Discover the beauty of the underwater world as you snorkel and swim along the biggest coral reefs of Punta Cana, making friends with the giant sting rays and nurse sharks. Then its on to some natural pools where you can enjoy a beautiful cocktail as you relax in the water! With something for everyone, this family friendly excursion is a must do when visiting the Dominican Republic!
Take a gentle coastal cruise along the beaches of Bavaro to the Marinarium for your exciting underwater adventure. After an introduction to the native marine life, you'll receive snorkeling equipment and safety instructions from the Marinarium Park supervisors. Start by snorkeling with some of the friendlier creatures of the deep before taking the plunge and entering the domain of the sharks!
Enjoy an adrenaline packed swim with nurse sharks and sting rays as these fascinating creatures glide majestically below you. It's not often you'll get the opportunity to swim amongst the bigger creatures of the deep, so don't miss out on this chance!
Cruising back from the Marinarium you can take a bartending lessons on how to make cocktails. Or, simply sit back and enjoy the sun - cocktail in hand of course!
Basically okay! Transport rough, boat good and the crew very helpful and enthusiastic. Snorkeling experience was fun and safe. Big well done to the swimming crew who helped the disabled trippers enjoy the experience fully. Drink great and plentiful Overall good but expensive as are all in Punta Ca
Review by: Marie T, October 2016
I was a little scared during this excursion but my husband loved it. The guides were great and made the tour fun.
Review by: Thomas S, July 2016
I thoroughly enjoyed the boat ride and the staff. They were terrific. The only drawback for us was that the tour did not allow you to go down toward the sharks or rays. You were given a flotation belt that prevented you from leaving the surface of the water; not true snorkeling.
Review by: Robert S, June 2016
The staff was awesome, but my family and I really needed a little training before we began using our equipment. Maybe let those who did not know how to snorkel to do it from the shore line - with assistance. I also wished we swam with more than one shark. Having sharks in a cage next door in the water is not swimming with sharks. Again, the staff was awesome and entertaining on the boat.
Review by: Michelle F, June 2016
Good adventure but it was a bit rushed. BEWARE - you should be a very good swimmer as the ocean current was very strong when we went!
Review by: Sujit V, April 2016
This tour was amazing!
Review by: Frank M, April 2016
The experience with thedivers and manager were great for exception of one who grabbed my wife's leg and tried to touch her on another occasion. Once he saw I was with her and disappeared. snack was good the mixed drinks were watery. a
Review by: James C, February 2016
It was good to see a nurse shark and a ray but time is limited in the tank and most of the excursion involved us sailing pointlessly around on the boat. Not worth the money and I wouldn't recommend this to anyone else
Review by: Linda S, January 2016
The crew was fun but I wish I had known that I had to climb up a 4foot ladder to get back in the boat. Then I wouldn't have wasted my money on this one. If I could have actually done the snorkeling it might have been fun
Review by: Megan W, December 2015
We had so much fun on this excursion! Our guide took my camera and got us some really amazing pics, I really appreciated that because it would have been hard to keep up while trying to take pics! Everybody was very friendly and spoke many languages. Saw some cool fish, sharks, and even held a ray!
Review by: Rose G, November 2015
I thought this excursion was a lot of fun but the price is a bit high per person for what you actually get. You don't get to swim with the sharks and stingrays as long as I had expected.
Review by: Patricia M, November 2015
Fantastic day! I would recommend this - not for smaller children. A lot of swimming and activity. The crew was fabulous friendly and very up beat! The boat was spotless and the crew constantly mopped the floors and kept everything immaculate. There was a photographer on board - were able to view and buy pictures after if you wanted to. Fresh sandwiches were served along with drinks no alcohol until after snorkeling.
Review by: Alan W, October 2015
This tour is nothing like you would expect. If you are going to hang out on a boat for most of the day and drink alot then this is for you, but i personally went to see stingrays and sharks and that just did not happen. We stayed and the wyndam and it was nice to have hotel pick up because it was an hour drive to the boat dock area for this excursion so that is the only plus about this excursion. Once we got to the boat it was about 30 minutes to get to the marinarium. We docked the boat out in the middle of the ocean and you had jump out and swim about 500 feet over into the enclosure where the stingrays and sharks are. The waters were super super rough so if you are not a strong swimmer this isnt for you. When we booked this i anticipated we would see multiple stingrays and actually swim with them/touch them as well as see the sharks. Unfortunately the water was so cloudy we couldnt see a thing below us, and as far as the sting rays go, all they do is the guide picks up a stingray and makes the group get in a line and one by one we got to stand with the stingray for .5 seconds and take a photo that you cannot take yourself you must let them take the photo so you have to purchase there single 4x5 print for 15 after it is your turn for the photo you are done...there is nothing else, thats it. No more stingrays, nothing, you go back to the boat and spend the next 2-3 hours on the boat watching the crew dance to songs and try to get everyone super drunk so they can get a better tip. It was the biggest waste of money and i have done a swim with dolphin excursion before that was exceptional. So do not waste your money on this unless , like i said, you want to spend most of your day on a boat with strangers drinking and dancing. Would def not recommend if you actually are wanting to see and experience the sting rays and nurse sharks.
