Sandals & Beaches Excursions: Which Ones Are Actually Worth It
Most Sandals guests book one or two excursions and regret neither the ones they took nor the ones they skipped — the mistake is booking four and barely seeing the resort you paid for. We’ve stayed at every Sandals and Beaches resort, so below is what we actually tell clients: what’s worth leaving for, what it costs, and how to book it.
What's already included at your resort?
Quite a lot — and it’s worth knowing before you spend anything. Snorkelling, kayaking, paddleboarding, windsurfing, Hobie Cats, tennis, and scuba for certified divers are included at most Sandals resorts.
What's not included in your stay
Off-property tours and excursions
- Island Routes tours — catamaran cruises, waterfall and cave tours, ziplining, ATV, horseback riding, city and rum-distillery tours
- Private guides and independent operators
- Deep-sea fishing charters
- Private island or boat charters
Paid experiences on property
- Red Lane Spa treatments — massages, facials, couples treatments
- Private candlelight dinner on the beach
- Private cabana rentals where offered
- Professional photography packages
- Salon services and hair braiding
- Gift shop and souvenirs
Activities with a catch
- Scuba certification courses (PADI) — diving itself is included for already-certified divers, the course isn’t
- Jet skis and other motorised watersports
- Golf — greens fees are included at the resorts with courses, but caddies are mandatory and paid, and carts usually cost extra
Getting there and back
- Club MoBay and similar VIP airport services (link to your Club MoBay page here)
- Private or upgraded transfers — standard airport transfers are included
Celebrations
- Wedding package upgrades beyond the complimentary package
- Vow renewal and anniversary add-ons
- Specialty cakes, floral upgrades, live musicians
At Beaches, for families
- Night nanny and babysitting services
- Some specialty kids’ activities depending on resort
Are airport transfers included at Sandals?
Every Sandals and Beaches booking includes round-trip airport transfers — it’s already paid for, and someone will be waiting for you when you land. Depending on your room category, that transfer may be shared with other arriving guests or private.
Some people want a private transfer either way. When Jason and Karen stayed at Sandals Royal Curaçao, they arranged their own private transfer even though they were in a butler room — sometimes you just want to go straight there, on your own schedule.
Not sure what your room includes? Tell us the resort and room category you’re looking at and we’ll check — and if you want a private transfer added, we’ll recommend the right option and book it for you.
Should you book excursions through the resort or on your own?
Book through the resort if you want it handled — transport, timing and accountability are built in, and if a tour runs late your resort knows where you are. Book independently if there’s a specific operator you want, or you’re comfortable arranging your own transport.
So, our actual advice: book through the resort tour desk after you arrive, not online in advance. You’ll pay slightly more than going direct and you’ll keep the flexibility to move things around. Go independent only when there’s a specific experience the resort doesn’t offer, and only with someone a person you trust has actually used.
Which is exactly how we found Captain Larry in Barbados. A full day, your own pace, green monkeys and sea turtles and Cherry Tree Hill — and a guide, Omar, who knows the island properly. Here’s the full day we spent with him →
Price. Independent operators are usually cheaper for the same activity, sometimes noticeably. Resort-booked tours build in transport, coordination and a margin. If price is the only thing you’re weighing, independent wins.
Transport. Through the resort, you’re collected at the lobby and returned there, and the driver is working to your resort’s schedule. Independently, most operators will still collect you — but nobody at the front desk knows where you’ve gone.
When something goes wrong. Boat cancels, tour runs three hours late, someone turns an ankle — if you booked through the resort, there’s a desk to walk up to and someone whose job is to sort it. Booked independently, you’re negotiating with a business in another country on your holiday.
Refunds and changes. Booking at the tour desk once you arrive is usually easier to change or cancel than pre-paying online before you travel. If your plans might shift with the weather, wait and book on property. Independent operators vary enormously, and chasing a deposit across borders is rarely worth the saving.
Safety and insurance. Island Routes operators are vetted to Sandals’ standards and carry the insurance to match. Independent operators run from superb and fully covered to a man with a boat and a phone number. Worth checking your own travel insurance too — some policies won’t cover an incident with an uninsured operator.
Which Sandals excursion companies are the best?
Island Routes
Island Routes is Sandals’ own tour company — a division of Sandals Resorts International — so its tours leave right from your resort lobby and the tour desk can change your booking if plans shift. We’ve taken these tours ourselves across every island, and for most clients this is what we book.
Viator
Viator is Tripadvisor’s booking platform, with the biggest catalog of anyone — including plenty Island Routes doesn’t run. We’ve booked through Viator too, and it’s where we’d point you for a specific operator, a pre- or post-stay day, or when you want to compare options with real reviews attached.
