Isla Saona Wildlife Safari Review: Your All Inclusive Escape

Dreaming of clear, blue waters and soft, white sand? You might be looking at images of Isla Saona, this place is really an island paradise just off the coast of the Dominican Republic. But you know, it’s not always clear what to expect when you sign up for an all-inclusive tour. Is it genuinely the dream escape it looks to be? You are in luck, we took the plunge on the “Wildlife Safari” tour, and we will give you the scoop, you know, all the wonderful details and, you know, those maybe not-so-perfect bits, so you can make the call if this tour is, you know, right for you.

What is the Isla Saona Wildlife Safari All-Inclusive Deal All About, you know?

Right then, what makes this “Wildlife Safari” deal, you know, so tempting? Very, very simply put, it says it combines that relaxed, tropical island experience that, you know, Saona offers with a pinch of, very easy, wildlife spotting, and all, you know, without needing to lift a finger. We are chatting about everything from getting you from your resort and, you know, back again, to lunch served right on the sand, and even the booze. But look, all these all-inclusive tours, we feel, tend to vary like anything. Is this actually paradise found, or, just like, another tourist trap? That, you know, is what we tried to get to the bottom of.

Setting off and Initial Feelings

We, with any trip, all began super early with that hotel pick-up, it’s almost a bit unpleasant to tell the truth, you know. A perfectly comfy bus took us along the highways to Bayahibe, which, is like, the jumping-off spot for trips to Saona. That bus bit is often a brilliant opportunity to check out parts of the countryside, it’s very unlikely, we thought, that you would see, too. When we showed up at Bayahibe, that, you know, place was alive with boat tours preparing to zoom off. You see, the excitement was tangible in a way, really.

Quick side note, and it is key, is that organization can seem pretty crazy at first glance. People getting checked in, groups assembling. And yet, just as soon as we were on our catamaran, it had, like, a very different feel, something tranquil actually. The crew got us a welcome drink. Reggae music started. It almost got into, you know, the spirit of the Caribbean fairly quick.

The Catamaran Cruise to Isla Saona

Is there a way, really, of hating that catamaran cruise? Blue water as far as the eye can stretch, warm breeze. It’s so nice to have that sun on your skin, as we moved smoothly closer to Saona. The vibe felt, like, festive and yet chilled, so too, very well managed to be honest. That crew really kept drinks topped up and encouraged some dancing. Now and then, we stopped, so, too, we could gawp at cool rock formations and listen to, like, facts about the area, told by that guide.

Stopping at the “Natural Pool”

A key part of, what should be said, a great many Saona tours has got to be that stop at a natural pool. Or rather, a shallow area miles from the shore. And you know what, it did not fail to blow our minds! That water felt so clear, and it’s barely waist-deep. It meant you are able to wander around, with a cocktail in hand, it’s almost an unusual experience. This stop felt like, so too, a moment of real serenity, everybody simply kicking back and enjoying, like, nature’s swimming bath. Very Instagrammable of course! A bit cheesy perhaps. But really good fun!

Saona Island Arrival and that Beach Lunch

Seeing Saona Island from a distance is, well, something, very much the postcard paradise thing. That sand appears totally white. Those palm trees, so too, lean in that gentle breeze. That water, really incredibly blue! Getting off that boat felt as though, literally, you’d moved onto a computer screensaver! That tour sorts that lunch buffet under those palms, you see. That food had that okay mix of local and stuff tourists want. Plenty of chicken, rice, pasta dishes. While it could not be seen as a posh feast, you know, after all that swimming and sun, we, you know, were very much appreciative.

That area to sit had tables. Those tables are spread out over, more or less, that beach, giving an atmosphere that we felt was pretty laid-back. Cold drinks from that bar never, as if by magic, appeared to run dry, you see. A lot of folk used this opportunity to relax out in that sun, and just have a great time. Others opted for a snooze under the trees.

Wildlife Safari Aspect

Okay, let’s chew over the “Wildlife Safari” piece. It’s maybe right to state that Saona is that habitat to a huge selection of bird species and, right on cue, those lizards running about. We had hoped for that better guided walk that focuses just on those critters. Yet, the truth, too, can be that that wildlife piece of that trip often just felt tacked on. This, we kind of figured, from asking other peeps, can alter. I reckon that depends on that guide’s knowledge and, maybe, how that group is, like, involved. Regardless, seeing them pelicans diving for food always feels brilliant!

The Return Trip on a Speedboat

That return to the mainland felt as if, actually, you got there quicker, because we were flying by, thanks to that speedboat. And too, what we felt were some proper bumpy bits. If you have, for sure, that back problem, maybe just take a little heads up, okay? It meant we shot along that coastline, took another peek at those beaches, and soaked in that last sun. Before arriving back at Bayahibe feeling pleasantly tired.

Was the Isla Saona Wildlife Safari “All Inclusive Escape” really worth it?

So too, it depends on that expectation. Should you show up planning for that intense wildlife adventure, and actually you will come away slightly disappointed. But should you view it more like a, almost, chilled day trip that involves getting in, you know, quality beach time. Time swimming in that frankly unreal water. And there are drinks constantly available, you’re quite likely to find it amazing. We, for what it’s worth, felt that that mix of organization, beautiful view, and sheer relaxation time has made it good.