How to Get to Saona Island from Punta Cana: The Complete Transport Guide

One of the first questions every traveler asks when planning their Punta Cana excursion to Saona Island is simple: how do I actually get there? Isla Saona is an island — there are no bridges, no ferries from a busy terminal, and no road that connects it to the mainland. Getting there is part of the experience. And with Saona Island Tours, it is completely seamless from the moment you leave your hotel.

Step 1: Hotel Pickup in Punta Cana or Bávaro

Saona Island Tours picks you up directly from your hotel lobby in Punta Cana, Bávaro, or the surrounding resort areas. No navigation required. Your guide arrives at the agreed time, confirms your group, and handles everything from there. You simply show up with your swimsuit, sunscreen, and sense of adventure.

Step 2: Transfer to the Departure Dock

A comfortable van transfers your group to the departure dock — typically around 45–60 minutes from the main hotel zone depending on your location. The drive takes you through the eastern Dominican Republic, giving you a glimpse of the landscape before you reach the sea.

Step 3: Speed Boat to Saona Island

From the dock, a high-speed boat takes you across the Caribbean Sea to Isla Saona. The journey takes approximately 45–60 minutes and includes a stop at the legendary natural starfish pool — a shallow open-water lagoon carpeted with wild Caribbean starfish that makes the journey itself one of the highlights of the day.

Step 4: Catamaran Return

The return journey from Saona Island to the dock is aboard a catamaran — wider, more relaxed, with music, dancing, and an open bar that turns the ride home into a Caribbean celebration. From the dock, the van returns you to your hotel.

Book Saona Island with Hotel Pickup Included