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Bavaro Runners Safari Adventure - Punta Cana, Bayahibe, Samana — 20 First Class Fishing - Punta Cana — 14 Manati Park - Punta Cana — 5 Mike's Marina Fishing Charters - Punta Cana — 19 Ocean World Adventure Park -Cofresi (Puerto Plata) — 25 Outback Jungle Safari - Puerto Plata, Punta Cana, Juan Dolio — 26 Puerto Plata Runners Safari Adventure - Puerto Plata — 2 Punta Cana Explorer - Snorkeling on a Panga Boat — 2 Zipline Adventure - Punta Cana — 4  Don't forget to send Debbie a review on your return
Click here for many more reviews! of other tours and things to do. |
We strongly urge you to book your tours with qualified & reputable firms. Ask questions about all tours and |
| Punta Cana Explorer - Snorkeling on a Panga Boat | David and Monique |
What a great trip! Fishing was awesome, we caught a 50lb Mahi Mahi. Wow, so exciting to real in a big fish! I would recommend this adventure to all except this trip is not for the wimps due to the big waves...Water was rough. Must have a strong stomach!
| Punta Cana Explorer - Snorkeling on a Panga Boat | Tim & Melisa |
I just wanted to let people know that our group decided that out of all their excursions the "Snorkeling out on the Panga Boat" was the best by far!!! We all talked about how much FUN we had with Punta cana explorer that day!!! Thank You just doesn't seem to be enough for the awesome memories!!! So thank you so very much!!!!!
| Zip Line Adventure | Alexis ~ Halifax NS |
We did the zip lining offered with Bavaro tours. This was AMAZING! There is a bus that comes to pick you up, then goes to other resorts to pick up other people for your tour. The ziplining is held up in the mountains so it's about 1.5hrs or so to drive up there. It's great to go through the communities and farmland and see how the locals live. I would absolutely recommend this tour. The employees are VERY knowledgeable and very reassuring. One person who went with us was terrified of heights, but they did a great job talking to her and calming her down so that she could get the confidence to do the ziplining which was very rewarding. Soon there will be longer ziplines to go on in the next few months, so I can't wait to go back!
| Zip Line Adventure | Joanna ~ BeaverBank Nova Scotia |
This was so much fun! I was a little scared at first but after the first platform it was a breeze. The staff really know what they are doing, no worries in that department at all. I will do this tour again the next I am in Punta Cana; it is well worth the money and a great experience. Actually we were told after the tour that they are looking into adding more platforms, higher and longer…can’t wait!
| Zip Line Adventure | Angie |
We went on the Bavaro Zipline Adventure . It was awesome. They were very safe and nice. Our guide that rode the bus with us to the Zip line place was named Stevenson. He gave lots of information and helped reassure the little ones that were going on the zip line that it was very safe.
| Zip Line Adventure | Heather |
We did the Zipline Adventure and loved it. I highly recommend this excursion; it was a lot of fun.
| First Class Fishing | Cheri & Rich |
I had the pleasure of meeting Peter and Claude after our fishing trip. They were excellent representatives for First Class Fishing Charters. Our captain, Carlos, was fun and entertaining. This was my first experience deep sea fishing and came away with a nice Mahi Mahi. That was very exciting. I would recommend First Class Fishing Charters to my friends. It was a great experience.
| First Class Fishing | Bruce |
Our fishing experience was a fun adventure .
The Boat ,Captain and mate were 1st class.
we went as 2 family's with 2 teenage girls and could not believe the
fish we caught.
It was a great time for all and hope to do it again the next time we
are there....thanx
| First Class Fishing | Thomas ~ Saint Louis, MO |
During the week of January 27, 2008 I had the pleasure of using the services of First Class Fishing in Punta Cana for three 4-hour charters-- Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Especially nice was the pickup and return to the hotel where I was staying. The driver was always courteous and on time.
When I awoke on Tuesday morning, I knew we would be in for a tough day. The wind was blowing at full force as evidenced by the palm trees bending. Of the five persons on the shared charter, two were seasick before we even cleared the reef. We fished on the Shenika (?) with Capt. Jose but were unable to catch any fish that day due in large part to the tremendous wind and waves. The trolling lines were so bowed from the force of the wind that it was a wonder they did not become fouled. I was encouraged, however, when First Class Fishing's boat Intrepid returned with 3 nice mahi mahi. I knew that Thursday would be better.
On Thursday morning, the wind was blowing, but not as bad as on Tuesday. Again we had a 5 person shared charter on the Shenika. Shortly after clearing the reef, we hooked a yellowfin tuna. After boating it, we continued trolling. Two of the passengers became seasick. Later we hooked a mahi mahi and then mayhem broke out. All the rods had fish on. The mate, Michael, proved very adept at lifting rods over and around other rods and no fish were lost. In addition to bringing the fish into the boat, Michael also was able to rebait and return the bait to the water. We ended up catching 9 mahi mahi weighing from 10 to 25 lbs. Most were about 20 lbs. We were also fortunate to see two whales.
On Saturday afternoon I shared a 4 person charter on the Intrepid. Franklin was the skipper and we had two mates. Again it was windy, but not as bad as Tuesday. Throughout the afternoon I was impressed with the skill of the captain and mates as they went about their duties. We boated four nice mahi mahi which averaged 25 lbs. We saw another whale leap out of the water. We had a chance at a wahoo, but he sliced through the bait just missing the hook.
I had fished the Pacific coast of Mexico before, but this was our first trip to Punta Cana. It will not be our last! I heartily recommend First Class Fishing. Peter responded to our e-mail request for information by telephone within minutes of sending the e-mail. He and Claudel were very courteous and gracious. The boats were very clean and the crews skilled and friendly.
I would definitely recommend that anyone taking a charter use dramamine one hour before departing. Not doing so can make what should be a very enjoyable outing a very memorable one--for the wrong reason!
Another bonus of shared charters is the opportunity to meet people from other countries. I met very nice folks from the USA, Canada, England, Russia, and France.
Being from Saint Louis, MO, I wore my STL Cardinal hat which many Dominicans admired (not because of me but because of Albert Puhols, a native of the Dominican Republic). Claudel, I promise to bring some Cardinal hats when I return!
| First Class Fishing | Heather & Aaron ~ British Columbia |
On Nov 12th my husband and I went deep sea fishing with First Class Fishing Charters, we did a 4 hr shared charter with 4 other people. I started looking into it on the computer and sent them an email asking about availability, to my surprise they phoned me in Canada. I think we paid about -$25 less per person booking it from home. They picked us up and dropped us off at our hotel. We found them to be very friendly and professional. Unfortunately we were both a bit sea sick, they said it wasn't unusually rough but the waves seamed large. Next time I'll bring gravol.
We did catch a 98 lb Blue Marlin. It was very exciting and very tiring trying to get it into the boat. Well worth the work though!!
My only complaint is for the ladies, the toilet is very tiny and only about a foot off the floor, takes skill on a rocking boat.
I would highly recommend First class fishing!
| First Class Fishing | Ron ~ Ontario |
Just a quick note to say what a great time we had with First Class Fishing Charter, we rented two boats from them and they took out 14 of my friends.
I found them on the web on booked them online before coming down, the price was right, the service was door to door from the Majestic Colonial, and we saved a lot of money over the Hotel price.
My son who has never been deep sea fishing landed a 50lb Sword Fish for the thrill of a lifetime, and the other boat landed 2 Mai Mai
The name says it all, First Class all the way, Peter and Claudel did a great job of putting this together and please pass on my thanks to the boys.
I will be coming back to DR in Jan 08 for another 2 weeks and will definitely use them again.
| First Class Fishing | Capt Dave, Sherill, Capt Bob, Anne, Kenny, Barb, Charlie and Connie (the fish catcher) |
First Class Fishing Charters, Our trip was a great time! Capt Moreno and Roberto got our group on the fishing spots, we were the only boat to catch fish that day. Even with seas between 10 to 12 feet (Dominican Republic 2-4 feet) our Capt kept the boat steady and we were able to enjoy our trip. Thanks to the entire First Class Fishing team!!
| First Class Fishing | TJ James |
I would like to take this opportunity to submit this testimony with respect to my recent experience with Claudel and First Class Fishing Charters located in Punta Cana, DR. I am the owner of a high-end custom homebuilding firm and I travel with my wife and two sons fishing from the Outer Banks, Florida Keys, and most of the Caribbean including the Bahamas, Honduras, Caymans, Jamaica, Mexico, Belize, Northern Antilles, US Virgin Islands and BVI’s. We fish from deep-sea to back water tarpon and bone fishing.
