Puerto Plata: Unforgettable Paradise Island & Mangrove Eco-Tour

Our trip started rocky..got picked up in a van and transfered on the side of the road. Booked on viator and wasnt informed the time of pick up. The activity itself amazing. It was so much fun. The speedboat was by far the best.

Overall - an ok experience. Would I do it again - DEFINITELY NOT!!! Pros- Paradise Island was beautiful! And we actually stayed a few hours which was a nice surprise especially since most excursions only give you 45 min or so on the beach. The snorkeling was great, but current was a little rough. The boat rides were great and we loved riding through the mangroves!! Lunch was not Dominican but was really good and what you would see in America (chicken wings, pasta, rolls). The lunch was great for us, but wouldnt have been if I wanted authentic Dominican food. Cons-The bus/car ride to and from was MISERABLE! It a good 3 hours EACH way!! The "1hr,15min bus ride" in the description is a complete LIE. When we booked, we picked 8:10am pickup but they showed up at 7:30 (as we were still eating breakfast) and needed us to get in van ASAP. Most of the people in this excursion were in a nice Charter Bus, but my family of 3, plus 2 other families were squished in a small minivan. We also asked if we could ride in the bus and were told no. (by an English speaking person that helped communicate when we stopped) The driver did not speak any English and could not communicate. And his driving was Horrible. He sweved around every pothole (soo many) and slammed on breaks many times. I don't get car sick and I was sooo sick about an hour in on the way there in the morning. Take Bonine or similar before you go! Luckily when we stopped I got a soda and a snack, which helped. This was a 10 hour excursion with 6 hours in the van/bus and 1.5 hrs eating lunch which is way too long.

The bus ride from Puerto Plata was a bit bumpy for some passengers, but the scenery through the agricultural land and small towns was a sight worth seeing. At the island, our tour guide lead us around the whole reef. Our group of 8 all enjoyed the day. Buying the photos and video was well worth the money. This is a trip everyone should do, bring your own mask and snorkel for a longer experience.

DR Experience was great with Euzébio (Guide) being the most knowledgeable guy on the DR. The isle is actually a sandbank but nonetheless beautiful and the mangrove near by is a must.

Mendi was our very informative tour guide. My family was supported throughout the whole trip and the kids had a blast! We were picked up at our rented condominium in Playa Dorada in an air conditioned bus. We made a few stops to pick up other passengers in other hotels. We made a quick bathroom stop about half way to our final location. We then got life vests and got on our speedboat. We made it to Cayo Arena were we got fresh fruits (pineapple, watermelon, bananas) , drinks (sprite coke), alcohol (rum). We were there for about an hour. If you have kids, make them wear their life vests in the water as the current in the ocean can be deceiving while snorkeling. We then rode through the mangroves sometimes at high speeds giving the kids a thrill. Once on land again we rode back to the same location we had used the bathroom, but this time to a different floor were there was a buffet that included rice, beans, fried chicken, pasta salad, and bread. There was also sodas and water available. Once everyone was done eating we rode to a cigar and gift shop. Once everyone was done with their purchases we began the drop-off at different hotels.

It was really fun and the food was amazing! Just a heads up, you can’t wear shoes on the island. There were a few sea urchins hiding in the corals further out so just watch your step.

Although the drive to Cayo Arena was a bit long, it was worth it. Our tour guide was very informative. The sand bar was lovely, snorkeling was cool. The mangrove tour was a hit with the family. We talked about the experience for days after the trip. A must do!

Solid 3 hr drive from Costa Dorada Puerto Plata- not 1 hr 15 mins. No wifi on the bus, no bottled water offered at any point. You get about 90 minutes on the island, not enough snorkeling equipment for everyone on your bus- which by the way is about 50 people. Some snorkeling equipment is broken. Drinks on the island consist of coke, sprite and rum. There is only pineapple and watermelon to snack on. The Mangrove tour was fun, but was about 6 minutes of speeding through on your way back to Playa Rucia. You do not get an hour and a half to play at Playa Rucia- you get right back on the bus, taken to a restaurant with gift shop first lunch. You spend an hour there- not needed. Then back on the bus for 2 hrs to stop at another gift shop with bathrooms that they called the cigar factory. Not a factory, a roadside hut- 30 minutes there and then another hour back into Puerto Plata. We were gone for 11 hrs for approximately 90 minutes of beach time. The snorkeling was okay, the reef is dying so not a big variety of fish. Is it worth your time? If you've ever snorkeling on Maui, then NO.

Bring your own towel. Bring water. The boat ride is so much fun. Opportunities to buy souvenirs. No water shoes allowed.

The trip was awesome! The boat ride to the island was a blast. The island was tiny but big on fun and snorkeling. The water was crystal clear and beautiful fish out from the beach around the reef. Went through the mangroves on the way back and it was absolutely amazing!!! I've never seen anything like it. If I had to complain about anything it would be that the bus ride to get to the boat that took us took a couple hours there and a couple hours back. It was well worth every penny we spent.