Incredible experience but some things to be aware of - The trip was amazing, I do recommend as it was a fun day out and seeing the humpback whales was incredible. We all had a great time on the boat and the horses! However, here are some things to be aware of: - The transfer did not message to confirm pickup time from hotel, however you can ring them to confirm. We got a message on WhatsApp from the driver in the morning to confirm the pickup too. - The excursion was more like 13.5 hours as the transfer to the port is around 2 hours. - Take plenty of dollars for tipping in small change. This is required for ranch handlers as they are volunteers. - Take comfortable leg wear for the horse riding. - Try not to sit at the back of the boat as the water splashes on to you from the roof. - Take a poncho/waterproof for the boat. If not they sell them at the port for $5. - The boat can be really choppy so you may get sea sick.

Don’t miss this unique whale adventure 🌊🌞 - Don’t miss that unique adventure, a day full of the wonders of nature, local culture and moments that will be etched in your heart. Thank you for this beautiful experience lived I can not believe the best.

giant whales - This has been a unique and unforgettable experience thank you very much, for giving me such beautiful memories.

All good. - The experience was very good I loved seeing the whales for the first time everything very chévere the punctuality of the guides very experience excellent everything thank you

Very beautiful whales - Very excellent everything I loved The experience was unique very well attended the service 100 thank you very much for so good. Service

Great experience!!! - Although mother nature wasn’t very co operative…it was an amazing experience!! I can’t remember our tour guides name…but he was amazing!! Completely satisfied. Would definitely recommend!!

Not the best experience - very disorganised. - The trip there is disorganised. Nobody tells you anything - you arrive at the boat eventually and no idea where to line up. Once on the boat at least we had someone tell us what was going on. The island was a waste of time - just overpriced selling and why bother. BUT the whales were worth going for (didn't see a ton but cannot blame anyone for that - they're wild animals). The waterfall and horse ride was good - but be aware apparently the guides are not paid and EXPECT a tip. They did work hard so deserved it but the tour wasn't cheap so it would be nice if they paid people.

