eTOURS · Santo Domingo
Saona Island from Santo Domingo: book it from the UK before you fly
Sort your day before you leave home: US$95 per person covers the van, the boat to the island, lunch and drinks, with pickup at your door.
US$95 per person
US$75 for ages 12 to 17
Book online with secure payment through PayPal.
What the day looks like
Saona Island
Saona Island beach
Saona natural pool
Boarding the boat
Lunch on the island
Group on the bow
Catalina Island
Catalina Island
Catamaran at Catalina
Samaná
Samaná beach and bridge
Catamaran in Samaná
Our team and vans
Our team
eTOURS drivers and vans
The short answer
Yes, you can book a Saona Island day trip from Santo Domingo before you leave the UK. eTOURS charges US$95 per person (US$75 for ages 12 to 17) for the Aurora Saona Tour: pickup at your hotel or Airbnb in the central zone from 7:00 AM, an air-conditioned van with a maximum of 8 passengers, a regular boat to the island, the natural pool, lunch and drinks. You pay online and can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before. You are back in Santo Domingo around 6:00 PM.
What the day looks like
- Pickup at your accommodation from
- 7:00 AM
- We leave the city at
- 8:00 AM
- Arrival at the boarding area, around
- 10:00 AM
- Return departs at
- 4:00 PM
- Back in Santo Domingo, around
- 6:00 PM
It is a long day, from pickup to drop-off. We say so up front so you can plan around it.
The time difference
Santo Domingo is on UTC−4 all year and does not change its clocks. The UK is 4 hours ahead of it in winter (GMT) and 5 hours ahead in summer (British Summer Time). A 7:00 AM pickup is 7:00 AM on the island's clock, not yours.
What travellers from the UK ask before booking
Is Saona Island busy?
Saona is one of the most visited excursions in the country, and you share the island and the regular boat with other travellers: we cannot promise empty beaches and we will not pretend to. What eTOURS does control is everything before the boat: a van with a maximum of 8 passengers instead of a bus, and pickup at your door. If you want a different experience, the VIP Saona Tour (catamaran or speedboat, seafront buffet lunch and a guide in English, Spanish, Portuguese and French) is US$190 per person.
Can I pay in pounds, and what will my card charge?
The price is in U.S. dollars (US$95 for an adult) and is paid through PayPal (cards accepted) or by bank transfer, asking for the details on WhatsApp. How your pounds are converted, and any foreign-transaction fee, is set by your bank or card provider: ask them before you pay.
Is it safe to book from the UK with a company I have not heard of?
You are paying a registered company, not a stranger: EQUIPOS MOVILES Y TRANSPORTE VASQUEZ CAMILO, EMOVILS S.R.L., RNC 130-95636-7, based in Santo Domingo. Payment is through PayPal (cards accepted), and the booking is only confirmed once the payment is verified. Before any trip, read the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) travel advice for the Dominican Republic, and check what your travel insurance covers: we do not summarise the advice here because it changes.
What if my flight is delayed or I need to change the date?
You cancel up to 24 hours before the service for a 100% refund, and rescheduling is free up to 24 hours before, subject to availability. With less than 24 hours' notice, or if you do not show up, there is no refund.
How much of my holiday does the trip take up?
It is long: pickup starts at 7:00 AM, the boat leaves from the Bayahíbe area (you arrive around 10:00 AM) and the return departs at 4:00 PM to be back around 6:00 PM. Book it for a day with nothing else planned.
