Catalina Island or Isla Catalina is a tropical island located 1.5 miles from the mainland on the south-east corner of the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean Sea. The island is formed out of coral stone and sits on three overlapping plateaus resting 60 feet above sea level. The Island is a popular destination for divers and snorkelers, the Wall and the Aquarium being two sites just off the island shores.
The rich coral ecosystems and diverse fish life provide wonder and discovery for swimmers of all skill level. The water is crystal clear allowing for optimal site distance. Divers interested in shipwrecks will enjoy the site of the 1699 Quedagh Merchane, an Armenian ship commissioned by the French to transport goods and was shipwrecked, considered lost at sea.
I took a snorkeling tour booked through the Resort in Punta Cana Bavarro Beach leaving at 7:30am and returning at 6pm. The bus was comfortable, cruising through vast sugarcane fields, natives on mopeds and in trucks full of field workers with their materials passed the bus with ease. I had a lovely chat with a Young German couple who had just married and were backpacking through the World before settling their lives back in Germany. One of the things I love about travel is hearing the stories of fellow jet setters and globetrotters.
We arrived at a passenger landing station where we were given safety instructions and shuffled onto boats headed to the Island. There were equal numbers of divers and snorkelers. This is the perfect excursion if you happen to be traveling in mixed company. While the divers swim to deeper waters, snorkelers are left to explore the shallow reefs.
After a beautiful 30 minute boat ride, the boat stopped in the shallow waters just off the Island and attached to an underwater anchor station. The two groups split up and after watching the divers make their way to their spot, I jumped off the boat. The sun makes the colors of the reef more vibrant. Fan coral appears to be waving delicately in the under currant and small sea animals crawl in and out of the tube coral. The water is just so clear, visibility is incredible and always the perfect temperature at 75 degrees. I spent an hour or so floating above the reef watching colorful fish dart this way and that.
Soon after, the divers were back and the boats head to shore to drop off the snorkelers. The divers go back out for a deeper dive where snorkeling is not safe. Snorkelers continue their adventures from the beach.
The Island has a restaurant and a bar serving all inclusive fruity rum drinks. After procuring one such fruity rum drink, I went down to the water and sat in the shallows. There are no big waves on the beach here because of the way the reef is positioned, so the floating in the beach area is like sitting in a natural hot tub. I loved lazing along with my fruity rum drink watching the privately owned boats make anchor close to shore, jumping off to snorkel around the reef. After an hour or so, the divers were back and a lunch of chicken, rice and vegetable dishes was served buffet style in the restaurant. There are vendors on the beach in a separate area, so bring both local and US currency if you plan to take home a souvenir.
After lunch, everyone enjoyed more fruity rum drinks, shopping and lounging on the beach for a couple of hours before heading back to the boat for the return trip. It was late afternoon at this point, a storm was approaching so the ride back was quite choppy. If you are prone to seasickness, bring medicine just in case. Many people got sick on the way back. The sugar cane plants glistened in the rain on the way back to the resort. Still, It was the perfect day.
Look for future posts on the Dominican Republic including a review on Barcelo Resorts in the near future.
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