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It is a natural landscape in which palm trees lean towards the white sand, and visitors relax while looking at the sea or bathing in its waters with robes that protect them from the sun’s rays. With an area of 110 square kilometers and a length of 25 square kilometers, Saona Island is located in the heart of Cotopanama National Park, in the La Romana Province of the Dominican Republic. It is one of the most beautiful places in the Caribbean country, separated from the continental coast by 19 kilometers (Bayahibe Port, 45 kilometers from Punta Cana). The island has natural swimming pools, mangroves and coral reefs. The setting chosen for filming adventure films – such as “Pirates of the Caribbean” – is the typical postcard we know of paradise.
Cotopanama National Park, which was declared in 1975, It is a nature reserve 790 square kilometers between land and sea, and 80 coasts. It occupies part of the Dominican provinces of Altagracia and La Romana, but there will be no hotels or all-inclusive resort buildings there. This protected area abounds with tropical and subtropical forests, beaches, cliffs and caves. There is a diversity of plants: sea grape, mahogany, guaiacan, bayahonda, royal palm, grebe, and coupe. A lush grove with all kinds of greenery and more than 200 recorded species of birds flying above the clear sky or sitting on tree branches: Julian storks, cowbirds, brown pelicans, herons and painted pigeons. In the sea there are sea turtles, stars, coral and dolphins. What more could you ask for?
Until 2014, Cotopanama National Park was called Parque Nacional del Este. It was renamed in honor of the warrior Cotopanama, a Taíno leader in the eastern part of Hispaniola or Santo Domingo, the largest island comprising the sovereign nations of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Hispaniola, named after Christopher Columbus, was the first area the conquistadors reached in 1492, on their first voyage to America. With this arrival, Kotopanama, publicly executed in 1504, moved to Adamanai Island – a Taino name meaning island of refuge – which we know today as Suna Island. But they say that it was formerly called “Bella Savonesa”, in honor of the explorer Michele da Conero, companion of Columbus, a native of Sanova, an Italian city and province in the Liguria region.
Saona or Adamanay Island was inhabited by Taino Indians in pre-Columbian times. Later, over the years, it was intermittently inhabited and used for logging. In 1944, during the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo, in this place that is today the scene of hundreds of selfies on palm trees leaning towards the sea, the fishing village of Mano Juan was founded with twelve families. About 600 people currently live there, and their source of work, in addition to fishing, is tourism. It is estimated that between 2,000 and 2,500 visits arrive daily, or approximately one million tourists annually.
The most common way to go to Saona Island is by boat or catamaran from the port of Bayahibe via the Caribbean Sea. Being a protected area, the place does not offer traditional accommodation, and there are no hotels. The most common thing is to stay in Punta Cana, a paradise All inclusiveOr from Santo Domingo, about two hours away.
Cruising to Sauna is already an outing in itself due to its beautiful scenery. Coral reefs can be seen near long, isolated and deserted coastlines. On board the modern boats they offer an open bar serving rum, beer and non-alcoholic drinks, while Caribbean music plays under the Caribbean sun.
Both boats and boats stop in the shallow natural pools, located in the Catuanu Strait, the stretch of sea that separates the island from the mainland. Then the turquoise waters are filled with people fascinated by the natural environment. There will be those who take photos or those who dare to float on still water; There will be divers to snorkel among the multi-colored fish and starfish.
It will then take twenty minutes to reach the island, disembarkation and a short walk through the tropical jungle to Saône Beach: Canto de la Playa, Playa de los Flamencos and Playa don Go. Tours generally offer a lunch buffet or a la carte menu for an additional value. There is always a bar open for drinks. But the most beautiful thing is undoubtedly bathing in the sea, which is still calm, warm and shallow. Or lie down on one of the lounge chairs. Which offer to choose, it does not matter. The view is good from all angles, and let’s not forget that Suna is one of the most beautiful islands in the world.
Otium Agency
AG: @otiuminternational
Tel: +1 (809) 552 1003
Sona Catamaran Cruise, from U$S72.
Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Punta Cana
Eastern Tourist Street, km 28, No. 74.
AG: @hrhcpuntacana
Tel: +1 (809) 687 0000. Reservations: (+52) 998-254-6597
from Sh 400 dollars Double, with everything included.
Copa Airlines
@copaairlines
www.copaair.com
It offers 54 weekly flights to Punta Cana from Buenos Aires, Rosario, Cordoba and Mendoza, and has just resumed – in September 2025 – flights from Salta and Tucuman.