This was the first trip we had all taken to Punta Cana and were in search of a knowledgeable firm to keep in tune with the high expectations that we perpetually have, having been spoiled by some of the best of the best operating in the Caribbean. We, unfortunately for some firms, are a family of seasoned and very experienced fishermen, and know when we are with professionals and when firms attempt to take you for the proverbial ride.
In my business, I cater to the elite and “who’s who” and must say that we were catered to and treated as more than clients, but as friends. We were completely and absolutely astonished by the degree of professionalism that Claudel and First Class Fishing Charters exhibited. They far exceeded our expectations and made every effort to ensure that our fishing trip a successful one. Our first mates constantly changed baits and kept busy trying different rigs to catch various fish. (Many just sit back and let the rod sleep, only occasionally checking on a rod’s line and bait here or
there) Their workmanship was flawless and at the same time effortless, a sign of true pros. They insisted upon themselves to keep baits clean, fresh and organized. In no time, we landed one of the nicest bull-head dolphins I can remember. We continued landing the fish famed as Mahi-Mahi and immediately upon our return our fresh catch was then immediately prepared for us at the area’s anchor restaurant located adjacent to First Class Fishing’s beach front office, Captain Cook’s restaurant. Again, the personnel were courteous, professional and friendly. The dolphin melted in your mouth and we sought nothing more than a hammock when finishing our beautifully prepared meal. Many can and have claimed experience in their slogans, advertised satisfaction in their brochures all at the same time charging exorbitant amounts for a gimmick outing. First Class Fishing is exactly as they call themselves, First Class. Nothing more and certainly nothing less. If you are remotely considering a fishing trip while in the Punta Cana area, or are looking for a destination to fish, you would be doing a disservice to yourself and your group if you did not retain this firm to pamper you as they did to me and my family. We were sad to leave Punta Cana, mostly in part by leaving the new additions (First Class
Fishing) to our extended family. They are the type of outfit that makes sure to know you on a personal level. I know that I could call on them next year and they are the type to not only remember you and all of your family’s names, but all the stories you had both shared and places that you have fished before. We constantly call upon firms throughout the Caribbean and they immediately recognize us and we have regular captains/crew. Similarly, Claudel and his staff are ones that will also remember you and your family and treat you, well, First Class. Again, we were saddened to leave, but were comforted in the thoughts of our eventual return to Punta Cana and the endless smiles from all of our friends at First Class Fishing Charters.
| First Class Fishing | Cynthia ~ Alabama USA |
Our July 4th 2007 vacation was great on the first class fishing boat. We started out our day with 7 people on the boat all wanting to catch fish. Luckily we hooked a Blue Marlin fairly quickly and it was a large one. We worked that fish for probably an hour and a half before finally getting it into the boat. My daughter caught that one with a little help from her boyfriend. We trolled for a while and were worried that we would not catch another one, when finally another blue marlin on the line. Awesome.I was a jumper and got it all on camcorder. It was successfully brought into the boat. Then within a short period of time we hooked a white marlin and what a beautiful fish it was. It was also a jumper and it was brought into the boat.
Next we hooked 3 Mahi Mahi all at one time. 3 Mahi mahi were successfully brought into the boat and they were cooked for us and a great supper feast. You can't go wrong fishing with these people. They really put out an effort to catch the fish. They worked very hard for us. We will fish with them again next year for our vacation. Great people to fish with. Special Thanks to First Class Fishing....
| First Class Fishing | Greg ~ Toronto, Ontario |
On May 17th, 2007 we experienced our first taste of deep sea fishing via First Class Fishing. We were on a family trip to the Dominican Republic to celebrate my father's 50th birthday, and as his gift, due to his passion for fishing, we decided to take him deep sea fishing.
I selected First Class Fishing for several reasons, one for the well laid out website, and second for the fact that I could pay via Paypal which is a secure and safe method for a deposit in a foreign country. I wanted to make a deposit well in advance to make sure we got what we wanted.
Our group which included (3) fishermen, my brother, my father and myself and (2) observers / photographers, my wife and my mother had a private 4 hour charter in the morning.
The excursion started by being picked up promptly at our resort, and a short drive later we were on the beach and getting ready to get in our boat. Once on the boat we met our Captain and the first mate who were both very friendly. After a short ride out to sea during which the first mate prepared all the rods, we started trolling with 4 rods off the back and one up where the captain sits. Not long after all the lines were in, the mayhem started. One line had something on, then another, then another, then another. All (3) of us had a line, the first mate was holding a line and then the captain had something on his line. It was crazy, we hit a school of Dorado. Once the 3 of us got our fish in, the crew passed over the remaining 2 fishing rods that still had fish on them so that we could reel those fish in as well. This process repeated until we were done. We ended up getting (7) good size Dorado which were in (2) separate batches, and we would have caught a lot more if we had remembered to take the motion sickness pills before going. The water was not too rough, but not being on the water too often in our normal lives a few of us were feeling sick near the end so we cut the trip about an hour short. If you don't do a lot of boating I would recommend taking the pills to be on the safe side. Even with the shortened time, we were all more than satisfied with the experience.
I strongly recommend First Class fishing. The crew was fantastic, there were plenty of fish and we all had a great experience.
| First Class Fishing | Jason ~ Fox Creek Outfitter, Richland, County IL |
Debbie, Peter and Platel,
Just a quick email to let you know what a great time we had fishing with your gang. We arrived on the afternoon of 15th. We werepicked up at our hotel by your van and driver. He was on time to the minute. He was very curtious and freindly. His first question to us was were we ready to catch fish. Of course our answer was a heartfelt yes. We charted a 4 hour afternnon chater for just the 2 of us, (Tina and myself), she says it is because I don't share very well. I might agree a lttle. We drove to the Marina and were met at the shop with 2 white marlin hanging from the morning outting. I was excited to say the least. We started out with 15 min of arriving at the marina. 7 miles out from shore the line went in the water.
I was amazed at how well the first mate ran the poles and kept everything neat and clean. 10 minutes into the trip and the right rod went ripping tthrought the water. I could tell Tina was excited but wanted me to catch the first fish. 15 minutes later we had a beautiful Darado aboard. First one down. We trolled throught the beautiful waters and enjoyed the warm sun all the time talking with our captian and first mate. The boat the Intrepido was beautiful. As we trolled along we saw birds dipping into the water. I had been deep sea fishing before and knew this was a good sign. I saw our captain turn the boat toward the birdas and 100 yards past them 4 poles all went off. We watched as 4 Darado took our baits. I grabbed the first rod Tina the second, the captain the third and our first mate the fourth. He ended up losing his but the rest of us worked our fish and he landed them for each of us. What an exciting adventure. I would love to come back again soon. We have already discussed our return trip to Punta Cana next year, and of course there will be only one Charter service for us.
Thanks to everyone and good fishing.
Jason ~ Fox Creek Outfitter, Richland, County IL
| First Class Fishing | Chad |
My name is chad johnson and i was on a half day fishing trip on may 3rd. Myself and another person that was fishing along with 2 people that were watching were pickup in the morning on time and were taken to where First Class Fishing departs for their boats. The people were great and helpful for the final payment for the trip and we were underway momentarily. The captain kept the boat moving for us when we were hooked up with fish and the deck hands were excellent. I have spent alot of time on the water and these guys did their jobs and kept the lines clear, bait stayed fresh and kept us in the fish. We brought in 4 mahi mahi (dorado) and I finaly got to bring in a marlin. That was my goal and I finaly got to do it. It was alittle on the pricey side, but after I brought in the marlin it was worth it. I had a great experience and would recommend anyone wa nting to go fishing to look these guys up.
| First Class Fishing | Norberto ~ Buenos Aires |
On march 29,we went aboard the "Shekinah",having the pleasure of meeting for the first time,captain Manuel and his first mate Cachelo. We had the humble idea of getting a reasonable ammount of amusement,but oh Lord,we discovered with great surprise,that reality enormously exceeded our previous best expectations.
