There is a place in the Caribbean Sea where the ocean floor is carpeted with starfish. Dozens — hundreds — of wild Caribbean starfish resting in water so shallow and clear you can walk through it and reach down to touch them. This is the natural starfish pool near Saona Island, and it is one of the most extraordinary natural encounters available to any traveler in the Caribbean basin.

Where Exactly Is the Natural Starfish Pool?

The starfish pool is located in a shallow open-water lagoon between the Dominican mainland and Saona Island, along the speed boat route of the Saona Island tour from Punta Cana. The water is only 60–90 centimeters deep, perfectly warm, crystal-clear, and filled with wild Oreaster reticulatus — the Caribbean cushion starfish — that inhabit these sandy flats naturally year-round.

How to Experience It Responsibly

• You can hold them — gently, briefly, then return to the exact same spot
• Never lift them out of the water — starfish breathe through their skin and suffocate in seconds
• Step gently — avoid crushing smaller starfish on the sandy bottom
• No sunscreen in the water — apply reef-safe sunscreen well before entering

Only Accessible on the Saona Island Tour

The natural starfish pool is exclusively accessible as part of the Saona Island tour operated by Saona Island Tours. It cannot be visited independently. This is one of the reasons the Saona Island tour from Punta Cana is the most-booked excursion in the Dominican Republic — you simply cannot experience this anywhere else in the world.