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Samana
is a destination for nature lovers and adventurers. Green,
green mountains, long beaches, solitude, lively little towns
in between, turquoise waters. Samana is also a romantic destination,
and several of its small hotels are perfect for honeymooners.
Samana is also a good choice for experienced scuba divers.
And the place to stay if whale-watching is high on your agenda.
It is the place to sit on a porch or in the shade of a palm
tree, sipping something cool and discover the rare feeling
of being happy just being alive.
The exuberance
of the area, the variety of natural attractions make it the
preferred choice of those seeking an active vacation. Oh,
there is action if you want it. Horseback riding, swimming,
snorkeling, diving, sailing — all the activities that
come with beautiful nature.
It is
possible to spend your days vegging out at the beach in front
of the hotel, but Samana is truly for explorers. Samana has
a distinct European flavor - The French were first, but now
many Italians and Spaniards have opened up businesses to cater
to tourists in the area.
Important
to note, Samana is one tourist area in the DR where credit
cards are not as readily accepted. It is best to bring cash,
travel checks or use your ATM card at one of the banks in
town.
What
else is nearby
Those
traveling to the province of Samana should plan on spending
their entire vacation in Samana. This is because Samana is
a multi-area tourism destination in itself. The hotels are
primarily located in Samana City, Las Galeras (25 kms. from
Samana City), Las Terrenas and El Portillo. It takes about
half an hour to cross the peninsula north to south and about
an hour to go from West to East or vice versa. There is a
small airport in El Portillo with commuter flights to Santo
Domingo, if your budget allows.
Port
of Entry/How to get there
Fly into
Santo Domingo
or Puerto Plata,
overnight there, and the next day take the domestic commuter
flight into Portillo air strip on the north side of Las Terrenas.
If your hotel is in Las Galeras or Samana City, you may consider
renting a jeep at El Portillo Resort across the street from
the airport and going by car. If you are in Santo
Domingo, a Metro Bus leaves at 7 am and will take you
into Samana city, dropping you off on the Malecon. If you
are in Puerto Plata,
take the Caribe Tours bus that leaves at 7:30 am from Sosua
into Samana. Note that Las Terrenas is about a 45 minute drive
from Samana City. These are very inexpensive, service is comfortable
coach and these are scenic rides, albeit you will be on board
for about 4 hours. This bus connection gives time to make
the whale-watching trips, but prepare for an exhausting day.
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Getting
around
You
can get around on foot, by moto-concho (motorcycle taxi)
or taxi, but the best way to see Samana is to rent a
small 4x4 jeep. Whether traveling on the undulated sand
roads along Las Terrenas beach on the northwest side
of the peninsula, or at Playa Rincon on the northeast
side, the jeep will come in extra handy. Take extra
care when driving along the panoramic highway from Sanchez
to Las Terrenas. To
do a loop of the attractions, take the El Portillo road
going East and stay on it until you get to the Limon
sign.
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If you
continue East along this road you will end up in Samana City,
from which you can travel to Las Galeras. Retrace your way
back to Samana and then to Sanchez, to make it back north
to Las Terrenas
Once you are in Las Galeras, there are daily small boat ferries
to Playa Rincon beach, a spectacular 2 km. bay.
| Our
Guide Book Recommendations |
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| The
beaches |
North
side of the peninsula: Las Terrenas, El Portillo (tranquil
waters), Cozón (fun waves, can be rough), Playa Bonita
(fun waves).
South side of the peninsula: Playa Galeras (about an hour
and a half from Las Terrenas), Playa Rincon (40 minutes drive
on rough roads from Samana, easy to go from Las Galeras by
boat) and Cayo Levantado. Cayo Levantado is an island of about
one square kilometer, made of a protruding coral reef which
protects Samana bay from the Atlantic waves. With its lovely
white sand beaches flanked by tall coconut trees, this island
is a popular day outing with boat loads of tourists arriving
daily.
The El Limon waterfall (about 10 kms. East of Portillo air
strip.)
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| Samana
city |
| Samana
city claims an unusual history and, as a result, an
unusual character. It was settled by two shiploads of
freed American slaves around 1824 and, to this day,
many residents speak English as a first language. The
US cultural influence is also apparent in many of the
last names of the settlers of this area. Urban renewal
is improving the overall look of Samana city. |
| Los
Haitises National Park |
Easily
reached by a short boat ride across the Bay is Los Haitises
National Park. This area is known as having one of the
most important rainforests and mangrove reserves in
the entire Caribbean,
complete with keys and caves. You can only enter the
park with a certified guide. Day excursions can be booked
from most hotels.
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| Las
Terrenas town |
Worth a stroll. Lots of shops feature all sort of beach wear
and gear. Great supermarket in town, restaurants, delicious
pate and pastry shops, reflecting the European influence.
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| El
Limon Waterfall. |
Take the El Portillo road going East and stay on it until
you get to the town of El Limon. The waterfall is about 300
meters above sea level and has a 40 meter drop that ends in
a very deep but swimable pool of crystal clear waters.
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| Whale-watching |
Samana
has some of the best whale-watching in the world. Every year,
the excursions depart to catch the frolicking giant creatures
from 15 January to 15 March.
The
Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)
The
humpback whale is not a fish, it's a marine mammal which means
it breathes air and nurses its offspring just like us.