From the begining we were impressed by the courtesy of the crew as well as of the quality of the available tackle. We started as an appettizer with one "bonito" and afterwards with a sizeable pair of "albacoras". After a very short time of calm,we met the real action. "Dorados"!!!!!;during a couple of hours uninteruptedly we were able to catch sixteen,weighing the smallest about twentyfive pounds, and the largest almost seventy. The fight with this last, took us a little bit more than thirty minutes to finally handle it on board.
During four times the golden fish tried to get rid of us with rushes of about a hundred yards,jumping vigorously in a defiant attitude.We had the fortune that the fish was unsuccessful.
We finally decided to return,having the plesure to meet Peter Guerrero and his team at our arrival.
Now again in Buenos Aires, we are loking forward to be back in Dominicana by the middle of next august,to try the blue marlin,and hoping to enjoy another superb fishing experience.Norberto
| First Class Fishing | The Peebles Family ~ Montana USA |
Wow, what a fantastic vacation to the Dominican Republic - I only wish we would have utilized Peter with “First Class Fishing” during the whole trip! He knows the Dominican area like the back of his hand. Peter and his crew were so honest and accommodating…it made our trip extra special.
Now, for the fishing excursions! We booked Peter’s 42 foot charter to ourselves and set out for our 2nd ever deep sea fishing adventure. We were a little skeptical, because the first time we went deep sea fishing the only thing that was caught, was my 21 year old son hooked a giant sea turtle! They picked us up right in the lobby of our hotel and returned us afterward…talk about service! Well, the boat trip started out pretty rocky, although no fault of the captain and his crew…we had 4 men and 4 women aboard and by the first mile out…3 of the women were violently sea sick. We kept on and they slept the rest of the trip. We hooked a while marlin, but couldn’t get the hook completely set. After an hour or so, we got into the Mahi-Mahi and it was so awesome. With 6 lines out, all of them had 25-30 lb. fish on them. It was the coolest thing I’ve seen in fishing. The lines were all mixed up, but the crew managed to untangle them with fineness and we had finally had our first ever fish on board!
We had so much fun the first trip, that we booked a 2nd trip with Peter and First Class Fishing for another afternoon two days later. Although we had several chances to land Marlin, we just couldn’t get it done. The group did get to see their first ever whale, which was really cool.
My husband left $2000 worth of video equipment in Peter’s taxi van and was so worried about not seeing it again, he couldn’t think about fishing, but when he got back to shore is told Peter what had happened, never expecting to see our vacation pictures again, but Peter located his driver; and he found the equipment and delivered it personally to our hotel…what can I say…Peter you and your crew are the best!
If we ever make it back to the Dominican Republic, we will contact you right from the get go…thanks for the wonder memories!
| First Class Fishing | Tim ~ West Virginia, United States |
Let me begin with a little back ground on our 2007 trip to Bavaro Beach, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. My wife and I were scheduled to be married October 21, 2006 in Cancun Mexico, accompanied by 40 family and friends, when the unthinkable Hurricane Wilma struck land and destroyed the beaches and resorts of Cancun. Our travel agent suggested the alternate destination of Punta Cana, DR, which none in the group had been to. The entire trip was rescheduled for a week later and 38 people still able to attend vactioned to Punta Cana for a wedding and a week of relaxation. The trip was such a success that everyone wanted to return again.
So we did .... 40 people from West Virginia, Florida, and New York, all friends and family returning to Punta Cana in February 2007. Throughout the months leading up to the trip several of the men going discussed a Deep Sea Fishing Trip, but we never had time to make any definate plans.
Two (2) days before our departure I was on Debbie's Dominican Travel Forum, which is a great source of information, and several people had mentioned First Class Fishing in Punta Cana. So I found the First Class Fishing website and sent an information and reservation request stating that I knew it was short notice, but I was seeking information and possibly a reservation for 10 people for a private fishing charter during our 1 week stay.
Within 15 minutes, Peter and Claudel called me back and prividing me with information, scheduling times, and costs. They then sent me a confirmation email with deposit information and within a total of 30 minutes we were booked for a 4 Hour Private Charter in the Beautiful waters of Bavaro Beach Punta Cana.
We scheduled a morning fishing trip on the 4th day of our stay, and I was instructed to call Peter and Claudel upon arrival at our resort to confirm pick-up times. The day came and at 8:10 a.m . 10 men walked to the front of our resort and there was our shuttle service, greeting us with a smile and asking us if we were ready to catch some fish. Of course the answer was yes. The 10 minute shuttle ride from our resort ended and we arrive to the fishing port area where several boats were being prepared by hard working staff. The beer, water, and ice we had asked for was loaded into coolers and one by one we were assisted onto the 42 foot fishing vessel and the excitement was in the air. We were told that the same boat the day before had an 18 foot shark circling the boat and the Captain wanted to catch it. As were were intoduced to the Captain and First Mate, who's nickname was "Catch" we could see that they were an experienced crew, eager to make sure that we had a good time. They instructed us that they would begin dropping lines at 2 miles out to sea for top water fish, and then continue trolling until we hit about 5 or 6 miles off shore. As we hit about 2 miles the boat was surrounded by Flying Fish and the thought of realing in a big one was in all of our heads. As we trolled through the waters the crew was very friendly and answered any questions that we had as well as asked a few of their own about the United States. A few of us commented to "Catch" that the Captain must love him because he never stopped working. Whether he was baiting hooks, swabbing the decks, stretching out down riggers, or passing beverages, he was always on the move. We trolled around for awhile and then the crew began to see a few sea birds circling over what they believed to be a school of fish. We began tracking the bird and a nearby boat could be seen realing in a large fish. Then BAMB ..... we had a fish on the line. My uncle Mark Villars jumped into his seat as "Catch" handed him the pole and got him ready for the fight. Within a few minutes a beatiful aqua blue Mahe Mahe could be seen and "Catch" was hooking the fish into the boat, and then into the dry well. As Mark caught his breath and reached for a cold beer, BAMB .... Another hit, and our family friend Jeff jumped into the seat to real in another one. As Jeff was realing a third Mahe Mahe could be seen follwing his catch towards the surface we all thought we would have another catch at the same time. The third fish dove back down into the water and we then focused back on Jeff realing in his fish. Again "Catch" hooked the fish right into the boat and into the well. It calmed down fora minute and then before we knew it it was time to head back to shore. "Catch" began cleaning the fish and picking up lines and working hard as he had done all day as we celebrated. We offered for him to join in for his hard work, and he stated that he would celebrate later that night. We returned to shore with two (2)-- 18/20 pound Mahee Mahee and the trip was well worth it. As we hit the sand, there was Peter and Claudel to greet us an ensure that our trip was a success. And the answer was YES !!!
I would also like to add that there is a great Restaraunt at the Fishing Port called Captain Cooks, which Peter suggested to us for dinner. We brought around 12 or 14 people back there for dinner and Peter was gracious enough to have us picked up by boat at the beach of our resort and door to door service directly to the restaraunt. It was the best meal we had eaten all week .... Thank you Peter !!!
The Staff and Crews at First Class Fishing definately live up to their name and reputation, in experience knowledge, and customer service, friendliness, and just going above and beyond what they have to to ensure that anyone who charters with First Class Fishing at Bavaro Beach Punta Cana will have a great time and return again and again for a great fishing experience.
Thank You First Class Fishing (Peter & Claudel)
Mike's Marina Fishing Charters Website
| Mike's Marina Fishing Charters | Brian |
I wanted to share with you my experience in DR. We had a week planned at the Club Med in Punta Cana. Our stay was great. Before we left I scheduled a four hour charter fishing trip with Mike's for the family.
