You can wade 5-10 meters off shore then it becomes deep. There is also a current to be aware of. Should not be a problem for small children and non swimmers as long you know what you are doing. Some agencies provide life jackets so you should ask in advance (our didnt’t). The travel guides will keep watch on you in the water for your safety:)

Yes, we were picked up at the lobby, stopped at a few more resorts to pick up more people and were on the bus for @ 2 hours. It's a mostly scenic drive with a good view into how the locals live daily. The tour guide was very informative and gave the whole tour in English, Spanish, French, and GermanI ( Impressive and informative) It's a beautiful trip to Paradise Island on the catamaran ( don't take the speedboat, those people looked very crowded in and uncomfortable!) We were given cocktails, champagne and snacks onboard. We toured the Mangroves at the National Park and stopped at a swimming hole in the ocean to splash around ( pool noodles and inflatable bar provided!) Next stop...Paradise Island! Very small, very beautiful sand, very turquoise clear water, very colourful fish on the reef and VERY VERY fun! Yes, it's crowded...who cares...you are on vacation and people are constantly arriving and departing so it's not too bad. After an hour we got back onboard and were served a buffet lunch on the mainland...lots of selections, including lobster tails! ( included in cost of excursion). We stopped at a small market on the way back to Puerto Plata for souvenirs and a lesson in cigar making! I did this trip with my Mr., my son and my mother ( ages 20,48,54,67) and we all enjoyed it. *** My mother has problems with her knees and hips and my Mister was recovering from upper arm surgery and getting off and on the catamaran was do-able for both, but could have been better if people weren't rushing so much ( trying to climb the ladder while timing the waves is an art form) Don't let this deter you but if you need a little bit of assistance, waiting at the end of the line to board may give you the extra time you may need.***

Depending on the tour operator and whether you book regular or VIP excursion will offer different variations of this tour. VIP excursion includes lobster lunch, alcoholic beverages & travel by catamaran. Regular excurisons usually includes bus travel with Baldemora and speedboat travel to Paradise Island. Some provide water only on the island, while others will provide soft drinks and fruit. A buffet lunch is included.