DO NOT book this excursion!!!! Shady & Dangerous! - Where should I begin? We were supposed to be picked up at 7:00 am on Tuesday. They got in touch with us Monday night asking that we show up for 6:30. No big deal. Driver spoke zero English. We are guests in a Spanish speaking country so not a huge deal but not even broken English. Our first stop ( NOT ON ITNERARY ) was at a souvenir shop. Waste of time. Then we were transferred from the shuttle van to a large bus with other shuttle guests. Very overcrowded bus using the folding seats blocking the aisles and separating our family. We drive for 2 1/2 hours to the dock where it was very disorganized. Pretty much a clusterfu#@! We get on the boat and start across for the whale watching. Stanley was awesome and we saw a mother and her calf, surfacing breaching etc. Whale watching part was a 10. I wished we had have turned around back to the docks at that time but we went to Bacardi Island, which was shopping and a beach for 40 minutes. You can't do much at all in 40 minutes and we have a beach ( like everyone else does) at our hotel. This is when things started going bad. We took a boat to Samana for our "Safari". Our "safari" consisted of an open air truck driving ( way too fast) up the mountain, with the views being poverty stricken homes typical of the island. We turn off the road to the "ranch". The ranch was totally run down and this is where we were to get our 'buffet lunch". The mens washroom door would not shut and there was no seat on the toilet and no light... totally disgusting. We went to get our food which was just awful, I mean really bad. It was bench seating and our bench had 3 legs with the middle one about to fall off. It was very unsafe but we sat sideways and ate what we could which was not much. An older lady and 2 girls' bench collapsed and they hurt themselves with the lady banging her head. Then we were told, next was horseback riding. If we chose not to do the horseback riding we would not get to see the waterfalls. My wife and another of our party chose not to ride. They were the smart ones. The horses were absolutely emaciated, basically skin over bone. ( I come from a veterinary background and this place should be shut down.) No one explained what the ride was going to be like. Not distance. Not needed fitness. Not risk or danger. The saddles were falling apart. I was persuaded to go and this was one of my worst decisions I have ever made. My horse was very thin and I am about 250 lbs. I felt she was struggling but there was no turning around. This trail turned into unbelievably (almost vertical )steep hills and were comprised of knee deep( for the horse)clay mud and or loose rock. Not gravel I am talking a base of 4-8 inch loose rock that the horse slipped on, and stumbled over. Did I mention no one was wearing or even offered a helmet for riding on this terrain. This ride was for a highly trained rider ( stuntman ) who should be in tip top shape. I am neither. I heard more than one elderly lady cry out in fear as their handler / guide had left them on their own. When we finally got to the point where we dismount, we went down steep stairs uneven rock and no railings in some parts and shaky railings in others. After these 30 or so dangerous stairs, we were informed there were another 280 stairs that were large and approx 14-15 inches high also with no railings or shaky ones. I chose not to continue. My family had already been separated with some at the falls. I waited for my 14 year old daughter to come back then someone told me she had already started heading back. I was also told the only way back is the same path with the same horse or you can walk ? Climb the same path without the horse. What is someone was injured or suffering from heatstroke or a heart attack. They had no plan to get someone out. After another 40 minute terrible horse ride back I found my daughter was NOT there. Realizing that your 14 year old daughter is not with you and they don't know where she is in a 3rd world country is terrifying. After finally getting someone to understand I wanted them to ride down and find her, eventually they did. She had rode back by herself and was worried about me and crying. Finally after everyone in this God forsaken place asked for tips...( some said $50 USD ). We finally got to take the "safari" truck back to the dock that had brought us here. It was now 5:00 and we were supposed to be back at the hotel by 4:00 and we still had a long boatride and a bus ride back to Punta Cana. Well wet halfway across this huge bay and the boat stops running. We were in 6 foot swells and the boat was broken down. Very disconcerting to say the least. The "captain" ( driver ) made a call and another boat was on the way to rescue us. It got there and it was another full tour boat. They pulled up along side us and our entire boat had to transfer from our boat to the other boat in 6 foot swells, many without seating. It was terrifying and some had little ones and babies being passed over the gap between the boats. We got back without incident and went to our bus, which got stuck in the sand. Seriously. We pushed and got the full size bus unstuck and started our way home. Along the way the driver hit a huge pot hole and had to pull over. No flat but something was wrong and he knew it. Anyway after dropping other guests at their hotels ( also not on the itinerary) we ( the first ones picked up and the last ones returning to our hotel) were drooped off. It was now 9:30 pm. What was supposed to be an 8 hour trip turned into 15 hours yes 15 hours. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. take the whale watching without anything else for less money and you should be fine. Good luck, Thanks Viator for not vetting your excusions.

Would not recommend. - First of all, this is a 14 hour experience from start to finish. You will not be done by 3:00 pm. From Punta Cana, it’s a 2 hour drive on a horribly small van stuffed with too many people and a driver who does not speak English. The boat ride was awful to say the least. We didn’t see any whales and the conditions felt unsafe. After you get off the boat, it’s a 40 minute drive through undesirable cities in an open truck. The ranch food was ok, but the horses are treated horribly. Whipped and yelled at to carry people through very unsafe trails. Just to get to a waterfalll with also very unsafe conditions where many people fell down steps with broken handrails. Don’t forget after all of this, you have to take the truck back to board the boat and cross the bay again, before your 2 hour cramped van ride back to PC.

Disappointed - The details on viator are vague. It didn't say it was 14 hours long from the time we left our hotel. (I have been on 8 whale watching tours)The captain took the boat into 7 foot swells, it was extremely scary. We were getting sprayed heavily, so now we are wet. It was so scary. 20 minutes watching the whales we headed to the beach. At the end of the day we head back to the boat. Half way to the van the boat runs out of fuel on 1 engine. Yep. We are now with 1 engine very slowly going to our destination. They reluctantly call for another boat to bring us fuel 45 plus min later we get the fuel. Be prepared to be in the van and truck for a total of 6 hours of the "adventure".