Open Bar, Lunch Included

Overview

This is a full-day Saona Island excursion run by Caribbean Route, and the day is built around two inclusions: an open bar and a buffet lunch. The tour runs about 9 hours from start to finish, though several travellers describe the door-to-door day as longer once hotel pickups across Punta Cana are factored in. Transport begins with a bus ride of roughly an hour from Punta Cana hotels to the departure point at the East National Park in La Romana.

From there the group boards a speedboat, with a stop of 30 minutes at the biggest natural swimming pool, a shallow sandbank where starfish can be seen. After the pool, the boat continues to Saona Island, where you get about 3 hours on the beach. The buffet lunch covers BBQ, salad and typical Dominican dishes, and the open bar pours beer, rum and soft drinks. The return leg is by boat back to the mainland and then bus to your hotel.

It suits travellers who want a lively, organised beach day with food and drinks already paid for, and who can handle a long schedule, a wet speedboat ride and plenty of walking. Groups are large, with a maximum of 300 travellers on the tour. It is not a fit for wheelchair users or pregnant travellers, and the drinking age on the bar is 18.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Hotel pickupRound-trip transportation from Punta Cana is included. Several travellers note that pickups sweep multiple resorts, so the bus portion before departure can take a while.
2. Bus to BayahibeThe tour starts from the East National Park, La Romana, about one hour by bus from Punta Cana hotels. The listing gives a 20-minute stop at Bayahibe with free admission.
3. Punta Cana Excursions & Tours stopA 40-minute stop with free admission appears in the listing's itinerary before the boat leg.
4. Speedboat to the natural poolA 30-minute stop at the biggest natural swimming pool, where you can see starfish. Reviewers describe the speedboat ride as fun but soaking, so expect to get wet.
5. Saona IslandAround 3 hours on the island. Beach time, swimming, the buffet lunch of BBQ, salad and Dominican fare, and drinks from the open bar of beer, rum and soft drinks.
6. Return to Punta CanaThe trip back is by boat and then bus, with drop-off at your hotel. Some travellers mention a catamaran on the return leg.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points come up again and again in traveller reviews, and they are worth knowing before booking.

• Be on time. Pickup times are strict. One reviewer who missed the bus had to reach the marina on their own, and the operator sends pickup instructions ahead of the day. Watch for the operator's message and be waiting where they specify.
• Expect to get wet. The speedboat ride out is fast and splashy, with several travellers saying they were completely soaked. Wear a swimsuit under your clothes and keep phones and cash in something dry.
• Bring bug spray and cash. One reviewer recommends bug spray after being bitten heavily on the island, so pack repellent just in case. Cash is also useful, since lobster, photos, souvenirs and tips are extras.
• Prepare for walking. Travellers describe a lot of walking: to the boat, from the bus, and along the beach on the island. Reasonable mobility makes the day far easier.
• Long day, big group. The tour allows up to 300 travellers, and reviewers describe a day that can stretch well past the listed 9 hours once pickups are included. Several say it is worth it but tiring, so plan nothing for the evening.
• Beach vendors. Reviewers repeatedly mention persistent massage sellers and beach vendors on the island. A firm no works, but expect to repeat it during your hours on the sand.

Common issues. The honest downsides are logistics and crowding. Several reviewers report erratic or late pickups, patchy communication before the day, and long stretches collecting passengers from other resorts, with one traveller describing four hours from hotel to the natural pool. On the island, vendors and massage sellers are persistent, and extras such as lobster, photos and a DVD cost more. One reviewer flagged worn seats and missing seatbelts on a transfer vehicle. The listing states the tour is not wheelchair accessible and that pregnant travellers are not allowed to participate due to boat movement, and the tour runs with as many as 300 people, so it will not feel intimate. Poor weather can cancel the day, with a different date or a full refund offered in that case.

Choosing Your Pickup Time