bacardy island by. jhoraji

Posted By : Nicholas_P
Pick up time: 6AM.
Breakfast - Stale Bread + 1 slice water melon.
Transit on bus/coach - 3 hours (morning).
Boat ride - 1 hour
Bus Ride - 1 hour
Horse Ride - 45mins
Time at falls - 1 hour max...
Horse ride - 45 mins
Bus ride - 1 hour
Boat ride - 1 hour
Coach transfer - 3 hours...
Don't go unless you like being on a transfer..
Rating :
Posted On : 2022-07-19 20:24:40

Posted By : PhoenixGabbi
From Punta Cana it takes about 2hrs (expected). Then we got on a speed boat to get to the region of Samana. We then got on a old style bus to get up to El Limon - about 30mins.
They have a huge ranch of like 300 horses and you get a horse to take you down to the waterfall. Every horse has a guide who controls the horse (they walk beside you).
The ride down is muddy and broken cement/rocks. The horses apparently only walk 3 x week and only one ride a day. My horse was good and strong. Once the horse, you have to walk down 250 steps to the waterfall. It’s busy and amazing!
Once you walk back up to the horse, they will walk back up. The guide asks for a tip $20 or $RD1000. Apparently “they volunteer”. They did speak good English.
After the waterfall, you get taken to a restaurant by the coast for some lunch - it was okay.
Then onto a 45min speedboat to Bacardi Island, 1 free drink included. It was really pretty. Then back on the boat to the coach to go home.
It was really chilled, the guides were pleasant and had very good English.
Rating :
Posted On : 2022-07-09 10:35:43

Posted By : Abbey_N
Skip this, bad food, all day traveling, whipping the horses, having to pay the volunteers. Only thing that was cool was the waterfall. Just go see it on your own
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Posted On : 2022-06-08 18:08:34

Posted By : Thomas_S
Good guides.The breakfast was worthless and good have been skipped. Lunch was good. Because we were the first hotel to be picked up, it added 2 hrs to the trip. Similarly, we were the last hotel to be dropped off, and we didn’t return until 10pm. An excursion from 6:30am until 10pm is entirely too long. Smaller vans delivering guests to a common location would be better.
Rating :
Posted On : 2022-05-06 13:53:33

Posted By : Madihah_A
Pros
- packed itinerary
- beautiful sights
- cheapest price
- food included

Cons
- Had to chase operator for a pick up time, operator could have been more organised in that sense

General info and tips
- Prepare to get a little dirty on the trek to the waterfall. If you are going to walk it you are provided with wellington boots
- remember to bring some cash for tips
- bring the necessities: towel, hat, sunscreen, insect repellant etc
- full day tour, can be tiring but there is time to nap on the coach and also stops for bathroom break

Rating :
Posted On : 2022-04-13 08:15:28

Posted By : Irina_G
This was a great trip. Make sure to bring a towel, bathing suit, change of clothes & water shoes or sneakers you aren’t afraid to get really dirty.

Whales were not super visible but did come out a few times. The island nice, horses & waterfall was beautiful.

BRING YOUR OWN SNACKS. Food is straight gross. I tried to feed the stray dogs and they didn’t want to eat it lol. Also bring some hand wipes or sanitizing wipes since the bathrooms are gross and have no running water.

Otherwise,
The trip was good all organized and we had good guides and drivers. They served some rum and coke at the end. They helped us with everything. Bring some loose cash to tip the guys along the way, the horse trainers really deserve it & the guys on the boat.
Everyone was nice and respectful.
Also, try the pineapple on the island! Comes with or without alcohol for $6.

Overall, a great experience, just be aware that you won’t get back to you hotel until around 10pm!


Rating :
Posted On : 2022-02-18 12:47:10

Posted By : glendener
They didn't even come and pick us up from the hotel lobby. We were waiting for 40mins before they contacted us saying "your money will be refunded"
We were not late to the pick up point, in fact there 5mins early. Awful communication
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Posted On : 2022-02-09 11:19:39

Posted By : Dorina_S
Too much time on the road and too little time for the actual attractions. No covid safety measures taken
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Posted On : 2021-12-02 19:14:06

Posted By : RHONDA_D
This is a great excursion. It starts off with a pickup and a drive for about an hour with a bathroom break. Once you reach the town to enter the port , you’re given a breakfast which consist of a sandwich , fruit , a cup of juice , and or cup of coffee. This is the only part of the tour I didn’t like due to the food. after breakfast you enter a boat for a short ride to Semana , depending on the weather the ride maybe rough . I recommend bringing a poncho and some goggles for the sea water . The kids will love the ride. Once you arrive to Semana ( pictures don’t show the real beauty) you’re driven to the waterfall area. I thought i was going to walk the route and enjoy the view , save yourself and get on the horses. The tour guides are extremely nice and gentle (Andres and Gesel) and it’s a rough ride due to the thick mud ( remember you’re in the rainforest). Once you reach they tell you it’s like a 3 minute walk and you’re there. (Remember they live there so 3 minutes to them is like 20 to me). Climbing down the stairs wasn’t so bad , then you reach a very beautiful waterfall. I really enjoyed the waterfall, I just didn’t like how some of the locals or children horse guides jump intentionally in the waterfall to wet the tourists. Climbing back up the stairs is a killer ( but it was so worth it). Then you ride the horse back to the open door tour bus. Before you leave you have the option to tip the horse guide. I tipped a lot because my ride was extremely smooth. Once on the bus you’re taken to a beach front restaurant for lunch. Breakfast failed but lunch saved it. The lunch was a buffet style Dominican food. The food was so gooood ( yes 4 o’s). I wanted to runaway with the cook. During lunch there’s drinks served. After lunch you enter another boat for a short trip to Bacardi island. The island is very beautiful with the typical vendors trying to sell souvenirs. You’re given a drink coupon for soda or rum in coke and set free to enjoy a hour on the island. The beach is very nice and there’s free beach chairs. The coke is different than the one you’re accustomed to. After being on the beach you take another short boat ride back to the port. ( This is where you need your goggles and ponchos. Once back at the port you enter the bus and dropped at your pickup location. Bring extra cash for tips .
Rating :
Posted On : 2021-11-26 10:21:53

Posted By : Raul_L
The trip started out scary. We were not told that we were going to be dropped off at a gas station to be picked up there by the bus. I contacted Viator and they said that should not happened, so I was freaking out. I didn’t know what to do. I decided to wait due that the cab driver did know our names so I went with my gut and waited. For an hour !!!! Finally got picked up. The tours are king due to the drive I guess places are far. The limon wsterfall has been the prettiest waterfall I ever have seen but I felt so sorry for the guide and horses that had to take us on a mile long track to it! The track I very Rocky. The horses would slide it’s seemed very treacherous for the guide the horse and the tourist. I wasn’t prepared to have to pay every single horse guide. We were 3 total so I had to tip all 3 horse guides. Their story is very sad. They do this once only a day due that they are a lot of guides. But they don’t get paid. Whatever tip you give them is what they make for the day and that include feeding the horse. So it’s not much. I felt so bad for the guide and horse. They need to pay them something and FIX the trail. Other than that the rest of your was good. I would recommend it but just be aware to tip every horse guide and be aware of the rockiest trail ever and that also you might be picked up at hotel but then taken to a gas station and wait an hour to be picked up by bus.
Rating :
Posted On : 2021-09-06 12:23:00