanish, French, or Afrikaans. The return includes a speedboat stop at a shallow natural pool filled with starfish.

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15.Saona Island Comfort Experience by Catamaran

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 12 reviews · 8 hours · from $85

Spend eight hours sailing from Bayahibe to Saona Island, with a 40-minute snorkel stop, starfish pools, beach lunch, sunbeds, and drinks. The multilingual guide speaks English, Spanish, Italian, French, or German. Expect music, shared boats, and a busy beach rather than a deserted island.

“Franchement ça vaut le coût et moin chère que partout pour la même prestation…”

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