From Punta Cana · Dominican Republic
Day trips from Punta Cana
Saona Island and its natural pool, the fishing village of Bayahibe, the Colonial City of Santo Domingo and the whales of Samaná: trips from Punta Cana to leave the resort and get to know the Dominican Republic.
Updated 20 October 2026 · How we make our guides
The south-east coast
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Dominican RepublicSaona Island
Palm-fringed beaches in a national park and a natural pool of shallow water in the middle of the sea, by boat from Bayahibe.
What to see in Saona Island -
Dominican RepublicBayahíbe
A fishing village with calm water, diving and the departure point for boats to Saona, just over an hour away.
What to see in Bayahíbe -
Dominican RepublicLa Romana
Altos de Chavón, a Mediterranean-style stone village above the Chavón river, an hour away.
What to see in La Romana
For a long day
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Dominican RepublicSanto Domingo
The Colonial City, a World Heritage Site, with the first cathedral in the Americas, about two and a half hours away.
What to see in Santo Domingo -
Dominican RepublicSamaná
The humpback whales that arrive in the bay every winter and Cayo Levantado beach. Far for a day trip: better with a night.
Whales, January to March
What to see in Samaná -
Dominican RepublicLas Terrenas
Long golden-sand beaches and a relaxed atmosphere on the Samaná peninsula.
What to see in Las Terrenas
Frequently asked questions
What day trips can you take from Punta Cana?
Saona Island, Bayahibe and Altos de Chavón on the south-east coast; Santo Domingo for a long day; and Samaná or Las Terrenas, better with a night.
How do you get to Saona Island from Punta Cana?
On an organised tour that leaves by boat from Bayahibe or the La Romana area; it usually includes the natural pool.
When can you see the whales in Samaná?
From January to March, when humpback whales come to Samaná Bay to breed.
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Reviewed 20 October 2026. Dates and seasonal warnings: the same data the Bagintravel app uses. Sources and method.
Cover photo: Tamas Iklodi w:en:User:It419 (CC BY-SA 3.0), Wikimedia Commons.