Discover Saona Island
The Dominican Republic has several islands that are worth visiting. Discover Saona Island, visitors describe it as paradise on Earth.
This island is known as one of the most idyllic sites in the Caribbean. It is located on the southeastern tip of the Dominican Republic, facing the La Romana province, and belongs to the Cotubanamá National Park, formerly known as the East National Park.
When one thinks of the Caribbean, it’s the image of Saona Island that comes to mind, with its white sand, palm trees, and crystal-clear waters.
If you’re in the Dominican Republic, don’t miss the opportunity to live this experience. Certainly, it will be something you’ll want to tell all your friends about.
How to get to Saona Island?
Clearly, the best way to get to the island and enjoy the experience is by booking a tour with Runaway Experiences. First, they pick you up in a bus at your hotel in Punta Cana. Then they take you to Bayahibe, from where you will finally be taken by boat to the island.
But if you want to do it on your own, you should get to Bayahíbe, which is about 70 km from Punta Cana. There, you should find a boat that departs for the island. The car journey can take around an hour and a half. This option is a bit less convenient but more economical.
Saona Island Beach
Upon arriving at the island, you’ll think that it’s all one giant beach, but in truth, it’s divided into three large beaches: Playa Bonita, Playa del Gato, and Playa Canto de la Playa.
These deserted white-sand beaches, filled with palm trees and crystal-clear waters, are the perfect place to enjoy a peaceful day.
The shallow and crystal-clear waters will allow you to see starfish. Remember not to remove them from their habitat!
Mano Juan - Isla Saona
Mano Juan is a fishing village with very friendly and helpful residents. It’s a very small village with two streets. You’ll want to take photos of their colorful wooden houses situated on the beach.
If you’re on the island, it’s worth going to this charming village. You’ll find several shops and restaurants. The island doesn’t have hotels, but if you wish to spend a night, you can rent one of these local houses.
Turtle Rehabilitation Center
The center is located in Mano Juan and is definitely worth a visit. From there, they monitor turtle nests, especially if they are in high-risk areas. From there, they monitor turtle nests, especially if they are in high-risk areas. These eggs are transported to the sanctuary where they are incubated until they hatch, and then released into the sea. This significantly increases the likelihood of survival for the turtles.
Thanks to this project, the population of this protected species is steadily increasing. It is undoubtedly a very touching and beautiful experience.
Enjoy the Gastronomy
One thing you can’t miss on Saona Island is its typical Dominican cuisine. The best restaurants can be found right by the beach, where their main dishes are fish and seafood. You can treat yourself and enjoy a delicious fresh lobster with the best views, without spending too much money.
The places where you will find the most restaurants are in Mano Juan. One of the most popular dishes among locals are Mofongo, Moro, Fish with coconut, tostones, among others.
Exploring its lagoons.
If you want to take a short break from the beach and explore the island a bit, we recommend visiting one of the lagoons on this island, where you’ll enjoy natural surroundings and a lot of tranquility.
The island has three lagoons: Secucho, Canto de Playa, and Los Flamencos. Travelers can visit these lagoons and with luck, spot various types of exotic birds.
Diving in Saona Island
Its warm waters and coral reefs are the habitat of thousands of marine species of all kinds of colors. We recommend exploring the seabed; in shallow waters, you can see starfish and many tropical fish.
Discover Saona Island by making your online reservation at this link: Classic Tour of Saona Island.
