I have pictures of a tour to Catalina that I took last year at
Catalina Island, off La Romana, Dominican Republic pictures from caribbean photos on webshots.
I was among the snorkelers so we went from Bayahibe to the beach at Catalina, dropped the non-snorkelers, then went back to the reef for snorkeling, then back to Catalina. A lot of lost time in being on the boat. I enjoy a boatride as much as anything, but I didn't find the views that stunning after the first 20 minutes! It was a half-day outing for me and the "food" was chips and rum and coke/sprite. I had a fab time talking to one of our guides though and took a couple of hundred pictures. By the time we left, I felt like I'd "done" that beach.
I have pictures of a sample of the shopping at the "mall" and though there's a lot to see in a small space, it's the same as in a lot of other tourist areas including the beach area of Bayahibe where a number of the boats will depart from.
I think there are two beaches on the island where most groups end up stopping, one being more developed than the other. You may not end up at the same spot I was, just like at Saona Island. At Saona there is one long beach where 1000 people will be jostling for space, and then some smaller tours stop on the south of the island beyond Mano Juan where you may be the only 10 or 15 people on the beach.
On my return from Catalina Island, we cruised the La Romana coastline including Casa de Campo and the marina. It's really interesting and the homes are beautiful. I enjoyed imagining that I could possibly come back in another life and have my morning cafe con leche in my gazebo along that strip of the Caribbean. But they may tell you that this house is Julio Iglesias's and that is Oscar de la Renta's and this one is Shakira's but don't take it as a statement of fact. I know that I was told that one was Shakira's and other tours are saying the same house is Michael Jackson's. I labeled the home in my pics as Shakira's, but I take it with a grain of salt.
I hope my pictures show how beautiful the sand and vista is.
Kaki