Isla Catalina

Isla Catalina is a small, mostly uninhabited island about 2.5 kilometers off the coast south of La Romana. It is better known for what is under the water than for its sand: the reef on its edges has some of the clearest, most reliable snorkeling and diving on this coast, and the island is a protected natural area. Day trips leave from Bayahíbe, La Romana and the Casa de Campo marina, and cruise ships calling at La Romana use the island too.

The main beach is a strip of light sand with calm, clear water and a gently sloping bottom. Costa Cruises operates a private beach area here, so on cruise days part of the shore is busy with tenders and loungers; on other days it is relaxed. Tour groups usually get a lunch of grilled chicken, fish, rice and salad, and an hour or two to swim and lie in the shade.

The snorkeling is the main reason to go. Most trips make two stops: "The Wall" (La Pared), where the reef drops away into deep blue water and you float above the edge watching fish move along it, and a shallower reef garden nicknamed "The Aquarium". Visibility is often excellent, and the water is calm enough for beginners with a vest. Divers come for the same wall at greater depth. Underwater just off the island are the remains of a 17th-century ship linked to the pirate Captain Kidd, now part of an underwater "living museum"; ask a Bayahíbe dive center about it (see our diving guide).

Access is by boat only. A standard snorkel tour from Bayahíbe costs around $80 per person in 2026 with lunch and drinks; private boats cost more. Our Catalina snorkel trip guide covers the options. Tours from Punta Cana exist, but they mean three or more hours on a bus, so they make most sense if you are staying on the south coast.

Sargassum is uncommon on Catalina's sheltered side, but cruise days can be crowded. There are no shops beyond what tours and the cruise area provide.

Best for: snorkelers, divers, and families who want a calmer, shorter island day than Isla Saona. Less ideal if you are after the long palm-lined beaches of Saona; Catalina is smaller and the beach is the secondary attraction. Go December to April for the calmest seas, and check the cruise calendar if you want the beach quieter.