Review by: Vicki, October 2015
We went on this tour last year. My 80 year old dad who is in excellent health came with us this year because he wanted to cross off snorkeling from his bucket list. We all had a great time.
Review by: speedyt28, October 2015
My wife and I did this excursion on our honeymoon and we had a fantastic time! The whole trip was a lot of fun from the drinks and music on the boat ride to the snorkeling and sharks and sting rays. One crew member stood out to us, Andre. He was always helpful and even took many good pictures of us apart from the crowd. We had a blast and would definitely recommend this trip!
Review by: Max G, June 2015
This was a really awesome experience! I'd probably not recommend it for kids just because it is more of a booze cruise. Everyone was super nice and friendly
Review by: Jennifer R, January 2015
The overall excitement of finally being able to get into the water to swim with the sharks and rays was quickly taken away as we felt like we were cattle being herded through the enclosures. I would have loved it a lot more if we were able to take our time and really explore on our own.
Review by: Marty B, September 2014
Coral was all dead but was a great experience for first time snorklers
Review by: Tracy L, September 2014
What a blast! Lots of fun on the boat and a very thrilling snorkeling experience.
Review by: Corliss, August 2014
My husband and I had a WONDERFUL time on this excursion. The water is beautifully clear!! We got LOADS of underwater pictures with our camera...The staff were genuinely friendly and made sure we all had a great time. We bought the CD package and LOVED it!!! WOULD DEFINITELY ENCOURAGE ANYONE TO GO!!
Review by: Samantha W, July 2014
This trip was everything stated in the description. It was a lot of fun. However, the snorkeling portion of the trip was not long enough. I expect to be able to snorkel and then see the sharks and rays. You get to snorkel as you swim to the area where the rays are, but you have to be moving the whole time. I felt I didn't to stop to look at anything without being hurried to a different area.
Review by: Wendy C, June 2014
The experience was a good one, but based on the pictures it seemed that we would be put on the dock and then go in the tank. One of the girls with us is not a good swimmer, so being let off the boat just using a rope to get to the tanks were not the best or expected.
Review by: trulie g, May 2014
WOW! Totally loved this trip. Fantastic snorkeling on the reef first then into the Marinarium to snorkel with the nurse sharks and rays followed by a party in the ocean at a beautiful shallow area safely away from the reef. The staff were all great. Ecellent day out. It was totally fine to use your own camera apart from a staged picture oppertunity with a ray.
Review by: cord1937, April 2014
Like the tour but you did not mentioned how long your in the water. Why do they asked how well you can swim. The guy did not sure if I can swim with the strong swimmer. They did not tell me what there difference was. You did not follow through with the reservations and I told the guy on the phone that I can not use my cell phone. Lucky lots of people went and I had to asked the guy if this is the tour. He said it is and We are not on the list. Then had to call and confirm the trip. I am disappointed in your service due to lack follow up. I only book two difference trips and neither one you follow through.
Review by: Anton J, April 2014
Place was great. Getting there was a procedural nightmare. We confirmed pickup 48 hours ahead, they never picked us up. We got there on another bus and they could not find our reservation. Finally we got it worked out. Trip was wonderful. The rest was not.
Review by: Carol R, February 2014
The snorkeling and boat trip was great. Very friendly and fun staff! When I had to call to arrange a pick up I had a very difficult time communicating with the phone operator. They did not understand English very well. We had to have a hotel staff member make the call and then it still took 15 to 20 minutes to arrange a pick up time. When our driver arrived to pick us up he had our name listed wrong and after gathering other information we figured it out and were on our way. I would recommend that if you are interested in this trip you wait and arrange it after you arrive at your hotel. They have people selling excursions on location.
Review by: Kelly E, January 2014
It was excellent! The views, the boat ride, the sting rays and sharks and the crew were all great!_br/_
I am not the best of swimmer so I wasn't too sure about getting off the boat with my family to adventure off to see the sting rays and sharks, but Jefferson (one of the staff) helped me the entire time. There were fish all around us and then when we entered the shark and sting ray area, it was amazing. They were right there in front of you. Then they help you hold one of the sting rays to take a picture. I didn't like that we couldn't use our own cameras, but of course I paid the $15 for the 4x6 picture! After snorkeling, we took a boat ride down the coast - gorgeous! Then we stopped at an area that was like party boat central. Everyone was in the water and had a great time. Then there was some dancing on the boat on the way back. The staff was great and I am so thankful that Jefferson helped me because it was definitely an experience! I would highly recommend this excursion.
