Best Boat and Catamaran Tours in Punta Cana

Punta Cana is a paradise destination for its scenery and beaches, as well as for the many visits that can be made using the city as a base. From taking a trip to Santo Domingo to opting for one of the snorkelling experiences, to taking a boat trip, an activity that is among the best things to do in Punta Cana.

Punta Cana's location on the eastern tip of the Dominican Republic means that it faces the Caribbean Sea and nearby islands, making a boat trip an ideal excursion to visit the best beaches in the area.

This is one of the most popular excursions, as Saona is the most famous of the islands off the coast of Punta Cana.

This tour includes a catamaran ride with a fun ride to the island passing by other nearby sites. Afterwards you spend about three hours on Saona, a paradise of white sands, palm trees and crystal clear waters in the heart of the Caribbean Sea.

These excursions usually include hotel pick-up, lunch with a typical Dominican menu and an open bar. On some options you can also choose lobster as a menu item, one of the most delicious local dishes.

On excursions to Saona from Punta Cana you will also be able to do different activities, such as snorkelling, playing beach sports like football or volleyball, or simply explore the site at your own pace and relax.

The return trip also includes a fun catamaran ride past Cayo Raton, Catalinita Island and Yuma Bay.

Details of interest

• Price of the excursion... Starts at 75 euros with round trip catamaran transfers with the ride included and hotel pick up. Also includes lunch with Dominican menu and open bar of alcoholic beverages.
• Duration of the excursion... Approximately eight hours.
• Advantages of this excursion... It is an alternative with a good quality/price ratio to get to know the most emblematic of the nearby islands of Punta Cana.

Los Haitises is one of the most beautiful national parks in the Caribbean area and stands out for a series of rocky mountains that rise out of the water and that can be discovered from the catamaran on the trip around the bay of Samaná.

On these excursions you can get to know this protected natural area and its rocky mogotes full of pelicans.

Los Haitises also stands out for its caves with pictographs and petroglyphs of the Taino Indians and for the warm water of the Jivales River, where you can swim and bathe.

These excursions usually include hotel pick-up and a typical Dominican lunch, before continuing with a buggy tour to the top of Montaña Redonda.

Montaña Redonda offers idyllic scenery as it is nestled between two lagoons, Limon and Redonda. The return to Punta Cana is usually scheduled after a journey of approximately nine hours.

Details of interest

• Price of the excursion... Starts at 129 euros with round trip transfers by catamaran including the ride and hotel pick-up. Also includes lunch with Dominican menu and the tour of Montaña Redonda.
• Duration of the excursion... Approximately nine hours.
• Advantages of this excursion... This is an excellent alternative for a relaxing catamaran trip to the bay of Samaná, which is an emblematic site of the Dominican Republic but little visited by tourists.

This is one of the most complete excursions in Punta Cana. You will be able to enjoy waterfalls, a safari trail, natural springs and a catamaran ride that will show you that the Dominican Republic is full of activities.

The tour starts with hotel pick-up and a bus ride to the community of Samaná, where a safari will allow you to discover the history of the indigenous people and also the El Limón waterfall.

At the El Limón waterfall, characterised by its location in the middle of a tropical forest and surrounded by clear springs, you can opt for a hike along the nature trails or a horseback ride.

On the way back to Samaná you board a catamaran to sail from Bahía Clara to Bacardi Island to visit Cayo Encantado and take a tour along the coast of Cayo La Farola.

On board the catamaran you can opt for a lunch with a typical Dominican menu and you will have the permanent assistance of a local expert guide who will tell you the details of the tour and the secrets of the places you visit.

All in all, this is one of the best excursions from Punta Cana, especially for those who enjoy the sea and nature activities.

Details of interest

• Price of the excursion... Around 135 euros with return bus transfers, catamaran ride and the assistance of an expert local guide.
• Duration of the excursion... Approximately ten to twelve hours.
• Advantages of this excursion... It is a very complete excursion to visit Bacardi Island and Cayo Levantado and enjoy a catamaran ride with lunch included.

On this express excursion you will be able to go along the coast of Punta Cana to get to know an alternative profile of the city and go into the Caribbean Sea for a snorkelling experience. It is an ideal tour if you are planning a short stay in the city or if you plan to visit other sites in the same day such as Monkeyland or Macao Beach.

These excursions allow you to discover Punta Cana from the waters of the Caribbean Sea on a relaxing boat ride with the assistance of an expert local guide who will show you the best snorkelling sites, including the coral reefs around the Dominican coast.

Usually these excursions also include hotel pick-up, open bar service of alcoholic drinks and cocktails and snorkelling equipment. In any case, if you're looking for a quick trip along the Dominican coastline, you can opt for an experience like this one that allows you to enjoy a boat ride on a tour that doesn't take up the whole day.

Details of interest

• Price of the excursion... Starts at 59 euros with hotel pick-up, catamaran ride and snorkelling experience.
• Duration of the excursion... Approximately three hours.
• Advantages of this excursion... This is the ideal option if you are looking for a boat trip and save time.

