Best Boat and Catamaran Tours in Punta Cana

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

Due to its location at the eastern end of the Dominican Republic, Punta Cana faces the Caribbean Sea and the nearby islands, so a boat ride can be 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 tour to the island passing by other nearby sites. Then it's about three hours in 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 of alcoholic beverages. In some options you can also choose lobster as menu, 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 snorkeling, playing beach sports like soccer or volleyball, or simply explore the site at your own pace and relax.

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

Details of interest

• Price of the excursion... It starts at 75 euros with round trip transfers by catamaran 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 a good value for money alternative to visit the most emblematic of Punta Cana's nearby islands.

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 tour of the bay of Samaná.

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

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

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 tour of approximately nine hours.

Details of interest

• Price of the excursion... It starts at 129 euros with round trip transfers by catamaran with the tour included and hotel pick up. It also includes lunch with Dominican menu and the tour of Montaña Redonda.
• Duration of the excursion... Approximately nine hours.
• Advantages of this excursion... It is an excellent alternative to know in a relaxing catamaran ride the Samana Bay, 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 begins with hotel pick up and a bus ride to the community of Samana, where a safari will allow you to discover the history of the indigenous people and also the El Limon waterfall.

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

Back in Samaná, you will 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 are visiting.

In short, 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 round trip 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 tour the coast of Punta Cana to get to know an alternative profile of the city and go into the Caribbean Sea for a snorkeling experience. It is an ideal tour if you are planning a few days 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 snorkeling sites, including the coral reefs surrounding the Dominican coast.

Usually these excursions also include hotel pick-up, open bar service of alcoholic beverages and cocktails and snorkeling equipment. In any case, if what you are looking for is a quick trip along the Dominican coast, you can opt for an experience like this one that allows you to enjoy a boat ride in an excursion that does not take up the whole day.

Details of interest

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

If you like boat rides and also music, this tour can 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 best-known beaches on the crystal-clear coast of Punta Cana. From there you can enjoy the coral reefs and even snorkel.

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

These excursions normally include hotel pick-up and snorkeling 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 will 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 an excursion 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... It is the ideal option if you are interested in touring the Caribbean Sea by boat and enjoying a traditional show.
• Disadvantages of this excursion... It includes many activities and all of them are interesting, so it could be a bit rushed, especially the brief stop at Playa Blanca.

The duration of the excursion will depend on the activities of 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.

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 Sea that bathes the shores of Punta Cana and also get to know some of the tourist spots near the city along the way.

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

• Saona Island: It is the most characteristic of the islands surrounding 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 can be distinguished from Samaná Bay. It offers horseback riding, hiking and off-road vehicle circuits.
• Montaña Redonda: Located in Los Haitises National Park, it offers a wide panoramic view and also an idyllic landscape because it is nestled between two lagoons, Limón and La Redonda.
• Cayo Levantado: It is an islet of picturesque landscapes in the bay of Samaná, located on Bacardi Island, with white beaches and views of 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.

Between the months of December and April is high season in Punta Cana, so if you plan to travel at this time I advise you to book excursions in advance to avoid delays and price increases due to last minute bookings.

Keep in mind that the influx of tourists is higher, so if you are looking for quiet places or with few visitors, you should leave the main circuit.

When booking the tour of your choice, also take into account the duration of the tour, as some may last ten or twelve hours, which will not leave you much 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 traveling to Punta Cana with children, as in those cases a shorter excursion may be better.

It depends on the excursion chosen, but the most economical are the express tours, which consist of a boat ride of approximately three hours in the Caribbean off the coast of Punta Cana.

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

Longer tours , lasting 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 keep in mind that they include tickets for attractions, for 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 it not only allows you to see one of the emblematic sites in the Punta Cana area, but you can also enjoy a boat ride on the Caribbean Sea with free time in Saona.

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

In addition, in the area of the coast of Punta Cana you can visit coral reefs, snorkeling spots, paradisiacal islands such as Saona or cays with idyllic landscapes such as Levantado. It is also possible to do a great number of activities related to boat rides.

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