Review by: hollyw, October 2013
We did this during our honeymoon and it was our favorite tour. It wasn't too long or too short, we had great weather so we were able to snorkel and swim for a long time. We also were lucky enough to get paired with a fantastic tour guide - while everyone else lined up to hold a sting ray we stayed back and got to pet the sharks and rays with the guide. He took charge of our underwater camera and got a ton of great photos for us too! After the crowd started heading back to the boat he let us feed the fish and extend our snorkeling time. The entire staff was friendly and kept the drinks flowing, but the personal attention we received from him truly made this tour great. We also got our first taste of coco loco on this tour. I would highly recommend this trip for anyone looking to have a unique snorkeling experience and likes to have a good time, probably not the best excursion for children since it is a party atmosphere. I would also recommend making friends with your guide, you'll get a much better experience if you do! Oh, we also purchased their picture cd and it so-so, but we got better photos on our own camera thanks to the guide. We did not purchase the sting ray picture - it was $15 for ONE photo - didn't seem worth it to us. (disclaimer - the tour company does not encourage or condone what our guide let us do and our experience is not typical... however, if you are an experienced swimmer and befriend your guide you might get the little extra... don't forget to tip generously, guides can get in trouble for those sort of things!!!)
Review by: Marilyn B, June 2013
So so fun and professional
Review by: Kerry M, January 2013
The on boat and in the water part of this tour was outstanding. The crew were great and incredibly entertaining. The only issue we had was with the confirmation of the tour once we arrived in Punta Cana. A little confusing and thankfully our Air Transat tour operator was able to help us out.
Review by: Brad C, January 2013
We all had a great time!
Review by: Zhao W, January 2013
we did not even see the shark during this event!!!
Review by: James V, December 2012
This was by far the best excursion we have taken in a long time. The staff was extremely helpful and fun and swimming in the ocean with the sting rays and nurse sharks and other fish was very cool and memorable. Everything from the transportation to the cataraman were excellent.
Review by: Stacey R, November 2012
Not worth the money, people were great but we went on a day when the ocean was a little choppy and were rushed in and out, aside from holding the sting ray for 10 seconds so they could take an over priced photo we were unable to see anything. Totally bummed out, save your money!
Review by: Sylvia J, October 2012
This was a great experience!!! There are no words for coming face to face with a shark (with no barriers). The crew's main objective was to make sure everyone was having a good time and that they did!!! I give it two thumbs up!!!
Review by: natalie t, October 2012
I still give this 5 stars although it was raining ....very scary to be out in the ocean with lightning and thunderstorm going on. Our snorkel time was cut short due to that ...we re boarded the boat and basically cruised along the shore line for 2 hrs. Lots of booze, loud music and fresh fruit and make your own finger sandwich. This is not an excursion for families. My boyfriend and I are in our 30's so we had a blast.
Review by: Anthony A, July 2012
Great time, we had Grandma and Grandpa in 60's, kids in mid 30's and grandkids 6 and 3, we all had a fantastic time and will do again on our next trip to Punta Cana.
Review by: mceuba, July 2012
Excursion was as advertised. Staff seemed to turn on smiles during the group interaction periods and then turn them off when it came time for individual interaction. Overall, we enjoyed our excursion.
Review by: SHARON H, May 2012
Excellent!!!!
Review by: Janelle M, May 2012
Lots of fun, a truly unique experience! Everything was wonderful, everyone so friendly. My one bit of advice: best to bring your own snorkeling gear.
Review by: shane t, April 2012
it was a great time - except at the end where there was a huge cost for the photos. This was disappointing since the activities, stops and experience with the sharks and Rays were alot of fun.
Review by: E.P.B. H, February 2012
Despite some showers good trip, swimming with the sharks and rays was fun. I would have been satisfied if that was it, the additional "party-cruise" was not needed for me.
Review by: jeffrey b, August 2011
this was a very good experience. we were able to snorkel in the open ocean (but very safe) and also went into the pens where the sharks and rays are kept. it was pretty cool to see them swimming below you. The crew on the boat were fabulous. kept you entertained and well informed of the rules.
Review by: glacher, July 2011
This was our second trip to the Marinarium. It was just as good this time.
Review by: Chief Hotwheels, April 2011
This was our favorite excursion. We got on the boat went to the second level and got some lounge chairs and relaxed as we we travelled along the coastline to our destination. We then snorkled around to the stingray and nurse shark compound. This was a delight as we took pictures with a stingray and then got back into the pen and snorkled with the sharks and stingray for about a 1/2 hour taking underwater pics. We then got back onto the boat and had some sandwitches and some drinks on our way to an oasis for more drinks they had a floating bar. It was heaven._br/_
We then got back on the boat and travelled along the coastline back to the dock. Manuella was a great host and the trip was very relaxing. Would do it again.
Review by: Julie B, United States of America, April 2010
Thought the staff was very helpfull and friendly. The whole experience from the pick up time to drop time went great!
Review by: Joseph J, United States of America, March 2008
This excursion would have been nice if we could have spent more time withthe sharks and sting rays. I think our total time in the water was only 30 minutes. It took a good 5-10 minutes to swim around the boat and get into the 'pen'. There were about 30 people ahead of us and we were last. If you have small children, be aware there is a very slight current. A current, nonetheless. Do get a set of fins from the boat! They have them. At least, one parent should have a set of fins to 'help' the kids. The extra foot-power is good to have. The crew was good. The snacks were dry sandwiches. The alcohol was limited.
Review by: Rudy A, United States of America, December 2007
What a fabulous fun time! You make everyone feel like family!
RSS Feed