If you like boat rides and music, this tour may be ideal for you, because you will be able to enjoy a comfortable boat ride along the Dominican coast and also a typical Caribbean show: the Taiguey Emotion Show experience , which refers to the first inhabitants of the Dominican Republic.

The catamaran tour usually includes a stop at Playa Blanca, one of the most famous beaches on the crystal-clear coast of Punta Cana. From there you can enjoy the coral reefs and even snorkel.

Once back on the boat a typical Taino Indian show takes place, which includes a combination of musical rhythms such as salsa, merengue, bachata, dembow and mambo.

These excursions usually include hotel pick-up and snorkelling equipment, as well as the accompaniment of an expert local guide. However, this experience does not usually include lunch or an open bar.

For its duration, which is approximately three hours, you'll be able to enjoy a boat ride with music on board and then have time to do other activities, such as visiting Santo Domingo or taking a trip to Monkeyland from Punta Cana.

Details of interest

• Price of the excursion... Around 55 euros with hotel pick-up, catamaran ride and the Taiguey Emotion Show.
• Duration of the excursion... Approximately three hours.
• Advantages of this excursion... This is the ideal option if you are interested in touring the Caribbean Sea by boat and enjoying a traditional show.
• Disadvantages of this tour... It includes many activities and all of them are interesting, so you might find it a bit of a rushed tour, especially the short stop at Playa Blanca.

The length of the excursion will depend on the activities on the chosen tour. The longer excursions last between ten and twelve hours but include a tour of Samana Bay, Montaña Redonda and Cayo Levantado. The duration includes round-trip transfers with hotel pick-up from Punta Cana.

The express tours last approximately three hours and are ideal if you are planning a short stay in Punta Cana or have other activities planned during the same day. On these tours you can enjoy a boat ride and the city's skyline from the Caribbean.

On these excursions you can enjoy a comfortable boat ride on the Caribbean that bathes the shores of Punta Cana and also get to know some of the tourist spots near the city on the way.

Here are the places that are usually visited on these excursions:

• Saona Island: It is the most characteristic of the islands that surround Punta Cana and stands out for its white sands and crystal clear water. It also has coral reefs, is part of the Parque Nacional del Este and is home to the Flamingo Lagoon.
• Los Haitises: It is a National Park that stands out for the rock formations that rise above the water and that can be distinguished from the bay of Samaná. It offers horseback riding, hiking and off-road vehicle circuits.
• Montaña Redonda: Located in the National Park Los Haitises, it offers a wide panoramic view and also an idyllic landscape because it is located between two lagoons, Limón and La Redonda.
• Cayo Levantado: It is an islet of picturesque landscapes in the bay of Samaná, located in the Bacardi Island, with white beaches and views to the Caribbean Sea.
• El Limón Waterfall: Located in the interior of Los Haitises National Park, it is one of the largestwaterfalls in the Dominican Republic and has the most visited natural pool in the country.

Knowing the best time to visit Punta Cana is important to get the most out of your trip.

December to April is high season in Punta Cana, so if you're planning to travel at this time I recommend booking excursions in advance to avoid delays and price increases due to last-minute bookings.

Bear in mind that there is a greater influx of tourists, so if you're looking for quiet places or places with few visitors, you'll have to leave the main circuit.

When booking the tour of your choice, also consider the length of the tour, as some tours can last ten or twelve hours, leaving you little time for other excursions during the same day.

This is important to consider if you are planning a short stay in the city or if you are travelling to Punta Cana with children, as in those cases a shorter tour may be better.

It depends on the tour chosen, but the most economical are the express tours, which consist of an approximately three-hour boat ride in the Caribbean off the coast of Punta Cana.

Some of these tours also include a snorkelling experience, a tour of the coral reefs or shows on board the boat. Express excursions can be booked from 55 euros.

Longer excursions of ten or twelve hours, or those that include activities such as visits to Round Mountain or Cayo Levantado, can be priced from 149 euros, but bear in mind that these include entrance fees for attractions, adventure sports such as zip-line experiences, transfers and also usually hotel pick-up and meals.

The best value for money tour is the catamaran to Saona Island, as not only does it allow you to see one of the most iconic sites in the Punta Cana area, but you can also enjoy a boat ride on the Caribbean Sea with free time on Saona.

The Caribbean Sea is one of the most crystalline and warmest in the world and taking a boat trip on its waters can be one of the most enriching experiences.

In addition, in the coastal area of Punta Cana you can visit coral reefs, snorkelling spots, paradisiacal islands such as Saona or cays with idyllic landscapes such as Levantado. It is also possible to take part in a wide range of activities related to boat trips.

Getting to know the city skyline from the water is a very interesting experience and so is the possibility of relaxing in the calm waters of the Caribbean. Whether it's an express tour or a full-day excursion with other activities, taking a boat trip in Punta Cana could be one of the highlights of your visit to the Dominican Republic.