The price was steep at $650 for four hours but I was convinced that it would be a wonderful experience for my wife and two children. We were picked up at the hotel promptly at 8:00 and arrived at the marina shortly after where we were greeted by Mike. We had two crew members (Julio and Julio) who could speak very little English. Overall we had a four hour boat ride as we did not catch a thing. I am well aware that this is a risk. However, at $650 I had to say this was the largest disappointment of the weeks trip to DR. Upon our return we were just told sorry and put on a van to return to Club Med.
Very disappointing experience.
| Mike's Marina Fishing Charters | Steve |
Mike, my wife and I had a great time on your charter. I caught a 45lbs. Dorado and my wife caught one that was 80lbs. My only complaint was at the end they wouldn?t give me the fish to take home. When I asked one of your Captains he told me that it wasn?t his decision. I would suggest that you let people know that up front, because I have chartered many other places in the world and never had that happen to me before. That almost ruined my trip, but if I would have known it up front I still would have fished with your company. In other words, I felt deceived and that was too bad. I hope this gives you perspective of an honest customer
| Mike's Marina Fishing Charters | Brad |
Mikesmarina - booked before I left - they picked my son and husband up from the beach. My son is 6 and this is his third time with Mikes Marina. This year he caught a barracuda. His friend caught a grouper and apparently a couple big ones got away!!!! This is his high light every year. Now you have to know I walked down the beach and was late coming back. So we usually do catch and release. My son was so excited that he saved the fish. When I came back from my walk and into the resort he pulled the fish from under his chair and ran to me!! Everyone was laughing! I was glad! Because him running with that fish will be a laughable memory I will never forget! Thanks Mike! like usual your the best!!!
| Mike's Marina Fishing Charters | John ~ Brooklin, Ontario |
What a great time we had ! Everything was top quality, right from the boat and equipment to your very experienced first mate and captain. The crew worked so very hard to make the trip so memorable for all of us - we had a lot of fun ! This excursion was certainly the highlight of our trip - and to land a wahoo and a king mackerel was the bonus !!
Thank you for being able to accommodate us - we all had such a great time.
| Mike's Marina Fishing Charters | Joe |
The reason why I returned to Mike's Marina is that I really get to enjoy myself. I don't have to worry about anything. I don't have to worry about getting to my hotel from the airport. The hotel accomodations are really nice and the people are friendly. The location is pretty. I had fun hanging out at the bar where I met new people.
The fishing was a blast. Besides the fishing drinks and snacks were provided. As I said, I didn't have to worry about anything. All I had to do was relax and have a great time. And Mike is a really great guy!
| Mike's Marina Fishing Charters | Jared ~ Alberta, Canada |
My wife and I just wanted to report back on our experience we had fishing with Mike’s Marina. The pressure to go fishing with other companies is great. Everyone wants you to go fishing with them and they will lower their rates to make it very tempting. However, we took the advice from Pete’s web site “Punta Cana Information Guide” to only go with Mike’s Marina even if they hold to a higher price. We are so glad we did. While the other fishing companies may take you for a fun trip out into the ocean, Mike’s Marina employ dedicated fishermen who want to catch a fish just a much as you do. We were there to catch fish and with Mike’s you get what you pay for. If we wanted a fun tour of the ocean we would have booked the sunset cruise with the Hotel. We are proud to say that Mike’s did what they setout to do. We caught in just a 4 hour trip: a dorado and a huge blue marlin (192” and 180Lbs). The experience was one we will never forget and made our first trip to the Dominican absolutely legendary. My sincere thanks to the crew aboard the Shekinah (Manuel and Catch) as well as everyone at Mikes Marina that where so accommodating, helpful and professional. We will go with Mike’s the next time we go back to Punta Cana and know that we will have a wonderful experience as a result.
Just a tip to a the skeptics: If you’re still not sure which fishing company to go with just spend a few days on the beach, as I did, watching the fishing boats come in. When a fishing boat catches a fish the crew will proudly put a small color-coded flag up to indicate what and how many fish were caught on that particular trip. You’ll notice a trend as I did. Mikes ships are pretty much the only ones with flags coming in to the marina with very few exceptions. The hotel bookings never reported success during my two week stay.
| Mike's Marina Fishing Charters | Dieter |
I wanted to send a note about my great experience fishing with Mike in Punta Cana. I had a great time and was very impressed with the all of the services that Mike provided. Mike took care of every little detail from picking up and dropping off at the airport, letting me use his computer for emailing at his office, picking me up and dropping me off for fishing, taking great pictures and emailing them too me after the trip, and making himself available to make my experience as enjoyable as possible. The fishing was great also! I had a blast fishing with Mike, Captain Manuel, and mate Catch. They were all friendly, accommodating, very knowledgeable, and professional. I think they were more excited than me (which I didn't think was possible), when I caught my first ever marlin. I can't wait to come back!
| Mike's Marina Fishing Charters | John |
My son and I recently took a trip along with his friend and his father to punta cana specifically to charter a boat for a fishing trip. After reviewing numerous charter options I chose Mike from Mike's Marina to service us for three days of fishing for white and blue marlin. Mike assured me that he would take care of transportation to and from airport/hotel and to the charter boat.
From the moment we arrived off the plane Mike and his driver Richard were there awaiting our arrival. Without hesitation we loaded our bags and were off on a safe ride to our resort. Not once were we dissapointed with the transportation, his drivers were always on time from the beginning to the end of our trip in Punta Cana.
We charted one of Mike's 42 foot boats for three days with the same captain and first mate throughout. Like all of Mike's workers they were very friendly and accomodating, speaking English to us and making sure that we were comfortable. Within three beautiful days on Mike's boat we caught Blue Marlin, White Marlin, and Mahi Mahi.
All four of us were totally satisfied with Mike's service. We are now planning another trip to Punta Cana to again fish with Mike's Marina in a Blue Marlin Fishing Tournement in August. I would recommend Mike's Marina to anyone looking to go fishing in Punta Cana. Whether you are looking to take just a days trip out on one of the boats or planning your trip around fishing, Mike's Marina is your best bet. Not only did he provide us with an outstanding and successful fishing experience but he was even there to show us around beautiful Punta Cana after hours.
| Mike's Marina Fishing Charters | Leo |
Just wanted to drop you a line to let you know what a great time we had on our full day charter on Mike's boat "Intrepido".
I fish quite extensively from New Jersey (USA) to Maine. Recently I had a charter in Hawaii. Our 5/20/07 trip with Mike's guys was by far the most enjoyable day on the water I've ever had! The fishing was great, the crew was great, we even had a bonus watching several whales off and on! The four of us caught 15 nice Dorado, a Wahoo, and had a Blue Marlin check out our spread but he wouldn't eat.
We plan on visiting the Dominican again in 2009, and I can't wait to book a day with Mike!
| Mike's Marina Fishing Charters | Andrew |
Jason and I had a blast fishing aboard the Shekinah with Manuel and Catch! Looking forward to coming back to the D.R. and fishing with you in the future! May 5: Both of us hungover and tired so we decided to "take it easy" the first day of fishing due to wind and sea conditions. We boated 2 dolphin fish and 2 albacore in the first 4 hours. We raised 2 white marlin and hooked 1 on a "skipped" ballyhoo! Jason was able to subdue and land the 80lb white in under 20 minutes with a "quick release" completed boatside by mate Catch! Fished for several more hours before calling it due to wind/seas. May 6: With absolute ideal sea conditions we decided to target white marlin with flyfishing tackle. Ran "hookless" teasers of skirted ballyhoo on both flat lines, a daisy chain of squid on center line and pulled the fender teaser off left transom. Raised 4 white marlin throughout the day and Catch successfully "teased" one close enough for a "bait and switch" with a Cam Sigler Parrot fly. Fish peeled off close to 400 yards of fly backing with initial run and only jumped once! Made a total of 3 runs, but mostly stayed down about 50 feet and sulked. With constant pressure and retrieve it took me about 30 minutes to get the 100lb fish boatside for another "quick release" by mate Catch! Many thanks to Mike, Manuel and Catch and the entire support staff of Mike's Marina for a memorable experience aboard the Shekinah!
