Saona and Catalina are the two island days everyone hears about in Punta Cana. Both lie off the south coast, both are reached by a road transfer and then a boat, and both are worth the trip. They are not the same day, though, and the right choice depends on what your group wants from it.
Saona Island
Saona is the larger of the two and sits inside Cotubanama National Park, a protected area on the south east tip of the country. It is the postcard: long white beaches, palm trees down to the water, and very shallow, very clear sea.
The famous stop is the natural pool, a sandbank where the water is waist deep far from shore and starfish rest on the sand. They are protected, so they are admired rather than picked up. Most routes also stop at one of the island's beaches for lunch, and some pass the small fishing village of Mano Juan.
Saona is the long day. Because it is part of a national park, it is also popular, and shared excursions arrive in numbers from mid morning. On a private boat, leaving earlier and changing the order of the stops makes a real difference to how crowded it feels.
Catalina Island
Catalina lies off La Romana, further west. It is smaller, quieter and greener, with a beach on one side and, on the other, a reef wall that drops away steeply. That wall is one of the better known dive and snorkelling sites in the country.
If the group cares more about what is under the water than about the beach, Catalina is usually the better choice. It also combines well with a stay in La Romana or Casa de Campo, from where the crossing is short.
How you get there
From Punta Cana, both islands start with a road transfer south, and the boat leaves from Bayahibe or La Romana. Travelling the whole way by sea from Punta Cana is possible but makes for a very long day, most of it spent getting there, so we rarely suggest it.
The transfer is part of the plan. A driver collects you from your villa or hotel, the boat is waiting when you arrive, and the same happens in reverse. The details of how our private transfers work are on their own page.
Private boat or shared excursion
Shared excursions to Saona are inexpensive and well organised, but they run on a fixed schedule with a large group. A private boat changes three things:
- You choose the departure time, so you can arrive before the crowds
- You choose how long you stay at each stop, including the natural pool
- The food, the drinks and the pace are set for your group
More on how private charters work in our guide on chartering a yacht in Punta Cana.
When staying close is the better call
Not every group needs an island. If you would rather not spend half the day travelling, there is good water much closer: the natural pool and the reef off Bavaro are reachable by boat in under an hour. For young children, for a half day, or for a first time at sea, it is usually the better choice, and we will say so.
Quick comparison
- Beaches and the classic Caribbean picture: Saona
- Snorkelling and diving: Catalina
- Fewer people: Catalina
- Easiest from La Romana or Casa de Campo: Catalina
- Shortest day from Bavaro: neither, stay close to shore