Snorkeling and Scuba, Punta Cana

4 more images

The Caribbean Festival snorkel excursion was really a great time! We booked our excursion at the resort for about $80-$85. We were picked up by a very colorful bus and we proceeded to several other hotels to gather other vacationers looking some fun and snorkeling. It took a little while but was pleasant enough. After about 45 minutes we drove into an area at the beach and were taken to board our boat. The boat was a double decker with both sunny and shaded areas. The staff was young, very friendly and out-going. they played lots of lively music while we were underway to our first destination. We anchored at a reef and got into the water to snorkel. We had about 45-55 minutes on the reef and the snorkeling was pretty good. There were plenty of colorful fish and interesting types of coral. We reboarded our boat and went to a special 'enclosed within the sea' area to snorkel with rays and nurse sharks. We also had an interaction session with the rays. It was a little weird to swim with the rays and sharks. Though it was fairly brief, it seemed long enough. We were able to get some interesting pictures and it certainly has been quite the experience to talk about! It's not everyone who gets to swim with sharks (by choice). Once we were all back aboard the boat, the party really began. The crew came out in costume and the show was really rocking. Eventually, most everyone was dancing and having a great time. When we got back to the beach, we had time to do a little shopping at the shops on the beach. It was a good 1/2 day excursion and I highly recommend it. It was truly a good time.

1 more image

Grand Paradise Bavaro

ACTIVITIES:
Kiko's Activities Center - Open from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Tennis
Bicycles
Table Games
Books loaned out
Pool Towels Service (Towel Card required)
Beach Volleyball & Beach Games
Merengue and Salsa Lessons
Pool Games
Water Polo
Water Volleyball
Step Aerobics

Watersports Center - Open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Snorkeling equipment
Windsurf Board
Kayaks
Katamaran
Boogie Boards
All inclusive equipment to be used with time limit

EVENING ENTERTAINMENT
Hosted in the "Areito" Theater
8:30 Kid's Entertainment
9:15 Pre Show
9:45 Show
11:00 "Crazy Moon" Disco

2 more images

There is a trip you can take to Stingray bay where you can hold/feed a stingray and then swim with nurse sharks and rays. They also take you snorkelling at the reefs and you will go on a party boat with mamajuana, dancers and a good time.

See my pics and take an underwater camera if you have one

4 more images

This is something I would highly recommend. The bus picks you up from your hotel. The bus itself is a great experience. We were the first to be picked up so we went around other resorts and had a chance to peek into more local scenery as well as into other resorts, which all looked great.
The bus gets you to the base where you get a chance to ride a speed boat for about 40 minutes - makes you really feel James Bond. They then take you to a base in the middle of the sea and from there you go snorkelling with a guide who shows you around the corals and other treasures this area has to offer. The cost is around 50 USD person and surely worth the experience.

We spent the whole day out. A short drive on a typical coloured bus leads you to a, also typical and colourful, boat. We spent some time on the boat listening to merengue, learning to dance (merengue) and listening to local stories. The boat stops at a place that is fantastic for snorkelling – if you book some kind of trip like this don’t forget your gear, as the guide will provide you tubes and masks but they have been used before and surely weren’t well clean. Also, there are stops programmed at the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic, as well as at the spot where the two oceans meet (supposedly).

After all this swimming and diving, its time for lunch on a deserted beach. Food is good and fresh and consists mainly of fish and seafood. By the beach there is a fishermen’s village that you will be able to visit (forget the souvenir shop, it’s expensive). Afterwards, time to return home, always by boat and with a lot of animation and rum.

Nice experience!! try it!! is really fun and you can enjoy a little bit of the speed in the sea.
You will find the people offering this adventure in the beach , you just have to book the your tour with them. You will share a fast boat because are for two persons, so if you are lucky and your partner doesn't want to drive you can drive the round trip. Is very exciting to see the environment and some other beaches, there is one stop in the middle of the sea to snorkeling. Don't miss it!!

The snorkelling in Punta Cana is out of this world... right off the beach there are tonnes of spots with corals and a spectacular collection of fish... Well worth the $30 investment for a snorkelling set.

Among some of the fish we saw were sting raes, triger fish, jacks... and unfortunately I couldn't find nemo.

Most of the larger resorts will offer a free scuba lesson in the pool. Of course, this is to get you interested enough to spend lots more cash on an open water dive. If that appeals to you, go for it! If you saw Jaws at an impressionable age, like me, you can stick to learning to scuba dive in the pool.

The best way to snorkle in the Dominican Republic is to go on one of the tours offered by your resort. Many will offer several, from a 1 hour tour, to a full day excursion which will include lunch.

As our kids were more comfortable snorkling in the pool (they loved that), we opted for the Glass Bottom Boat tour, which lasted about an hour.

The kids came in with us for about 15 minutes, then went back in the boat with the driver, and looked through the glass bottom while we floated around the reef. We saw lots of amazing, colourful fish, and coral.

Masks, snorkles and a flotation vest can be supplied, however you can bring your own mask and snorkle. If you don't have your own, and you plan or snorkeling during your trip, I strongly recommend buying your own at home. That way, you can just snorkle off the beach if the mood hits, and you don't have the yuck factor of putting that snorkle in your mouth...

Another very important note - do not touch the coral!!! We even saw many people standing on it, which will kill it. Remember, coral is a living creature - treat it with respect.

The wreck in bad weather....told you it is a kind of spooky to see it in this kind of weather. The hurrican in Cuba made this look like WE had some bad weather too, but only a normal shower now and then! So dont worry when you go in hurrican season....you can have wonderful weather like we had!