Images can be found on www.mikesmarina.info/flyfishingpuntacana.html
| Mike's Marina Fishing Charters | Mark ~ Ohio |
Mike, I would like to take this time to tell you what a great time I had while fishing with you in the Dominican Republic. First, the hotel which I stayed at was very nice and had a lot of activities. Next, I was also impressed with the crew ( Manuel and Catch'em ). Those men made me feel very comfortable and gave me an impression of professionalism in their craft. Finally, I felt that you had a natural concern for my well being in the Dominican Republic. I appreciated that you picked me up and delivered me to any destination including the Air Port. This attention to details made my trip there a wonderful time. As a Sports fisherman and traveler of the world, I feel this trip was one of the better fishing experiences I've taken and would have no problems in coming back to fish with you in the Dominican Republic. Your Friend Mark Wesseler
Images of this Sportfishing Charter can be found on www.mikesmarina.info/FotoalbumbyCustomers.html
and on www.mikesmarina.info/FishingReports2007.html
| Mike's Marina Fishing Charters | Alison and Dwayne |
I just wanted to write and let you know that we had an awesome experience on our half day charter last week. Both me and Dwayne caught a Mahi Mahi and it was just an excellent day. I want to thank you for all the quick responses to my emails and we will see you again the next time we are in Punta Cana (hopefully next year!). You have a wonderful crew as well, they really know what they are doing! I have attached a few pictures from our trip in case you want to include any of our catch on your website! Images can be found on www.MikesMarina.info/FishingReports2007.html
Thanks again for the wonderful day!
| Mike's Marina Fishing Charters | Keith |
Hey Mike, me and my girlfriend did a charter from you in late March caught a 5 1/2 foot white marlin what a thrill thanks for the service it was great
| Mike's Marina Fishing Charters | Yance ~ USA |
I am sending you this thanking you for everything setting up my best fishing trip since I caught my 185 pound tarpon four years ago. Your crew was awesome and professional and put me in the chair to land six Dorado out of eight with one huge bull. The only reason we didn't land them all is we didn't have enough hands. We had 3 on at the same time twice and my wife, as your boys would say, was introduced to their friend RALPH...She wasn't much help.
I have already had one guy contact you from Chicago and I will give your name to anyone who asks. I look forward to my next visit and you will definetly get a call.
Thanks Again and Good Luck
| Mike's Marina Fishing Charters | Lisa |
I just wanted to let you know that my husband and daughter had a wonderful fishing experience. They really enjoyed the friendly crew and the successful trip. I think my husband said the boat caught a total of 20. I know that his arms were tired.
| Mike's Marina Fishing Charters | Tony Parsons |
I had another great day fishing with Mike's Marina Deep Sea Fishing off Punta Cana this year. Last year we caught a big sailfin, this year its was even better. We set out in the afternoon with a fairly heavy swell and headed out way offshore. 5 dolphins joined the boat and swam with us for quite a long time before we hit a shoal of mahi mahi (dolphin fish). The lines were going off in all directions and the crew worked damned hard to help get the fish in and re-bait the rods. We caught 20 fish on our boat!!
Fantastic. I would highly recommend this company, very professional and they find the fish too!! Can't wait to go with them again.
| Mike's Marina Fishing Charters | Brad |
Another GREAT year using Mikes Marina. Prebooked everything on the internet using Paypal so everything was very easy to do. Mike personally responded to all my e-mails. My little 5 year old went in a little 20 foot boat - just to do some simple fishing with his Dad. Last year he caught some this year he got something too big for our line we brought took everything so my son has his big fish story!!!! Mike provides all the fishing equipement but my little fisherman wanted to bring his own!
The rest of the gang went on the big 42 foot boat. I am very use to deep sea fishing and know sea sickness can hit anyone so a childrens gravel before you go takes the edge off. One of our guys hit a Maui Maui and everyone was very excited. Everyone enjoyed the views from the boat - they also drove right past the sunken ship. We did a half day tour and everyone got back to the resort to have a late lunch and tell all the fish stories! Thanks to the crews (they are the best!!!!) and a special thanks to Mike! your amazing!
You can see pictures in my photo album - the fishing pictures are in my Majestic Colonial album and last years photos in Ocean Sands photo album!
http://community.webshots.com/user/holiday2fun
Any questions feel free to e-mail me! holiday2@rogers.com
| Mike's Marina Fishing Charters | Tim |
Left El Cortecito at approximately 14:00 hrs under Captain Emilio Santana and First Mate Franklin aboard the Intrepido. The weather was partly cloudy wilth calm seas. Our charter consisted of a party of five , including myself , my wife Pam, Floyd from New Brunswick , Canada, and two gentlemen from St Louis, USA, Terry and Chris. After about 30 minutes we cleared the reef and Franklin rigged and dropped five lines , four with ballyhoo, and one large marlin teaser. Action was a little slow to start, bringing in only one small Dorado ( Chris ) and losing one large Dorado ( Me, of course ). About two hours in the action really picked up , as we hit a school and lit up all five lines at once. This coincided with a break in the weather , as the sun came out , resulting in a lot of fun for everyone. Over the next hour we repeated this action several times, with everyone bringing in at least two good size Dorado, and my wife Pam , landing her first ever Wahoo. All told we banged eleven Dorado and one Wahoo and had a very good time. Emilio and Franklin were great hosts, and kept us laughing the whole time. The group, who did not know one another prior to the charter, got along famously and we all ended up feasting on our catch later that night at the Captain Cook. Thanks Mike, we will definately be back next year.
| Mike's Marina Fishing Charters | Greg ~ Ontario |
In The Beginning:
I have been deep sea fishing before this trip although never in the Dominican, same goes for several of my guests, so we pretty much knew what we were getting into. And although the trips were never that fruitful in the past, it was always a good time out in the sea with friends, so I knew I wanted to do it again this time. We contacted Mikes Marina several times via email leading up to our trip and they always responded very quickly and were very accommodating to our requests. We scheduled a half day charter for 12 guests on January 22nd 2007.
The Morning:
A nice shuttle bus picks you up outside your hotel – very prompt…but early in the morning. And although we scheduled it for 12 people, 2 of those 12 could not awake from the previous nights partying so off we went with 10 of us. Although the boat would have accommodated 12, a few less people was not the worst thing in the world. We arrived at the Ocean, where Mike’s headquarters is, and paid our half day charter fee. We also had Mike add a few little “grocery” items, so we paid for these here as well. Once we were all paid up, we boarded the taxi boat and headed out to our charter.
Fishing:
We had a gorgeous day, so much open water, and a lot of nice views of the Island. It was not long until the first mate, aka deckhand, was hard at work. Watching him prepare the baits was one of my favourite things on the trip, you could tell even from this that he was the right man for the job. The engines stopped and the baits went out. I think it was just less than an hour into the trip the deckhand sprung into action, he saw what he thought was a White Marlin miss one of our baits (Let me tell you, you have to be incredibly good at this to notice that, because looking out the back of the boat, you see the baits, you see the waves and the lines, but there is no way in hell you’re seeing a fish)…anyway, he removed the rod from the holster, let out some line, and turns out found what he was looking for. The Marlin enticed a second time, took the bait. I give full credit to his knowledge of fishing for this catch, otherwise it would have been the fish that got away…that nobody noticed. Anyway, I found myself in the captains’ chair for 20 minutes, before I was exhausted, the White Marlin, roughly 45lbs was the fight of my life. It jumped so many times it looked like a fake promotional video – I finally tired it out, got it to the boat, then it turned and ran into the sunset like flipper, jumping the entire way as my reel just spun out hundreds of yards of slack – so I passed the rod off to my father and went to rest. After another 15-20 minutes the fish was in the boat – what a monster, and already well worth the trip.
