Parque Nacional del Este — Attraction in Saona Island

Saona Island is absolutely a Caribbean paradise for those who want to visit the Dominican Republic, with wild and clean beaches, crystal clear water, wide white beaches, tall coconut trees. There is a village originally inhabited by Mano Juan fishermen on the island, but there are no accommodation facilities. A trip includes a stop at the "natural pools", an area where the water reaches up to the knees and you can see starfish and snorkel. The morning continues on the beach: a corner of paradise, the enchanting and fantastic wild beach Canto de la Playa, a long beach, kilometers of fine white and pink coral sand absolutely unoccupied by deckchairs or umbrellas, crystal clear water where you can dive surrounded by fish of various species and colors, a coral-rich seabed, palm plantations stretching across the bay. Lunch and return in the afternoon on a slow catamaran with music, dance and good...

Saona is a beautiful island. It is however, starting to show the effects of higher levels of tourism traffic. On this trip I've noticed a fair amount of plastic litter on the beach and surrounding corals. It was non-stop traffic and chaos at Bayahibe and on both the sand bar and the island. I would not recommend this trip to seniors or those with mobility issues as there is no easy way on and off of the boats. Finally, the catamaran trip home would have been spectacular except for the blaring music. I love music, but it was so loud it was distorted coming from...

Beautiful, but not breathtaking Parque Nacional del Este is definitely worth a visit if you're in the Bayahibe area. The natural beauty, turquoise waters, and peaceful surroundings make for a relaxing day. However, in my opinion, the excursion itself isn’t something spectacular — especially if you’ve already seen similar beaches in the Caribbean.

The boat trip and views are enjoyable, but don’t expect anything unique or out of the ordinary. Still, if you're looking for a calm escape in nature, it’s a nice option. Perfect for first-time visitors to the...