QUICK ANSWER
A Saona Island day trip from Santo Domingo takes approximately 3 hours each way — 2 hours by bus to Bayahibe, then 45 minutes by speedboat. The trip costs $110–$150 USD per person including transport, boat, lunch, and open bar. Most visitors enjoy the island but find the travel exhausting. Better alternatives closer to the city include Los Tres Ojos and Dunes Beach.
How Far Is Saona Island from Santo Domingo?
Saona Island is part of Parque Nacional del Este in the southeast corner of the Dominican Republic. From Santo Domingo the journey involves:
- Step 1: 2-hour bus or minivan ride east to the town of Bayahibe (160 km)
- Step 2: 30–45 minute speedboat or catamaran crossing to Saona Island
- Total one-way travel time: approximately 3 hours
- Time on the island: typically 3–4 hours
The total day is 11–12 hours including travel, making it one of the longest day trips from Santo Domingo. Compare this with Los Tres Ojos, which is just 20 minutes from the city centre.
Is the Saona Island Trip Worth It?
Saona Island is genuinely beautiful — white sand beaches, starfish in shallow water, clear turquoise ocean, and palm trees. The question is whether 6 hours of travel for 3 hours on the beach is worth it when you are based in Santo Domingo rather than Punta Cana.
The honest verdict: if you are based in Punta Cana, yes, absolutely. The island is only 90 minutes from there. If you are based in Santo Domingo, consider instead:
- Dunes Beach (Boca Chica) — 45 minutes from Santo Domingo, clear water, snorkeling
- La Caleta Underwater Park — 40 minutes, sunken ships, Caribbean reef fish
- Los Tres Ojos — 20 minutes, cave lakes, no travel fatigue
- Tabernacle Waterfall — 45 minutes, swim in a jungle waterfall
How Much Does the Saona Island Trip Cost?
- Standard group tour from Santo Domingo: $110–$130 USD per person
- Premium tour with catamaran: $130–$150 USD per person
- Private trip from Bayahibe (you drive yourself): $60–$80 USD per person
- What is included: bus transport, speedboat/catamaran, beach BBQ lunch, open bar
Browse All Santo Domingo Day Trip Options
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ABOUT THIS GUIDE
Written by the Los Tres Ojos editorial team, local Santo Domingo travel writers with over 8 years of experience visiting, reviewing, and booking tours at Los Tres Ojos and across the Dominican Republic.