For the rest of the trip we found various schools of Mahi-Mahi (Dorado’s in Spanish), everyone who wanted a chance, got to reel one in. They ranged from 7-12lbs, and although a far cry from the fight the Marlin gave us, an excellent afternoon of fish. We even had a double header of monster 25+lbs Mahi Mahi’s on, not to brag, but I got mine in by myself and another friend had his line snap. I don’t think he took the best approach to reeling it in – to correct this: listen to the instructions from the deckhand very carefully – and don’t panic – the fish is on, it’s not going anywhere, error on the side of caution rather than forcing it. All told my dad and I assisted each other on a 45lb Marlin, I reeled in a 25lb Dorado, and 6 others reeled in a fish, 8 fish in total. What a trip!
Tips:
Of all of our previous deep sea adventures, this was the roughest water. And although the boat handles it great, people’s stomachs don’t. 5 of the 10 of us “chummed” the water, including 2 seasoned veterans who have never been sick before. The best cure we found, were those behind your ear stickers. I didn’t need them, but the two people who used them were fine. I think they are $15 for 2 of them, wear both if you’re afraid, you should be fine.
If you want a nice picture of your Dorado’s, see if you can snap your pictures right away. These fish are gorgeous colours, bright yellows/blue/green, but the colour fades away quite quickly, so see about snapping a picture right away. The other fish look the same once you get back to shore, so you can wait for those.
Keep your electrical equipment dry! I recommend bringing a leather case, or even a plastic bag covering your camera (other than the lens), you never know when some mist, or some water, or if you drop it etc. Just be extra careful, cameras do not do well with water, especially sea water.
When you’re traveling out to sea, keep your eye out for flying fish – no seriously. Fish, about 8” long will just from the sea, travel 50-80 yards then return from where they came. They’re like nautical hummingbirds, and well worth seeing – and you better see one too, or else you won’t believe me – very cool.
Bring a backpack of stuff. Chips, snacks, sandwiches if you want them. Extra sunscreen, and wear a hat!
Tip your crew. Your driver finds the fish, don’t underestimate that aspect, and your deckhand is just awesome. If you have a GREAT day, what’s another $10 per guy? We caught so many fish I thought that that would help go towards the tip, but the success was too much, so we tipped anyway. And bring extra hats – hats in the DR are like currency, and a great sign of respect and a nice gesture. We gave our driver and deckhand fishing hats from our local derby – they loved them! And you better have a hat to give Mike if you catch a fish!
Ocean World Adventure Park's Website
| Ocean World Adventure Park - Cofresi | Lori ~ Calgary/Toronto |
We also visited Ocean World Adventure Park . My parents did this the month before we went, so we knew it was going to be great. You can choose to swim with the dolphins, or swim with the rays and sharks. We swam with the dolphins and it was amazing. We touched them, kissed them and held their fins while they swam. It is completely worth the money you pay to go!
| Ocean World Adventure Park - Cofresi | Cheryl ~ Alberta, Canada |
Ocean World Adventure Park which was great, kids absolutely loved it, the snorkel reef aquarium is awesome, you get to snorkel in a gigantic aquarium with lots of tropical fish, some huge! (no fins allowed, so don't cart yours along like we did) The sea lion, dolphin and shark shows were very entertaining, especially the shark show. We never paid the extra to swim with the animals and still had a great day. Gift shop here has good prices, if you break your digital camera like I did, disposables are only 10$ compared to 27 $ at the resort. Large sunscreen was 15$ here compared to more than 20$ at the resort. 12 or 14 inch pizza here was 9$. I expected prices to be high, nice surprise. We had brought snacks from the hotel(banana bread and cinnamon buns) but ended up ordering pizza because it was so reasonable. Time share guys here too, just say no thanks.
| Ocean World Adventure Park - Cofresi | Grace & Chuck |
We took in Ocean World Adventure Park and the Bravissimo show. I would highly recommend these tours to anyone; they are well worth the money.
| Ocean World Adventure Park - Cofresi | Maryka & Ron ~ Ottawa, Canada |
Our only excursion this trip was to Ocean World Adventure Park . I signed up to swim with the dolphins and it was incredible. Ocean World is very nicely set up and there are lots of other things to do, but I highly recommend doing the dolphin swim, or at least the encounter if you are not comfortable swimming. We liked the fact that once we arrived at Ocean World we were free to do whatever we wanted while we were there - we didn't have to stay with the group. Just show up for the bus back to the resort on time. As other reviewers have mentioned, it is a very long day - at least an hour longer than we needed to see everything and do the dolphin swim. Cost for entry to Ocean World was $55 US, and an additional $90 to swim with the dolphins. Worth it for the memories I came home with.
| Ocean World Adventure Park - Cofresi | Kim ~ Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |
We also went to Ocean World Adventure Park for the dolphin swim. After a 2-hour drive, we watched the shows, went through the Rain Forest, saw the birds and we swam with the dolphins. WOW. It was amazing! I would recommend it. A bit expensive, 155$ each, but it is worth it. The 2-hour bus ride was long but comfortable and we could see the different towns of Dominican.
| Ocean World Adventure Park - Cofresi | Rob and Ty ~ Niagara Falls, ON |
Went to Ocean World Adventure Park - great facility. Admission alone is $55 (swimming with the sharks or dolphins costs much more) but it includes the bus ride there and back. Recommended!
| Ocean World Adventure Park - Cofresi | Tanya |
We went to Ocean World and even though the Dolphin Swim is a bit expensive, I’m sooo glad we did it. Being able to touch the dolphins, have your picture taken with them and then be pulled by 2 dolphins though the water was an experience we’ll never forget. The park also has a little tropical rain forest to walk through, a Tiger Grotto, a tank to Snorkel in and a nice gift shop. I’d recommend watching both the Sea Lion and Shark shows; it’s amazing what they can do. We booked on-line a few weeks before we left and paid when we got to the resort, this included transportation to and from Ocean World but not the buffet lunch while there, that was $12 each.
| Ocean World Adventure Park - Cofresi | Chuck and Grace |
We took three of resort excursions, we did the ½ day Puerto Plata tour, the evening show and casino at Ocean World and the full day Ocean World visit with the Sea Lion encounter. The show at Ocean World is worth the $35US alone. It is a must see when you are there. The day trip and sea lion encounter is also well worth the money. You can also do the Dolphin swim if you so desire.
| Ocean World Adventure Park - Cofresi | Ottawa March Break Gang |
We also took a day trip to Ocean World. We booked this through our travel rep at the hotel tour desk. What a great day, very nice park, better then many I have seen in NA. My friend and kids participated in the Sea Lion Encounter, for an extra $15 you had a full 30 minutes at least of interaction with the sea lions up close and personal, well worth the money and some great picture opportunities.
| Ocean World Adventure Park - Cofresi | Jodi and Chris |
We had a great time here. We did do the swim with dolphins encounter, but both said that we would come back at some time and just pay the general admission and could fill a full day with all the things to see and do. If you come from Ontario and know Marineland in Niagara Falls, this place has it beat no question. (even if they don’t have whales). Buffet lunch was 12 USD so not a bad deal, and lots of selection, drinks were expensive, but always are at places like this, no issues with bringing your own water etc… Free lockers provided were very convenient, and showers in change rooms were welcome after swimming in dolphin water or snorkeling. They even had an extra set of lockers at the snorkel area in order to put your shoes, T-shirts etc…Prices in gift shop weren’t too bad, and even though souvenir pics a little expensive they were good and well organized. There is also a casino here that we didn’t visit and due to time didn’t get to take in all the shows, but definitely a fun day.
| Ocean World Adventure Park - Cofresi | Wendy ~ Ottawa |
(booked with the operator beside the Banana Boat stall in the mall). Had a great time and paid to swim with the dolphins. Well worth it! Lunch is not included but we paid the $12 USD to go to the buffet and the food was good.
| Ocean World Adventure Park - Cofresi | Sarah ~ UK |
Well run, clean and friendly and the pools are a good size for the fish and dolphins which I was relieved about. Swimming with dolphins was wonderful, a once in a lifetime experience and you have a lifejacket when you're in the pools so even if you're not a great swimmer you can do it! My boyfriend did the sealion encounter which was really good fun and I did the shark and stingray encounter which was terrifying but still a really amazing experience!
