Saona Island is considered by many to be the jewel in the crown of the Dominican Republic. In fact, it is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the entire Caribbean, attracting millions of thousands of visitors each year. Fortunately, it’s also an easy day trip from Punta Cana, the Dominican Republic’s most popular vacation spot.

Saona Island is not accessible by car, but tour operators and others offer boat excursions daily. The quality of these organized tours varies greatly, so it’s recommended to do some research before choosing the one you want to take, or get a solid recommendation from someone who has been on the tour you’re considering.

Incredibly beautiful beaches are the biggest attractions on Saona Island. The most famous beach is called Canto de la Playa. Many movie and commercial directors have filmed scenes on this beach. This includes scenes from the Hollywood blockbuster, “Pirates of the Caribbean.” The white sand beaches are fringed by spectacular coconut groves. When you go, you may be lucky enough to receive a message with coconut oil harvested from the island. Some island excursions also provide a beach barbecue with delicious traditional Dominican foods.

Another popular attraction on Saona Island is the quaint town of Mano Juan, located on the southwestern side of the island. These are the only people living on the island and there are only about 400 residents. If you are lucky enough to be on the highest rated Saona Island tour, you will be invited to tour the village. The only electricity they have is what a few solar panels can provide. As you enter the village, the first thing you’ll notice is the line of brightly colored wooden houses and buildings. This provides the perfect photo opportunity. You may also get to see the sea turtle conservation project in which the children of the village are involved.

Today’s Isla Saona is also known as “Isla Saona” in the predominantly Spanish-speaking Dominican Republic. Increasingly, however, Dominicans are pushing to call Saona Island “Adamanay,” which is its original Taino indigenous name. The Taíno people occupied the island in pre-Columbian times and their language belongs to the Arawak language family, which includes several indigenous South American languages. You can also see other Adamanay phonetic spellings.

Whatever name you personally decide to call Isla Saona, I am sure that the experience of going there will affect you deeply. The landscape of the island and the people of Mano Juan will captivate your soul and fill your mind with memories that will live in your heart forever.