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Catalina Island (Isla Catalina)
Catalina Island (Isla Catalina)

Catalina Island (Isla Catalina)

Isla Catalina, Punta Cana

The Basics

Catalina Island is home to a diverse ecosystem of sand dunes, mangroves, and reefs populated by many species of sea birds and tropical fish. The island’s main draws are its white sandy beaches and its beautiful underwater ecosystem. Snorkeling and scuba diving are particularly good here, and the Wall and the Aquarium are two of the top dive sites.

Tours from the Dominican Republic’s mainland (originating in Bayahibe, Punta Cana, La Romana, or even as far-flung as Santo Domingo) are plentiful and usually last all day. Some tours combine a trip to Catalina Island with visits to other area highlights such as Altos de Chavon, the more populated Saona Island, or Casa de Campo. Snorkeling tours and scuba diving tours usually include use of equipment.

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Full-Day Catalina Island Snorkeling Tour from Punta Cana
Full-Day Catalina Island Snorkeling Tour from Punta Cana
HK$643.67 per adult
Traveler Favorite
Isla Catalina
We have a real good time, the snorkeling part was long, giving time to enjoy the fish. The island was good not the best. The food was not too organized but the the flavor was good. Those piña colada excellent especially with Rum.
JosRene_C, May 2022

Recent reviews from experiences in La Romana

star-5
Amazing experience! Would...
Gabby_A, Jul 2022
Full-Day Catalina Island Scuba Diving Tour from Punta Cana
Amazing experience! Would highly recommend. So glad we got to experience this Everyone was so friendly and kind and treated us so well
star-5
Joel is a fantastic dive guide
Keith_S, May 2022
Full-Day Catalina Island Scuba Diving Tour from La Romana
Joel was fantastic at showing us everything along the reef for both dives! He was friends with all the fish! We went through the dive plan for a dive at the Catalina wall and Aquarius and both were incredible spots.
star-5
Awesome experiance with...
LouAnne_D, May 2022
Full-Day Catalina Island Snorkeling Tour from Punta Cana
Awesome experiance with awesome guides. If you get Oscar and Ruddy, you in the best hands. Thumbs up !
star-5
Good Experience
A_G, May 2022
Full-Day Catalina Island Snorkeling Tour from La Romana
Pretty Island, good food, nice catamaran ride. One recommendation - to be more clear for English speaking people on the schedule. We were a little lost on the schedule and missed some of the food.
star-5
Would recommend
Hunter_L, Apr 2022
Full-Day Catalina Island Snorkeling Tour from La Romana
Way worth it as a full day excursion. Guides were way way friendly m, snorkeling spots were way beautiful and wasn’t just a quick ride was perfect length. Highly recommend
star-5
Great experience, our...
Victoria_M, Feb 2022
Catalina Island With Scuba Diving - Full Day Tour
Great experience, our dive instructor and the boat crew were so amazing. the whole boat ride was fun, the sea creatures we were able to see was amazing! Definitely would recommend!
star-4
Great with some hiccups!
Emily_P, Jun 2022
Full-Day Catalina Island Scuba Diving Tour from La Romana
My husband and I had a fantastic time on this trip. Couple hiccups - My husband is not an experienced diver (which was known to the guides). Our guide did not speak English so the guide was deflating his vest and essentially pushing him under water while he was explaining that he wasn't comfortable yet. My husband ultimately did not dive either dive and he's not one to quit out on stuff like that. So we wasted money where I felt like had we had a guide that we could have communicated with, he would have been able to taken some extra time to get him comfortable. The equipment wasn't great. My respirator broke in my mouth mid-dive so i had to bite down extra hard on one spot or hold it in place to give my jaw a break. I saw rips and tears in numerous wet suits and had a couple people point out broken fins. Ultimately the tanks and vests seemed to be in good condition because no one died ;) but it was a little disconcerting. Our tour had a lot of non-divers that were just snorkeling. We did two dives, but they were only able to snorkel at one site. So my husband missed the first site because of our diving issue and then couldn't even snorkel at the second so he missed all of it. All that being said, I would recommend for experienced divers. The guides were nice, Catalina Island was beautiful. There were free booze on the island and on the boat ride back.
star-4
Snorkeling at Isla Catalina
Howard_B, May 2022
Full-Day Catalina Island Snorkeling Tour from Punta Cana
Wife and I love snorkeling. This snorkeling experience was good and I recommend the reef beside Isla Catalina as a good spot. Hotel pickup on time, but somewhat chaotic. First driver took us to another vehicle. That driver took us to a third vehicle which transported us to marina with no problems. Recommend you confirm pickup time with Tour operator day before. FYI. No alcohol on trip to Catalina before snorkeling. Which was fine for us. Boat anchored over reef for one hour. Re: beach. Food good and timely. Alcohol limited to rum and soda before food served. Beer offerred once food serve.
star-5
Excursion in paradise!
Mark_J, Mar 2022
Full-Day Catalina Island Snorkeling Tour from La Romana
5 star from free ride from resort to dock to snorkeling, beach, professional photographers, true Dominican meal and unlimited free drinks. Driver even let us stop in town after for souvenirs.
star-5
Fantastc in every way possible
Joseph_A, Sep 2019
Full-Day Catalina Island Snorkeling Tour from La Romana
Great friendly staff. The snorkle, mask, and fins were in good working order. The boat was clean and organized. Food on the beach was surprisingly very good. I didn't have high hopes, and I was wrong. The snorkeling was simply amazing. I highly recommend this tour.
star-5
An amazing day - don't miss out!
Julia_P, Feb 2022
Full-Day Catalina Island Snorkeling Tour from Punta Cana
A super day - excellent value for money, amazing to see the coral reef beds and sooooo many brightly coloured fish - definately an outing not to be missed.
star-5
Nice Trip
Anthony_R, Jul 2021
Full-Day Catalina Island Scuba Diving Tour from La Romana
Great experience and no problems! The wall and Aquarium dive sites was amazing! Pickup and drop off from hotel was perfect.
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Things to Know Before You Go

  • Catalina Island is a great destination for kids, who will enjoy wading safely in the calm waters.

  • Catalina Island is a protected area devoted to wildlife preservation, so there are not many amenities. The island lacks public restrooms and food options.

  • Be sure to bring a bathing suit, towel, sunscreen, a sun hat, and water.

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How to Get There

Catalina Island, located just a few miles off the coast of La Romana, can be reached only by boat from the Dominican Republic mainland.

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When to Get There

Catalina is a popular destination for group tours, so if you’re in search of peace and quiet, arrive early. To scuba dive or snorkel, you’ll find the best visibility on calm, hot days between December and May, when the diving on the south coast is the best.

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Shipwrecks

Captain William Kidd’s shipQuedagh Merchant is wrecked about 70 feet (21 meters) off the coast of Catalina Island. The pirate’s ship sank in the 17th century but was discovered only in 2007. Now preserved as a Living Museum of the Sea, the shipwreck offers a unique scuba diving opportunity.

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Frequently Asked Questions
The answers provided below are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.
Q:
What are the nearest attractions to Catalina Island (Isla Catalina)?