| Ocean World Adventure Park - Cofresi | Paul ~ UK |
Ocean World is fantastic and simply can’t be missed. US$100 each if you choose the dolphin encounter. This price includes hotel pick-up/return, entry to ocean world, buffet lunch (not drinks, so have some in your bag from your room), access to all shows and the snorkel reef. The dolphin encounter cannot really be described so all I can say is just do it, you won’t regret it. Dolphins are lovely and we met ‘Sharky’ and ‘Narissa’. Do not miss the sea lions, as this is by far the best show at ocean world.
| Ocean World Adventure Park - Cofresi | Alexandra ~ UK |
Trips… Let’s start with Ocean World! Wow!!! We did the Dolphin Encounter, and it was worth every penny, truly a once in a lifetime thing (well, twice for us, as we’ve booked again for the Gran Ventana, June 4th 2007) you sit in a small group of about 8. As a dolphin swims slowly past you as you stroke its back and belly, there were 2 dolphins in the encounter, you then pose for a picture with them, and then you kiss them. Then dance with them, then feed them, then pose for another picture. My mum was sceptical about it first, but came along with me… she was as hooked as I was! The lovebirds were also a favourite! The tiger grotto, and not to forget the sea lion show! It was so funny! All animals seemed happy and well looked after.
| Ocean World Adventure Park - Cofresi | Rachel |
Take hats, sun cream, swimwear and towels.
Went for breakfast and then to the Lobby for our bus to Ocean World Adventure Park , our guide was Hamlet. Took about 40 mins from Hotel.
Wow what a big place, first you enter Ocean World through a waterfall.
Had to go and get our wrist bands and then we were free to do what we wanted. My swim with the Dolphins was 3 pm. Paid $145 for Dolphin Swim and $55 for Paull that was just admission.
The Lunch Buffet is right at the entrance ( this is included in the price but drinks aren’t ) .
The Sea Lions were amazing and very naughty and cheeky. You could have your pictures taken with them too. You have to pay extra to do the Sea Lion encounter.
The Sharks and the Rays were beautiful, people were swimming with them and touching and holding them. You could have your picture taken with them too. You have to pay extra to do the Shark and Ray encounter.
Walking though to get to the different places you will see showers where you can cool off and big tanks of fish to watch.
You can snorkel in the reef they have there, this is free.
The Tiger Grotto is amazing, I had my picture taken with them and this cost me $12. You can also swim in the lagoon next to the Tigers, only glass separates you from them, you have been warned!!! The Tigers were beautiful. Just to the side of the Tiger Grotto is the Bird Show, unfortunately we missed this. But we did manage to go to the Bird Avery, the Love Birds sweep down and sit on your head or your hand. Saw the Toucans and the Parrots.
My Dolphin Swim was at 3 pm you are asked to get there 30 mins before, get your lifejackets first then they brief you tell you what not to touch ect!!!
The half an hour went really fast. It was an experience in a life time. You can have your pictures taken with them, I paid $10 with out frames and bought a DVD of myself and the group I was in for $45, you can have just you on your own in a DVD like a Hollywood style thing and that’s $65, but you have to ask for this before hand.
I danced with the Dolphins fed them fish and at the end the last thing we did was to have a Dorsal Tow with them where you hold on to their fins and they pull you along.
We found at 4 pm the Buffet was still there and if you wanted more to eat you could.
The Souvenir shop was a bit pricey.
Got back to Hotel at 5.55 after an exhausting day. A highly recommended trip to take.
| Ocean World Adventure Park - Cofresi | David and Tracey |
Could say I saved the best for last. What an amazing place. We did the sea lion show, which was really funny, played with the birds, which was cool, snorkeled in the man made reef, which was beautiful. Any of this would’ve been good enough, but to add to all of it, my wife did the dolphin swim & I did the stingray/shark encounter & swim. What an experience. My wife has always loved dolphins so this really was a dream come true. They are such amazingly intelligent animals & put on a great show. I almost lost a finger to a hungry stingray (that’s another story) but that was just a warm up for swimming with nature’s perfect killing machine & barracuda & tarpon etc. Nurse & reef sharks are not known to attack humans unless provoked, but anything that can kill you, especially when they’re within inches, with no protection for you, deserves a lot of respect. Again, a must do!!
| Ocean World Adventure Park - Cofresi | Kathy ~ Hamilton, Ontario, Canada |
The last excursion that we did was Ocean World Adventure Park and the swim with the dolphins. This cost us $140.00 american for a 30 minute swim. Now during your stay at Ocean World there were alot of other things to see, like the tigers, sea dolphins, sharks and exotic birds. But the highlight of course for me was the swim itself. Now although they say it was a 30 minute deal, it seemed more like 40 minutes and I have to say it was just the best experience I believe anyone will ever have. You just don't swim with them, you interact with these awesome animals. You get to touch them, they jump over you, they come up and kiss you, you get to feed them, they will play around with you and spit water at you, they even dance with you. You are in the pool with the dolphins pretty much the whole time.
| Ocean World Adventure Park - Cofresi | Kathi ~ Saskatchewan |
$55.00 for all day and included a fantastic buffet lunch (drinks not included - bring your own from resort if you dont want to pay $5.00 per drink). The sea lion show was hilarious. We also got to watch a dolphin training show and a couple of dolphin encounters. There is a snorkel reef which at first glance is just a large man made fish bowl - but ended up being really good. The fish are so used to people they swim right up to you. We took our own life jackets but did not need to - they have inflatable ones there and even if you dont need a life jacket - you have to put one on - dont have to inflate it, but you have to put it on. Actually I think this is how they control how many people are in the fish bowl at any one time. There are free lockers, but they are small.
| Ocean World Adventure Park - Cofresi | Paul and Amanda |
We only went on one as we wanted a chill out holiday but we went to ocean world which we thought was fantastic, it was a full day for 85$ each, we did the sea lion encounter where you got to touch them and get professional photos took with the sea lions cuddlinig you , swim with dolphins, swim with sharks, see exotic birds (huge parrots, toucans etc) which land on your head etc, see stingrays, tigers a free buffett lunch is included apart from the drinks we spent a fortune on professional photos but you dont have to buy them (prices range from 7dollars/12dollars/22dollars each., or you can sunbathe beside the dolphins what an amazind day a definate must we loved it.
| Ocean World Adventure Park - Cofresi | Karen & Harvey ~ Canada |
We went to Ocean World for a day so my wife could fulfill here lifelong dream to swim with the dolphins. She said the experience is nothing she ever dreamed of and it is hard for her to put it in words.
| Ocean World Adventure Park - Cofresi | Andrea ~ UK |
We pre-booked an excursion to Ocean World and loved every minute of the day. The Dolphin Swim is well worth the cost - $290 for 2 people (beware – when they do the dorsal tow – hubby thought they had dislocated his shoulder because they kick off with such power. Hubby is a biker and said the acceleration is amazing), the tigers absolutely gorgeous and the sea lion show very entertaining!! The buffet is varied and although the drinks are fairly expensive, the souvenirs seem reasonably priced. Be prepared to want all the photo’s and the video too!! While wandering near the ‘Dolphin Encounter’ pool in the afternoon, we had what felt like our own private 20-30 minute encounter with 3 dolphins who seemed in a playful mood and one of them was even ‘talking’ to us. (For anyone interested – the far corner of the sheltered area by the Encounter pool – everyone else was watching the trainers and dolphins interacting in the other pools so we were on our own).
| Ocean World Adventure Park - Cofresi | Emma ~ UK |
Only being there a week we only managed to fit Ocean World in, an absolutely amazing day, you have to swim with the Dolphins, enjoyed every second of it, still can't quite believe we did it,professional photographers take pictures & video it, really good quality & well worth the money, already watched it 5 times since we've been back!! Many people said the Catamoran trip was pretty good too, although not doing it ourselves can't really comment on that one!
| Ocean World Adventure Park - Cofresi | Gary and Irene ~ Walsall, England |
We made one trip out to Oceanworld and went on the dolphin encounter there, which was truly amazing. We set out at 8:15 and didnt return until 19:00. Money well spent. We had lunch included which was very good. (better than the hotel food). After seeing the dolphins at 11 we went to see the shark feeding (but didnt join in). Then the sea lion show. Both were very entertaining. We walked around the park and thru the exotic bird section and around by the tigers (who came upto the glass and actually seemed to pose for the cameras).All was done by one o'clock but we had to stay until our coach was ready at 5:10 now that was i bit boring. We were told by our rep who we booked it with that we would be back for 4:30.The day out cost $105 each which was only 5 more than i had seen it for on the net. And by some tour operators in Cabarete about the same.
| Ocean World Adventure Park - Cofresi | Kelly |
I loved this. I got some really great photos of the Dolphins there. We walked around the decking and they pose for the pictures any every thing. If you want some really good photos watch the people the are doing the swim and encounter as they do jumps and that and you can get some really good pictures of that.
