Dominican Republic · CATALINA ISLAND TOURS
Quieter than Saona, closer to La Romana and better underwater. The 15 below compare the snorkelling wall, the beach time and whether lunch is served on the sand or on the boat.
Sail from Bayahibe to Catalina Island aboard the Quetzal, a modern catamaran limited to 28 people. Snorkel at The Wall and The Aquarium, eat lunch, relax on the beach, and cruise past Casa de Campo and up the Chavón River with guides such as Lolo.
“Amazing experience! The best crew and tour guide to show you how to do the beautiful island life of the DR”
Travel from Punta Cana or Bayahibe to Catalina Island with a private group, snorkeling among coral gardens, then eating Dominican barbecue on the beach. English and Spanish service, hotel pickup, boats, lunch, drinks, and a 10-hour schedule are included.
“- notre hôtel n'étant pas dans la zone de prise en charge, nous avons dû nous débrouiller par nous même pour nous rendre dans le lieu. (Limite harceler le responsable pour avoir la zone de rdv!!!!) - Le personnel pensant qu'on ne parler pas créoles (erreur) ce sont permis des commentaires désobligeants - confiner dans 20m de transat pendant 2h - 0 découverte de l'île, rien - un aller retour en bateau pour rester couché sur un transat 2h (pour ceux qui on eu la chance d'en avoir) Inconcevable”
Spend about nine hours traveling from La Romana to Catalina Island aboard the Paradise catamaran. PADI-certified guides lead snorkeling at The Wall, then Eileen carries you to a private west-coast beach for Dominican barbecue, loungers, and drinks. Bring water shoes and arrive ready for a busy day.
“100 people stuffed into a boat for what probably could have comfortably fit 50 … 75 tightly max. “45 minute” snorkeling =20 minutes with nothing to be seen. “Bbq” totally unhygienic. Beach on Catalina was very pretty in parts where there wasn’t garbage.”
Join Quetzal Catamaran Excursions for a private 4 to 8 hour cruise from La Romana. Your captain and crew can shape the day around Saona, Catalina, Catuano, and Las Palmillas, with snorkeling, beach time, snacks, an open bar, and guides such as Joy or Lola when available.
“We loved Joy and the entire crew. Joy looked out for us making sure we didn’t get ripped off by locals trying to sell us stuff. The sea weed at Saona island was a bummer but can’t control that of course. The starfish island was amazing. ThRead more”
Travel from Punta Cana to Catalina Island with SeaPro Divers for snorkeling at The Wall, a beach barbecue, and free time on shore. The boat carries both snorkelers and scuba divers. Hotel pickup is offered at selected hotels, and guides such as Gabriel may provide photos during the day.
“The reefs seemed like they were dying. No color at all. The equipment was all in poor condition. The masks leaked and I got fins that were broken. Too mucn time was spent on the beach as well. I feel that all the resorts have beaches, no need to stay on the private beach so long.”
You’ll travel by bus from Punta Cana to La Romana, then by boat or catamaran to Catalina Island. Snorkel over coral and tropical fish, eat an included Dominican buffet, and spend free time on a protected Caribbean beach. Guides speak English, Spanish, and French.
“La pasé espectacular rodeada de playas hermosas, aguas cristalinas y un ambiente súper relajante. Gracias a One Click Shuttles & Travel todo estuvo perfecto: desde el transporte 🚐, la organización 👌, hasta el almuerzo delicioso frente al mar 🍽️🏖️. 💙 Sin duda, una experiencia que volvería a repetir mil veces. ¡100% recomendado!”
Spend a full day with Dominican Attitude Excursions exploring Catalina Island by boat. Christian, Claudio, Evan, José, and Gregorio are among the guides working this route. Expect two snorkel stops, a beach lunch, a natural pool, drinks, music, and a calm Chavón River cruise.
“Our driver on the way home was falling asleep at the wheel and we narrowly avoided more than 3 accidents. No fault of the boat company but they need to use a different transport company The snorkeling and beach day were great, but both my son and I had stomach issues after the provided beach lunch.”
Spend about nine hours traveling from Punta Cana to Catalina Island with a PADI-certified team. Descend at The Wall and the Aquarium, then enjoy a Dominican lunch, beach chairs, snorkeling, and drinks. Certification is required for certified scuba participation, so confirm the format before booking.