What the Aurora Saona Tour includes
- Free pickup in the authorised zones of the Polígono Central, Boca Chica and Juan Dolio
- Air-conditioned van with a maximum of 8 passengers
- Bottled water and Wi-Fi during the ground transport
- Round-trip ground transfer to Bayahíbe
- Regular round-trip boat to the island
- Visit to the natural pool
- Time to enjoy Saona Island
- Lunch and drinks during the excursion
- Direct return to your accommodation within the service area
What is not included
- Alcoholic drinks
- Photos and souvenirs
- Tips and additional purchases
- Private boat (quoted separately)
Where we pick you up
Pickup is free at hotels, Airbnbs and homes in the authorised zones of Santo Domingo's Polígono Central (the Colonial Zone is inside it) and, for Saona and Catalina, also in Boca Chica and Juan Dolio. When you book you choose your zone and type your address. Passengers are collected on an ordered route by zone, in vans of up to 8 people.
Some neighbourhoods in the Polígono Central: Piantini, Naco, Bella Vista, Gazcue, Zona Colonial, Ciudad Nueva.
If you are staying outside those zones (for example in Punta Cana), pickup carries an extra charge and cannot be booked online: message us on WhatsApp for a quote.
Before you go
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office publishes the current travel advice for the Dominican Republic. It changes over time: read it before you book and again before you travel.
Prices per person
| Trip | Adults | Ages 12 to 17 | See the trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aurora Saona Tour | US$95 | US$75 | See the trip |
| VIP Saona Tour | US$190 | US$175 | See the trip |
| Aurora Catalina Tour | US$95 | US$75 | See the trip |
| Aurora Samaná Tour | US$160 | US$140 | See the trip |
| Aurora Baní Tour | US$95 | US$75 | See the trip |
How to book and cancel
- You book online up to 8 hours before departure (the VIP Saona Tour closes the day before at 5:00 PM). You pay with PayPal (cards accepted) or, if you prefer a bank transfer, ask for the details on WhatsApp.
- The booking is confirmed once the payment is verified.
- You can cancel up to 24 hours before for a 100% refund. With less than 24 hours' notice, or if you do not show up, there is no refund. Rescheduling is free up to 24 hours before, subject to availability.
- Every passenger must be 12 or older: children under 12 cannot travel.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a Saona Island day trip from Santo Domingo?
The Aurora Saona Tour is US$95 per person (US$75 for ages 12 to 17). It includes free pickup in the authorised zones, an air-conditioned van with a maximum of 8 passengers, the regular round-trip boat, the natural pool, lunch and drinks. Alcoholic drinks are not included.
What time is pickup and when do I get back?
Pickups start at 7:00 AM and we leave the city at 8:00 AM. You reach the boarding area around 10:00 AM. The return departs at 4:00 PM and you are back in Santo Domingo around 6:00 PM.
How do I pay and how do I cancel?
You book online up to 8 hours before departure (the VIP Saona Tour closes the day before at 5:00 PM). You pay with PayPal (cards accepted) or, if you prefer a bank transfer, ask for the details on WhatsApp. You can cancel up to 24 hours before for a 100% refund. With less than 24 hours' notice, or if you do not show up, there is no refund. Rescheduling is free up to 24 hours before, subject to availability.
Where do you pick me up, and what if I am staying outside that area?
Pickup is free at hotels, Airbnbs and homes in the authorised zones of Santo Domingo's Polígono Central (the Colonial Zone is inside it) and, for Saona and Catalina, also in Boca Chica and Juan Dolio. When you book you choose your zone and type your address. Passengers are collected on an ordered route by zone, in vans of up to 8 people. If you are staying outside those zones (for example in Punta Cana), pickup carries an extra charge and cannot be booked online: message us on WhatsApp for a quote.
Can children come?
Every passenger must be 12 or older: children under 12 cannot travel.
What is the time difference between the UK and Santo Domingo?
Santo Domingo is on UTC−4 all year with no daylight saving time. The UK is 4 hours ahead in winter (GMT) and 5 hours ahead in summer (British Summer Time).
Who is behind it
eTOURS is a brand operated by EQUIPOS MOVILES Y TRANSPORTE VASQUEZ CAMILO, EMOVILS S.R.L. (RNC 130-95636-7), based in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
Ready to have the day sorted before you fly?
Ask about your date on WhatsApp