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85%
of the humpback whales of the North West Atlantic are
born in Dominican waters, where they return every year
to breed and give birth. At present, the humpback whale
is an endangered species, for there are only about 6,000
of them in the entire world. Of those, it is estimated
that some 2,000 to 3,500 visit the Silver Bank and the
Marine Mammal Sanctuary in our northern waters. |
Features
& Identification
A
humpback whale has black or dark gray skin and their "throat"
and "chest" are colored white. Once adult it grows
as large as 18 meters (40 to 50 feet) and weighs from 55 to
65 tons.
It
is one of the large whales and belongs to the Mysticeti order,
for it has no teeth but some large filters it uses to collect
food. Humpbacks are easily identified by their pectoral fins,
which measure up to 15 feet long.
The
coloring of its tail varies from one individual to another
and is used to identify, in similar fashion to human fingerprints,
a particular whale, easing the study of their migrations,
population and new offspring.
Behavior
Humpback
whales are famous because of their joyful jumps into the air
and the playful flapping of their flippers on the water surface.
As they come out to the surface to breath, they produce an
impressive blow of humid air (not water, as popular belief
tells) of some 8 to 10 feet high.
One
curious fact is that they do not feed themselves at all during
their entire stay (over a couple of months!!!) in Dominican
waters.
Another
singular aspect of the humpbacks is the characteristic "chant"
of the males, sung by the males during their stay at the Sanctuary.
This "songs" are complex patterns of sounds with
lengths of up to 20 minutes and are shared by all the whales
in a specific area. Its function has been associated with
courtship and breeding. The song changes little by little
through simple modifications introduced by members of the
whale population.
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| Mountain
biking, hiking, horse riding |
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are few destinations as great as Samana for these ecotourism
sports. Be on the lookout at your hotel for tour operators
that offer these activities. Note that there is no better
way to really see the area than by mountain bike, hiking
or horse riding. End the day with a plunge in a deserted
beach. Horse riding excursions that will take you through
jungles and paradise beaches are offered at many hotels.
Highly recommended.
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| Caving |
Samana
has many caves for exploring. Check out the availability of
excursions offering sightings of petroglyphs and pictograms
from the days of the Indian settlers. Samana is known as the
site of the first battle between the Indian settlers and the
European conquerors - the Battle of the Arrows.
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| Rock
climbing |
Rock
climbing enthusiasts should look into the Playa Fronton excursions.
Playa Fronton is located at the end tip of Las Galeras. It
is a spectacular beach, even if you are not into climbing.
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Your Car Online |
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Take the four
wheeler excursion to discover the many beaches on the northwestern
coast of the peninsula, off Las Terrenas.
If you are staying
in Las Terrenas, visit Playa Rincón Beach on the other side
of the peninsula. Considered one of the best in the Dominican Republic,
this beach can be reached by four wheel car, horseback over the
mountains or by a short boat trip from Las Galeras. To get to Las
Galeras, take the Samana road east to the end.
Whale-watching
excursions from January 15-March 1. Best time to see the whales
is late January and the first two weeks of February. If you
are staying in Puerto
Plata, use the Caribe Tours bus connection that leaves
early enough for you to get there in time and make the bus
back when taking an excursion that departs after 11 am. It
will be an exhausting day, though. Some of the better excursions
leave at 9 am and make a stopover at Cayo Levantado island,
which wouldn’t leave time to make it back on the bus.
Samana and whale-watching are really worth a visit on their
own. Or at least try to overnight in Las Terrenas (one hour
away), or Las Galeras (half an hour away from the port), or
Samana (right there).
There
are several all-inclusive
resorts in Samana, but most of the accommodation is located
in small hotels that do not include meal plans with their
rates. Even if you choose to stay at an all-inclusive hotel,
venture out and sample the fare of the many good restaurants
in Samana.
For more information on hotels, see
our Hotel Directory >>
Dining
outside the hotel
Since most hotels
in Samana do not book guests with all their meals included,
there is a wide selection of small restaurants to choose from
in Samana City, Las Galeras or Las Terrenas.
Places
to shop
The better shopping areas are located in Samana city and Las
Terrenas town. Las Terrenas has a small but well-stocked supermarket.
Golf
There
is a nine hole course that is part of the Gran Bahia hotel.
This course is described as fun to play, albeit not for serious
golfers.
Scuba
Diving
Samana features
the best adventure diving of the north coast of the Dominican Republic.
This rocky coastline with high cliffs leads to an exciting underwater
world of sheer drop-offs and pinnacles that rise from 165 feet to
within 15 feeet of the surface. Underwater visibility in this region
can range from 100 to 150 feet. During the winter season (January
15-March 15), visiting humpback whales can be seen and heard underwater
as they migrate toward Silver Shoals. Dive shops take their divers
to Punta Tibisi (Cabo Cabron) for snorkeling and swimming. For advanced
divers, there is the site known as The Tower. This underwater pinnacle
rises from 165 feet. Down below at 40 feet, views are serene and
magestic.
The
sea floor of the Samana peninsula varies broadly from shallow, reef
sites featuring multitudes of deep undercuts, to systems honeycombed
with large caves, tunnels and swim-throughs such as those surrounding
the small rock islands of Las Ballenas (The Whales). Beneath the
moderate depths of 30 and 50 feet, their vast collection of dave
and tunnel formations, are difficult to count in the course of one
dive. The El Portillo-Las Terrenas area also offers attractive dives
to a mixture of shallow and deeper coral reefs and caverns, as well
as coral gardens for snorkeling.
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