eTOURS · Santo Domingo
Saona Island from Santo Domingo: book it before you fly
One day, one price, pickup at your door: US$95 per person covers the van, the boat to the island, lunch and drinks.
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 travel. 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 uses Atlantic Standard Time (UTC−4) all year and does not change its clocks. From the U.S. East Coast it is 1 hour ahead of you in winter and the same time in summer, so a 7:00 AM pickup is 7:00 AM on the island's clock.
What travelers from the U.S. ask before booking
Will the island and the boat be packed?
Saona is one of the most visited excursions in the country, and you share the island and the regular boat with other travelers: 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.
Who am I paying, and is it safe to book from home?
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 your own government's current travel advisory for the Dominican Republic: we do not summarize it here because it changes.
What if my flight or plans change?
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 long is the day?
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.
Can I bring my kids?
Every passenger must be 12 or older: children under 12 cannot travel. For ages 12 to 17 the Aurora Saona Tour is US$75.
What the Aurora Saona Tour includes
- Free pickup in the authorized 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 authorized 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 neighborhoods 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.
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 authorized 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 authorized 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.
Is there a time difference between the U.S. East Coast and Santo Domingo?
Santo Domingo is on UTC−4 all year with no daylight saving time. New York and Miami are 1 hour behind it in winter and on the same time in summer.
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