“Awesome diving trip. Staff was very knowledgeable. The wife and I dive only on vacation. So maybe once a year. Staff helped my wife. Water was rough but guide helped my wife get comfortable and she had a great experience. Would definitely recommend it. Travel in the bus is cold. So bring warm clothes with you so you’re comfortable.”
Sail from Bayahibe to Catalina Island aboard a catamaran, with a 45-minute stop at La Pared for snorkeling, Caribbean music, snacks, and drinks. Enjoy a buffet lunch, open bar, sunbeds, and about 2.5 hours on the beach. Multilingual guides, including José, lead the trip.
“Die Crew an Bord hat auf mein Nein zu Fotos keine Rücksicht genommen und mich lauthals gefragt ob ich Durchfall hätte, als ich äußerte dass mir übel ist. Das Verhalten empfand ich als äußerst unfreundlich.”
From Bavaro, you travel by catamaran to Catalina Island for snorkeling, beach time, an open bar, and a Dominican BBQ. Guides provide gear and help in the water. Expect about nine hours, though transport delays can make the day longer.
“We were disappointed with this trip. Started with getting on the buses at the gift shop. No direction was given on how long we had there, how far the trip was from there, etc. 1 couple got on the wrong bus and we had to pick them up along the way. Bus was packed, no empty seats and no room for our snorkel gear. Get on the boat, it was packed as well, my knees hit the seat in front of me, again no room for our snorkel gear or any open seats. First snorkel site is deep, so if you have not snorkeled before, could be intimidating, we grabbed…”
Travel by air-conditioned minibus from Punta Cana to La Romana, then take a catamaran to Catalina Island for snorkeling, coral reefs, and Playa Arena Blanca. Lunch, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, hotel pickup, and a group of up to 50 are included. No guide name is provided.
“The island is nice, but the tour was not well organised. Most instructions were given in Spanish only. There were also long waiting times throughout the tour and there was no tour guide.”
You’ll travel from Bavaro or Punta Cana to Catalina Island aboard the Paradise catamaran, with PADI-certified instruction, equipment, an hour at the Wall snorkel site, buffet lunch, drinks, music, and time on a private beach. Pickup is included from most local hotels, with a $10 fee from Cap Cana and Uvero Alto.
“Trip not as advertised . Didn’t go to the wall which was the whole point of the trip. Left abandoned at petrol station for 45 minutes and no one spoke English like advertised . Felt very sick afterwards for 2 days due to rockiness of the boat. Would not reccomend”
Spend a full day from Bávaro exploring Catalina Island by bus and boat. You get a reef snorkeling stop, beach loungers, a Dominican buffet, music, and unlimited local drinks. The trip is wheelchair accessible, but pickup and boat transfers can be slow and crowded.
“ca commençait mal, puisque nous avons mis 3h à arriver au bateau au lieu d'un trajet prévu d'1h15. Après, tout a été super : le bateau, l'équipe, l'ambiance. Nous avons passé 30 minutes en snorkelling, joli mais les coraux sont hyper abîmés ; ca fait mal au coeur. Arrivés sur l'île il y avait beaucoup de monde mais l'ambiance est sympa. 3h, on a eu le temps de profiter. Repas simple mais meilleur qu'à notre hotel 😅 Retour en 1h15 à l'hôtel, vannés mais heureux ! Merci”
Sail by catamaran to Catalina Island for coral-wall snorkeling, beach time, a Dominican buffet, and soft drinks. Hotel pickup, bus transport, park entry, and equipment are included. Staff members Daniela and Esteban have earned warm praise, but confirm pickup details before you go.
“Bonne activité à faire. Peut-être serait-il nécessaire d’avoir un peu plus de temps sur l’île pour bien profiter. Un merci en particulier pour Daniela du staff à qui on doit toute notre journée !”
From Bávaro, you ride by coach to La Romana, then take a catamaran to Catalina Island. Expect one hour of reef snorkeling, beach time, a Dominican buffet with barbecue, and national drinks. English and Spanish guides lead the day, with hotel pickup included.
“Den var bra. Guiden var otydlig och rörig. Dålig information när vi kom dit. Vi var först på plats med bussen fick vi fick vänta in tre till. Hade varit trevligt med information om vad som hände. Var över på ön vid ca 11.30 blev inte så mycket tid där. Hem igen vid 15.00 typ.”
Pick a coast, a cave or a boat.