We did the Dolphin swim at 3pm and it was really great. I was very nervous as your legs keep floating up and the dolphins flapping away in front of you and I didn’t want to touch it as we were told not to touch them from the belly button and below (Where my legs where). We had a dolphin that misbehaved when we done the swim he kept eating all the fish and swimming off and there was this poor women he took a liking or disliking too I’m not sure and at every opportunity he splashed her. The dolphins pull you along in the water HOLD ON TIGHT I fell off 3 times. You can get plenty of pictures and you can also get a video of your swim or encounter it’s about $40. The photos depend on the size picture you want and whether you want a frame.
The tigers that are cubs I think he said that they where a year to 18 months. The snowy tiger was the naughty one. The orange tiger manly just slept. You can get your picture taken with them. I didn’t know this till the end and was gutted I did not get to do this.
The bird aviary was good. Don’t like birds either and one gave me a fright by jumping out in front of me whilst I was walking through. Again you can get your picture taken in there.
The sea lion show is brilliant really funny and worth watching. We watched people do the encounter whilst having lunch and wish that we did that as it looked great.
The shark and sting ray encounter we watched some very loud screaming women and there partners do. Looked good not my sort of thing though.
There is a snorkel reef also I’ve never snorkeled as I don’t like fish but I had a go as I was told the fish don’t come near you which they didn’t so that was good. The water is really warm.
Warning if you use the lockers there put your belongings in ones under cover it rained whilst we where there and our stuff got soaked.
| Ocean World Adventure Park - Cofresi | Jackie, Kev, Becki and Shaun |
We went to Ocean World and did the dolphin encounter what a fantastic time we had! it was amazing, also we know people that did the Kattermeran and Paradise Island and they enjoyed it. Ocean world is worth the money and lunch is included aswell!! Enjoy
| Manati Park - Punta Cana | Rebecca |
I also went to Manati Park to swim with the dolphins. It was about 10 minutes and was in a pool, but it was really neat to be able to touch the dolphins. The rest of the park was lovely. You could walk around and see different kinds of animals and there were shows a couple of times a day, including a horse show, a bird show, a dolphin and sea lion show, and a recreation of a Taino dance in the replica Taino village. The package for swimming with the dolphins was $85 US, but it is much cheaper if you just want entry into the park to take a look around. A very colourful bus picks you up at your resort. You can catch another bus back at fairly regular 2-hour intervals.
| Manati Park - Punta Cana | Lila and Glen |
Manati Park - tried on our last day there to fit this in too-- the dolphin show was fantastic and they had a show with sea lions too - we laughed soo hard.. we rushed through the park and everything there was great - our next trip we are booking this tour first to spend the whole day there- we loved it!
| Manati Park - Punta Cana | USA |
The second tour we took was to Manati Park, where you can swim with dolphins. That was a lot of fun for not too much money. I believe it was $75.00 per person, which included several shows (dolphins, sea lions, horses, a native story-telling show....a little risque in parts), and you could walk all over the park and see many animals.
| Manati Park - Punta Cana | Jodi |
We also went on one tour to Manati Park. If you have kids, you will like it. We saw a dolphin and sea lion show, a parrot show, a tribal show (plus there was a horse show). It was very hot so bring lots of water from the resort with you because it's expensive at Manati Park for food and drinks. We also walked in the iguana pit, my son held a snake, a sloth, a parrot, etc. and he loved it all.
| Manati Park - Punta Cana | Janet ~ Canada |
We opted for the Manati Park excursion. We probably chose the warmest day to go there, but my best friend and I wouldn't have missed swimming with the dolphins for the world! They are the gentlest, most intelligent creatures we have ever met. The Parrot Show is a must as well. We did cut our day there short though, due to the heat which was hard on our male companions. But we would highly recommend it as a must for visitors of all ages.
Bavaro/Puerto Plata Runners Safari Adventure Website
| Puerto Plata Runners Safari Adventure | Crystal & Ryan ~ Ontario |
Then we took the Puerto Plata Runners Safari Adventure trip which we LOVED! If you can take it, do it. We went to the local school and saw the kids. Just a hint, I took notebooks, pencils, pencil sharpeners, pens, markers etc....take stuff for them, they really need it! Then we went to the Ranch which we enjoyed as well. At the ranch there was a lady crushing fresh coffee beans and made us coffee and then we had fresh coco it was yummy then we went to the cigar factory that contained only 1 employee that always had a smile on his face. then we got to shop. BUT they didn't bug you. They basically said, if you need help ask and then they walked away, which I loved! They provided us with lunch and it was a beautiful spot and it was good. They really taught us alot!
| Puerto Plata Runners Safari Adventure | Chad And Rachel |
Of the many tours we went on the Puerto Plata Runners, and Puerto Plata / Sosua city tour. Both were great. The Runners tour load you into a truck and off to the country you go. PLEASE DO NOT BRING CANDY!!!! The tour guide will tell you not to bring it. It will rot their teeth and teach them to beg and fight for what you give them. Pens, pencils, note books, penciled crayons…… all good choices, just not candy. They stop at a school, a farm, a cigar ‘factory’ and their ranch. At the ranch you go horse back riding or you can go see the beach. The horses were very lean and boney and the little ride you get is fun but too short. The food they served was good and more on the local side that the resorts serve. Off to another beach for boogie boarding or playing in the surf. Both were fun and informative tours
Bavaro/Puerto Plata Runners Safari Adventure Website
| Bavaro Runners Safari Adventure | Tony ~ NB, Canada |
We took three, but would like to say that the Bavaro Runners Safari Adventure with
Eddie was well worth it and was a great way to experience the local
Dominican culture. The tour stopped at a school and they always
appreciate school supplies, so bring along a few pencils and notebooks
if you plan on going.
| Bavaro Runners Safari Adventure | Rebecca |
I went on the Bavaro Runners Safari Adventure full day tour, which is $85 US if you arrange it through your hotel. It was a lot of fun and I met many interesting people and got a chance to see a bit of the Dominican Republic outside of the resort. Pipo, our tour guide, was very entertaining. The one place that I was looking forward to was seeing a school. If you bring supplies to donate to the school, you are able to go in and meet the teacher(s) and see the classrooms. Check out the "Giving Back" section of the Bavaro Runners website to see what kinds of things schools need. If you arrange your tour online, there is a bit of a discount.
| Bavaro Runners Safari Adventure | Judy and Graham |
Only did Bavaro Runners Safari Adventure,day trip, very nice way to see some of Punta Cana, our guide " Mini Me" and "Rafael" was awsome, kept us on the edge of our seat,I would tell everyone to join this tour.
| Bavaro Runners Safari Adventure | Shelley ~ Wasaga Beach |
The Bavaro Runners Safari Adventure was absolutely top notch and we would go again in a minute! Our guide was Eddie and he made the day. Excellent English. Very funny, knowledgeable and entertaining. If you only do one excursion, make sure it's the jungle trip.
| Bavaro Runners Safari Adventure | Tammy and Larry ~ Nova Scotia |
I would recomend the Bavaro Runners Safari Adventure and had a blast. Denillo was the greatest guide and had a full day but never a dull moment. Everyone should take the tour,if you do nothing else.
| Bavaro Runners Safari Adventure |
