Saona Island is a true paradise for beach lovers and offers some of the most beautiful beaches in the Dominican Republic. With its soft white sand, crystal-clear turquoise waters and surrounding palm trees, Saona is a dream destination for many travelers. Thanks to its proximity to the tourist destinations of Punta Cana, Bavaro and Bayahibe, Saona Island has become the most popular excursion destination in the Caribbean. All excursions depart from Bayahibe and from there you can reach the paradisiacal beaches of Saona Island by speedboat in 30 minutes or by sailing catamaran in 90 minutes. According to the Dominican Ministry of Tourism, the island receives between 2,000 and 3,000 visitors daily. There are simple excursions for less than $100 per person, where you travel in large groups to the main beach of Saona Island, and also many tour providers offer exclusive, individual excursions to more remote beaches. In our blog post, we have summarized the most important bathing spots on the island.
- Canto de la Playa: This beach is often considered the most beautiful on the island.
It is known for its unspoiled nature and turquoise waters, which invite you to swim and snorkel. The numerous palm trees that provide shade are very pleasant. It is a natural beach without sun loungers, restaurants or toilets. Canto de la Playa is the most remote of the beaches on Saona Island. For this reason, only a few providers visit it. The trip from Bayahibe takes about 45 minutes by speedboat. On windy days, the waves can make the trip more tiring and it can take a little longer to reach the dream beach.
- Playa del Gato: Most day-trippers come to this beach. Here, the boat providers from Bayahibe have their restaurants, toilets and sun loungers for their groups. All the large sailing catamarans and most of the larger motor catamarans anchor here at midday. Therefore, in high season it can be very crowded on the main beach of Playa del Gato.
The wide beach is a true paradise and a fantastic photo backdrop. Coconut palms, turquoise waters and the long beach invite you to swim, stroll and sunbathe. Local vendors offer souvenirs, jewellery, massages and pineapple or coconut cocktails.
- Mano Juan Beach: This beach is located near the village of the same name and is a good place to get a feel for local life. Tour providers who want to avoid the large groups of tourists often go to Mano Juan for lunch. The former fishing village is also home to the sea turtle rescue center, a non-profit project that is always worth a visit. After lunch, visitors to Mano Juan always have a little time to splash around in the calm turquoise waters of the village beach.
- Playa El Toro: Until a few years ago, Playa El Toro was a real secret. However, due to its proximity to the main beach of Playa del Gato, larger boats now also arrive here more frequently, and the beach gets a bit crowded. However, if you choose the right time for your excursion, you can often enjoy the beach alone. Playa El Toro has sand as fine as powdered sugar. The water is wonderful for swimming, as in this bay it reaches the shore very gently and you can even stand on it for some distance. There are many coconut palms on the beach and, if you like to search, you can find some interesting shells, corals and stones during a short walk. But be careful: You can’t take everything with you! From the beach, a small path leads to a large lagoon where flamingos used to be. That’s why Playa El Toro is also often called Laguna Beach or Flamenco Beach.
- Playa Catuano: The main island of the Dominican Republic is separated from Saona by the Catuano Channel. When crossing the channel, the first beach you see is Playa Catuano. Here there is a military station, some restaurants and the remains of a pier that was destroyed by a hurricane many years ago. Around the pier you can observe many small fish, which is why Playa Catuano is especially suitable for snorkelling when there are few waves. A nice little beach with palm trees, where, especially at midday, small groups gather and enjoy their Dominican buffet on the beach. Most day visitors only see Playa Catuano in passing.
- Natural Pool: A spectacular highlight that should not be missed on any excursion to Saona is a visit to the Natural Pool. These are several sandbanks that lie just before Saona, or more exactly the beach “Playa Palmilla”, in the middle of the Caribbean Sea. Many visitors look for the large red starfish, which is very common here. However, due to the many day tourists, there are fewer and fewer of them, so please do not touch it if you find one. Here, on the sandbank in shallow water, Dominican rum tastes particularly good and, especially on weekends, when private yachts join the luxury residences, there is a lot of partying.
