BEST La Romana shore excursions by Seavis according to CruiseCritic and TripAdvisor.
Ship times can vary. . . we will change our time table to fit the port times!
Duration is about 6 hours.
The Saona Special combines the main attractions of the area and has something for everybody: great snorkeling, nature, artisan shopping, beach time and a nice lunch. All with an incredible scenery. The guiding is in English. The Saona Special fits the time-table of the ships. The boat trip is with fast speedboats (400 HP), these boats are less suitable for people with an "oversized posture".
We will meet in our visitors center in Bayahibe and after a short briefing we will board the speedboat and the excursion begins.
After leaving Bayahibe we proceed along the coastline of the Parque Nacional del Este (National Park of the East) until we get to the rocks of Penon, once home to the aboriginal Tainos. When lucky, we see iguanas in their rocky playground which can be 3 feet long. The guide will tell you about the history of the Parque Nacional del Este.
Next we cross the Catuano Channel to the Island of Saona. We arrive at Catuano Beach: a beautiful beach lined with palm trees and gifted with crystal clear water and pure white sand..... You can enjoy the beach, swim, snorkel or scroll along the little artisan - souvenir shops.
Those who want can join the snorkel 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 give snorkel instruction to those who want and he will guide a tour around the Piers. The dept of the water ranges from 3 ft. to 20 ft. (1 to 6 meters). Experienced snorkelers can explore the pillars by themselves. You have never seen so many fish in all their shapes and colors.
The beach has beach chairs and hammocks and we will enjoy a traditional Dominican buffet lunch, with grilled chicken, pork chops and an array of salads, pastas and fruits.
On our way back the boat passes the Mangroves. The mangroves are the nursery of the ocean through the protection and food they provide. The guide will explain the importance of this protected area.
Then we will arrive at the "Piscina Natural", the famous natural swimming pool, for most guests the highlight of the excursions. 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!
IMPORTANT: The taxi fares from the cruise port to Bayahibe (25 minutes) and back will be arranged by "TAXI CASA DE CAMPO". This is an independent company. As soon as you leave the ship, you'll see the coordinator of the taxi association with a sign "TAXI CASA DE CAMPO". Please note that on the port grounds some of the staff may (pretend to) doesn't know "Seavis" or the transfer code. Ask for "TAXI CASA DE CAMPO" while on the port grounds and you will be guided to the parking of this taxi company or
click on this ground map for exact location.
The costs for the round trip taxi fare is US$ 15.00 per person and payable in cash directly to the taxi driver on the way back to the port. We'll make sure the taxis are on time for the return fare, so you don't miss the ship.
