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Cotubanamá National Park

Cotubanamá National Park: Our most recommended tours and activities

Saona Island: Cruise of Virgin Beaches and Turtle Nursery

1. Saona Island: Cruise of Virgin Beaches and Turtle Nursery

Discover the magic of Saona Island on this guided day trip with hotel pickup and drop-off from select locations. Soak up some sun with free time on the beach of Canto. Savor a delicious Dominican lunch on the beach and visit a turtle nursery. Dive into a natural pool in search of giant starfish.  Be picked up from the comfort of your accommodation and relax on the transfer to the speedboat in Bayahibe. Feel the wind in your hair as you glide to the Cotubanama National Park for a short stop in front of the Penon cliff. Hear about the Taino natives, the first inhabitants of the island. Cruise to the mangroves whose roots reach into the sea water creating a unique ecosystem. Reach the white sands of Canto de la Playa. Have free time to watch the crystal-clear water lap at the coconut-treelined shore. Cut across the water to the village of Mano Juan for a Dominican lunch with hearty dishes like fish, chicken, rise, pasta, and fruit. Once done with lunch, visit the village of Mano Juan with your guide and get a glimpse of what local life is like. Stop at a turtle nursery where a local family takes care of the incubation of eggs during the laying period and releases the baby turtles into the sea. Once the visit is over you will have a little time to enjoy the beach or hunt for bargains at the local shops. End your trip with a dip in a famous natural pool where you ca see the huge starfish or have an aperitif while gazing at the turquoise Caribbean water. Return to Bayahibe with beautiful memories and transfer back to your accommodation.

From Punta Cana: Saona Island Tour and Cruise with Lunch

2. From Punta Cana: Saona Island Tour and Cruise with Lunch

Start with pickup and drive to Bayahibe, the starting point of the excursion, where you will embark on the fast boat to Cotubanama National Park A short stop in front of the Penon where an English-speaking guide will give you explanations about this cliff and the Taino natives, the first inhabitants of the island. You will also make a stop at the mangroves, which are trees growing directly in the seawater. First stop on the island of Saona, at the beach of Canto de la playa where you will spend 2h30 on this magic white sand beach surrounded by coconut trees. There you will have time to relax or to snorkel. Hop back on the fast boat to go to the village of Mano Juan for a Dominican lunch. Once done with lunch, let's take a cap and sun cream to visit the village of Mano Juan with your guide and get a glimpse of the local life (wooden house, anecdotes, local shops, national sports). Visit the typical turtle nursery, a project maintained by a local family. With the means at hand, they take care of the incubation of the eggs during the laying period and the release of the baby turtles into the sea. It is not 100% guaranteed to see hatchlings, it will depend on the season and the hatching cycle. Once the visit is over you will have a little time to take a nap at the water's edge or test your bargaining skills in the small local shops. To top it off, you will stop at the famous natural pool where you will be able to see the huge starfish and have an aperitif in the turquoise Caribbean water. Come back to Bayahibe with beautiful memories.

From Los Melones: Saona Island Day Trip with Lunch

3. From Los Melones: Saona Island Day Trip with Lunch

Visit Isla Saona, currently the most popular excursion offered in the Dominican Republic. Explore this quintessential tropical beach with swaying palm trees, bone-white sand, and lapping turquoise waters. The excursion is all about nature; with the feeling of a real adventure tour. We'll visit the three most remote beaches of Saona. Warm turquois waters, waving green palm trees and endless white beaches! Starfish, sea turtles and corals. We'll visit the small and colorful fisherman's village of Mano Juan for a journey back in time.

From Punta Cana: Catamaran Cruise to Saona Island with Lunch

4. From Punta Cana: Catamaran Cruise to Saona Island with Lunch

Saona Island is all swaying palm trees, white soft sands, and crystal clear waters. In other words, it's what a desert island is supposed to look like. You'll be whisked over for free time and lunch. Stroll along its palm-fringed beach, take a dip in the largest natural pool in the Caribbean and have a tropical buffet lunch by the sea. Then hop aboard our speedboat to head back to your hotel in no time.

From Punta Cana: Saona Island Private Guided Catamaran Tour

5. From Punta Cana: Saona Island Private Guided Catamaran Tour

This small, but beautiful Island, bordered in large part by Coconut Palms and which also has Mangroves, with extensive beaches with calm waters, is nothing more than a tropical paradise desired by each visitor to the Dominican Republic. The Saona Luxury Experience tour is designed to live an exclusive private experience, where you can visit beautiful places. This tour begins by embarking on a private catamaran, where we will sail near the coast, enjoying good music, dancing and tasting delicious breakfast and Lunch. Our first stop will be at the beautiful Abanico beach, you will feel happy to be able to be on one of the best beaches of Saona Island, here you can spend a pleasant day, resting your mind and body, between palm trees and sun loungers, which invite you to dream of the sound of the waves. After the enjoyment of the beach, a delicious typical Dominican lunch will be served, accompanied by a glass of wine. Already rested and recharged, we head towards the Natural Pool of Cotubanamá, with turquoise waters and white sand, so you can enjoy a dive next to the famous starfish. This will be our last stop, since from here we leave for the Bayahibe pier, where we will end our tour.

Other Sightseeing Options in Cotubanamá National Park

Want to discover all there is to do in Cotubanamá National Park? Click here for a full list.

What people are saying about Cotubanamá National Park

Overall rating

4.7 / 5

based on 74 reviews

We are absolutely thrilled. We travel a lot and this was by far the best and most beautiful tour we have ever done. The tour is worth every penny. The guides (we had Christian) an absolute dream. You feel very well cared for right from the start. The entire team makes sure that everything fits and responds very individually to the wishes of the guests. We had never experienced such hospitality. The whole thing is accompanied by a photographer (we had Manuel) - also amazing. You can decide afterwards whether you want the photos or not. Honestly, we paid about $40 for all photos (120 pieces). That's more than fair - we also gave more because Manuel tried very hard and conjured up really great photos! The individual locations that are approached are amazing! You can collect such great impressions. We can only recommend - do the tour!

I didn’t know paradise like this existed in real life. Unbelievable scenery. Paradise perfected. The Turtle Nursery in Mano Juan is a must. Señor Negra is saving this island and more. The snorkeling and swimming are the best anywhere. Guides are awesome, lunch was delicious, and the dancing was so much fun! I would take this tour again and again and again!!!

Hire Nestor as a photographer because the one w this tour (girl) didn’t even tell ppl about pictures. I did mine w him

It is a paradise on earth, one of the best tours with excellent guides

Very well organised & Dominican Attitude were great