Two Islands - Two Oceans

Atlantic Ocean - Caribbean Sea - Catalinita - Saona

Snorkeling with Sharks and Rays...in the open ocean!!

This tour is available for guests of the Bayahibe, Dominicus, La Romana and Punta Cana hotels and resorts. We take you in our Explorer boat -which is geared for snorkeling- to show the difference between the “Atlantic Ocean” and the “Caribbean Sea”. We take a maximum of 20 people per trip, so that keeps it really exclusive. We leave Bayahibe early in the day and visit several places of interest on the way to Catalinita Island. We snorkel from the boat near Catalinita and we spend the afternoon on Saona Island. All of our tours are guided by multi-lingual and knowledgeable guides. A quality excursion and personal attention are guaranteed.

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Itinerary:

The tour starts like the Saona Crusoe VIP (see here for more info). We will visit the rocks of Penón and the Mangrove forest.

From the Mangroves we turn into the Bay of Calderas . This area is closed to other tours, but we have obtained special permission from the authorities of the National Park to visit it. The bay is home to the breeding ground and colonies of frigate birds and Pelicans and we have the opportunity to observe them from close range. Moving on from the bay, we go east into the Catuano Channel.

This is followed by a chance to snorkel in the coral gardens near Catalinita. Among the coral, giant sponges and sea fans, colorful Caribbean fish swim, feed and play. We give snorkel instruction and you can follow the guide on a special route at Cayo Raton, a unique snorkeling spot with lots of stingrays and sometimes (non-dangerous!) reef sharks. We snorkel while drifting with the current; under the watchful eye of the guide as the boat follows you through the reef....

Video:

We will then visit the uninhabited Isla Catalinita, untouched by tourism and a real “Robinson Crusoe” desert island. Once we reach a well-placed sandbank, we’ll toast the meeting of the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea which is charted as being there. On the small sandy beach of the island there are thousands of conch and other shells, and you can see crayfish and shrimps in the shallow water. The "jacuzzi" is very special.....

We then take you to Saona Island. We arrive at Catuano Beach: a beautiful beach lined with palm trees and gifted with cristal clear water and pure white sand. The beach has beach chairs and hammocks and we will enjoy a traditional Dominican buffet lunch, with grilled fish, chicken, pork chops and an array of salads, pastas and fruits. You can enjoy the beach, swim or scroll along the little artisan - souvenier shops.

Those who want can join the snorkeling tour at "the Piers". In front of Catuano beach there is an old pier, destroyed by a hurricane. The remaining concrete pillars are teaming with fish and a heaven for snorkelers. Our guide will guide a tour around the Piers. The dept of the water ranges from 3 ft. to 20 ft. (1 to 5 meters). Experienced snorkelers can explore the pillars themselves. You will never have seen so many fish in all their shapes and colors.

On the way back we'll stop at the "Piscina Natural", the famous natural swimming pool. This large sand bank is well-known for the indigenous starfish which really do live there! You enjoy a drink on the sand bank in the middle of the sea and can see the starfish in their natural habitat among the grasses. The water is shallow -even far from the shore it will never be more than waist deep- and the colors of the water are incredible turquoise and blue.

In the afternoon, the boat returns to Bayahibe, a 30 minute thrill-ride away!

Now Available: transfers from the Punta Cana hotels and resorts