Samaná Peninsula, Bay & Surroundings: Adventures: On Water:

Along with its palm-covered terrain, the Samaná Peninsula is best known for its spectacular beaches – one of them rated among the best in the world. With most of the finest beaches located along the northern edges of the peninsula, Las Galeras is the best jumping-off point for visiting many of them. Several can be reached by the combination fishing boats and informal ferry service based in front of the food kiosks on Las Galeras’ main beach (RD $300-400) or by four-wheel bikes – known as quads – that can be rented from Xamana-Rent-Moto (☎ 809-538-0208) on the road running parallel to the same beach. Sunshine Service (Calle de Carmen 151, Las Terrenas, ☎ 809-240-6164) arranges horseback trips to El Limon or to local beaches.

The first group of beaches are arranged in geographic order from the town of Samaná heading east and then north up the coastline to Las Galeras.

Playa Las Flechas

Playa Las Flechas (also known as Anacaona) not only serves up sun and sand, but a history lesson, too. According to local lore, the beach is named “The Arrows” after an aggressive encounter between Christopher Columbus and the Tainos who inhabited the area when he arrived; it’s believed to be the site of the first confrontation between Europeans and natives in the New World. Today it’s a cozy beach that faces Cayo Levantado and is a good place to spend the afternoon after a morning of whale-watching. A small bar and restaurant, called the Anacaona, serves up good Dominican food. (On Friday nights the bar features music and an interesting mix of visitors and locals.) The beach is about three miles east of Samaná and is accessible via a dirt road just behind the Gran Bahía Principe Hotel; watch for the “Anacoana” sign. From Samaná the guagua ride runs about RD $35.

Cayo Levantado

With its gleaming white-sands, swaying coconut palms, and glistening blue waters, this small island – once celebrated in Bacardi commercials as the ideal Caribbean paradise – features the most beautiful beaches in the near vicinity of the city of Samaná. But paradise, in this case, includes sharing the sunshine with hordes of daytrippers, who are ferried onto the island from town daily – and facing constant hassling by vendors, along with tourist-trap food and beverage prices. The island is also now home to a five-star Gran Bahía Principe Resort. In short, you can do much better than this at other, less readily accessible beaches on the peninsula. If you do go to Cayo Levantado and want to escape the crowds, look for the short footpath that starts to the right of the ferry dock. The path will lead you to the quieter side of the island, where the beaches are more deserted. To get to Cayo Levantado, you can take a ferry from the docks at Samaná (about US $20 each way), or, from the beach at Las Flechas (just behind the Gran Bahía Hotel on Carretera Las Galeras).

Cayo Levantado. VALUE: Less expensive ferries are available in the pueblo of Las Cacaos farther up the carretera . Whale-watching tours sometimes include a stop on the island following the main event.

Playa Fronton

This spectacular beach on the tip of Cape Samaná, just northeast of Las Galeras, is lined by a seamless stretch of palm trees. While its reef-protected lagoon makes for good snorkeling, a slight undercurrent could pose a danger to inexperienced swimmers. The bigger draw here, however, is the 300-foot rock face rising from behind the palm thick. Several rope routes with various overhangs, ledges, and footholds make this an especially popular spot for rock climbers from across the island. (See Rock Climbing, below, for more information.) If arriving on your own, you can reach Playa Fronton by following the directions from Samaná to Boca del Diablo, or by ferry from Las Galeras (unless the waves are too rough).

Playa Madama

A small isolated beach with crystal-clear water, Playa Madama is surrounded by interesting rock formations and caves with Taino drawings for exploring. Afterwards, you can buy refreshments and light eats at a beach bar. Reach it in 30 minutes by ferry (RD $300) from Las Galeras main beach or in an hour and a half by horseback.

Playa Cala Blanca

Accessible by a 10-minute walk east along the Las Galeras beachfront to just before the Casa Marina Bay Hotel, this public beach is blessed with fine sand and calm waters. With its proximity to town and shallow, reef-protected swimming, it’s another favorite with families.

Playa Galeras

This half-mile horseshoe-shaped beach is remarkably beautiful, especially considering that it lies just off the main road in town. Calm, shallow water makes for good swimming. During your stint on the sand, you might want to grab a bite – the fresh seafood is locally caught – at one of the casual thatched-roof eateries lining the entrance to the beach. Or you can hop on a boat here to reach other area beaches.

La Playita

This small sandy beach near town is just a short walk west of Hotel Villa Serena, and offers excellent reef snorkeling in calm, shallow waters. The safe pool-like environment makes it a great spot for kids to have their first go at donning mask and fins.

Playa Colorado

This golden-sand beach, set in lush surroundings, fronts a planned residential community that consists mostly of expats. You’re likely to have this quiet beach much to yourself, except for area residents or the occasional visitor who arrives on horseback. (The horseback trip takes an hour and costs US $40; see Horseback Riding, below.) You can also reach it in 20 minutes by boat from Las Galeras main beach (RD $300).

Playa Rincón

The prize of the peninsula, and a strong contender for the finest beach on the entire island, isolated Playa Rincón has won plaudits from top travel magazines as one of the world’s best beaches. Located at the base of the 2,000-foot mountains at the west end of Bahía del Rincón, whose turquoise waters are crystal-clean, Playa Rincón offers nearly three miles of uninterrupted white sands and lush palm groves – which all adds up to an idyllic backdrop for an island castaway experience. To add to local flavor, Dominican families run makeshift kitchens on the west end of the beach, selling excellent grilled fish and lobster dishes. There’s also a small waterfall forming a refreshing pool at its base on the west end across from the picnic tables.

You can get to Rincón via a 30-minute ferry ride from Las Galeras main beach (RD $400). You might also hook up with a quad-bike excursion or make the drive on your own. If so, you will need four-wheel-drive to navigate the long, rough, bumpy road. Get to Playa Rincón by making a right turn from Carretera Las Galeras as you head south out of town; the route isn’t always marked so you may have to ask a local. The total drive usually takes from 45 minutes to an hour.

TIP: Future plans may include a major all-inclusive resort to be built at Playa Rincón, so this beach falls into the “see it now” category.

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