Beach Data
Catalina Island Beaches — Data Profile
Updated: 2026-06-01
Executive summary
Catalina is a 9.6 km² island off La Romana, smaller and quieter than Saona. Its claim to fame: the Catalina Wall, a vertical reef drop from 6 m to 40 m — one of the Caribbean's best dive sites. Topside, a shallow snorkel garden and a single white-sand beach.
Key statistics
9.6 km²
Island area
Wall
Reef profile
6→40 m
Dive depth
Bayahibe
Departure
Catalina profile
Catalina is uninhabited (no village, no resort). Boats anchor on the lee side and tourists snorkel a shallow coral garden (3–7 m). Certified divers descend on the wall — visibility 25–40 m, large pelagics, turtles, eagle rays. Single beach (~700 m) with a few BBQ palapas set up by tour operators.
Catalina — beach & reef data
| Attribute | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Island area | 9.6 km² | Wikipedia |
| Population | 0 | Wikipedia |
| Main beach length | ~700 m | Field |
| Snorkel garden depth | 3–7 m | Field |
| Reef wall start | 6 m | Dive operators |
| Reef wall bottom | >40 m (visible) | Dive operators |
| Visibility | 25–40 m | Dive operators |
| Tour departure | Bayahibe pier | 45 min by boat |
| Sargassum risk | Low (windward) | USF SaWS |
Source: Wikipedia Catalina, local dive operators, USF SaWS.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Catalina or Saona?+
Do I need to dive?+
Sources & methodology
- Wikipedia — Catalina Island (Dominican Republic) — Reef wall dive site, 9.6 km²
- Travel + Leisure — Best Punta Cana Beaches
- USF Optical Oceanography Lab — Sargassum Watch System (SaWS) — Monthly Atlantic sargassum bulletins
More research from the Data Center
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