SeavisTours | Saona Island Excursions — Local services in La Hispaniola

This Saona Island tour was a stunning and peaceful experience that I thoroughly enjoyed. One of the best aspects was how well-timed the stops were. At nearly every location, we either arrived before the crowds or just as they were leaving, which made it feel intimate and exclusive.

Our guide, Ingrid, was truly exceptional. Her deep care for people, animals, and the local culture stood out, and her thoughtfulness was unmatched—she even brought dog food and a vaccine for a dog during the tour. Small gestures like this made the experience feel even more special.

Highlights of the Tour: • Snorkeling and Wildlife: We traveled by speedboat to all the stops, which was both exciting and efficient. Snorkeling gear was provided, and we got to see starfish and turtles in crystal-clear waters. • Mano Juan Village: Visiting this small, peaceful village was a unique experience. Ingrid’s tour of the sea turtle conservation project was educational and inspiring, as she shared the importance of protecting these animals and avoiding products that harm them. • Authentic Lunch: The lunch stop was a standout moment. The food was incredibly flavorful and authentic, far exceeding anything I’d had at my resort. Afterward, we had time to relax on hammocks or beach chairs and soak in the gorgeous scenery. • Rum and Refreshments: Barcelo Añejo rum was available at every stop, along with mixers like Sprite, Coca-Cola, and orange juice (included). There was even the option to buy a coconut infused with rum (not included).

A professional photographer accompanied us throughout the tour, capturing beautiful pictures so we didn’t have to worry about our phones. For just $40, you can get all the photos sent to your device quickly via AirDrop or USB-C.

Things to Keep in Mind: Transportation Issues: The pickup process at Barceló Beach All-Inclusive left a sour taste at the start. I had to walk 30 minutes to the front gate because they wouldn’t come inside the resort for pickup, and the bus was 20 minutes late. However, the drop-off was inside the resort gate, which added to the confusion. Bring Essentials: Don’t forget sunscreen (not provided), a towel, and a change of clothes. Time Commitment: This tour takes the entire day. Be ready to leave by 7 AM and return around sundown (6pm). Also, eat before you go because no breakfast is served, though coffee is provided.

Other Notes: • Locals offering massages may approach you at one stop, but it’s easy to decline politely. • While alcohol is included at most stops, some vendors sell drinks separately if you want something specific.

Despite the hiccup with transportation, the tour itself was phenomenal. It was informative, relaxing, and well-organized, with a dedicated and professional team. If you’re looking for a day filled with culture, nature, and tranquility, I highly recommend this...

We did the Saona Crusoe VIP tour. I'd like to start by saying that Ingrid (your guide - there are two Ingrid, one being on the admin side) is a great tour guide and she will do her best to have you spending a great day.

The tour itself is a good (if not the only) alternative to most of the other boat tour to Saona Island that are mostly loud party boat tours. It is great that Seavis offers that alternative to people looking for something more quiet and laid back, with some history of the island and its inhabitants.

However there are a few downsides that made my experience not as good as I had wished.

First it is really important to note that the tour is mostly aimed towards Dutch tourists. The guide is Dutch and most of your group will be Dutch people. This should not be a problem but you will quickly feel like you are second zone guests as all the explanation are given first in Dutch, the guide will speak Dutch with them most of the time, you will be seated at the back of the boat to facilitate her work, etc. We were 6 people speaking English from the group (composed of 26 people) and quickly felt that from the very beginning of the tour (an English tourist even mentioned it to the tour guide).

The other downside to that tour is its price and the way the admin people handle this (payment, etc.). There is not really a VIP feel to the tour and it is to my opinion overpriced (USD 100) when similar tour can be found for half that price. You will do it in a speedboat but apart from that everything is average (from the food to the experience). The admin people won't hesitate to charge you whenever they have a chance. For example if you are paying in Dominican Republic dollars they will charge you a different rate from the current one charging you dozen of additional US dollars. If you pay via Paypal they will charge you an extra 8% and the list goes on and on (extra USD 50 for transport for example). We ended paying a whopping USD 256 for 2 people.

It is a great tour overall but those hickups really made the experience way worse than it could've been and that's a shame cause the tour really has potential.

I hope they will make it clearer in the future that the tour is mostly aimed towards Dutch tourists and will change their attitude towards money (especially since the tour is already on the...

Just got back from doing this tour.  It's not a bad tour,  but what you get isn't quite what is indicated on the website.  Basically, it's a very expensive speedboat ride. Since it's a "Carnival Special", it's only for those arriving to La Romana on Carnival, which is usually in port for only 6 hours.  They whisk you away quickly into pre-reserved taxis for a 15-20 minute ride to Bayahibe, where you pay and get into groups for the speedboat.  The boat is small and packed with people.  It's a bumpy 30-40 minute ride to Soana Island.  You have a pretty good buffet lunch once you arrive and total, (including lunch) have about 75 minutes on the island.  The island is beautiful, not very crowded, with a small beach and plenty of palm trees/shade and chairs.  You then get back into the boat and ride 15-20 minutes to a small sand dune which is waist deep and everyone walks or snorkels around the small area to find the 15 or so starfish that are there.  There is nothing else to see except sand.  Then it's back in the boat to return another 20-30 minutes where the taxis are waiting to take you back to the ship.

So here's the time breakdown:

Speedboat total time - 65-90 minutes

Taxi - 30-40 minutes

Starfish - 20

Time on island (including lunch) - 75

So you're on the boat longer than anything and the entire trip is 3 - 3 1/2 hours.

Website also says you sail along the coast of the National Park and the guide will explain you some of the sites and history.  This doesn't happen.  The boat follows the coastline, but it's far out and no guided talks - it's way too noisy for anyone to eve talk.

Website says on the island, the guide will take you snorkeling at the pier - this doesn't happen.

Website says on the way back, you go through the Mangroves and guide will explain this.  The boat takes the same route as it did on the way there - no Mangroves, no guided explanation.

It's not a bad tour, it's just very rushed and you spend more time on the speedboat than you do anything else and for that, it's an expensive...