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Poking out like a thumb on the far northeastern corner of the Dominican Republic, away from the crunch and bustle of big cities and tourist hordes, the 30-mile-long Samaná Peninsula is known for its natural beauty and a host of adventurous ways to enjoy it. Its long white-sand beaches, fringed by coconut palms and lapped by turquoise waters, offer remarkable solitude for such picture-postcard settings. Away from the coast, by contrast, the peninsula is mostly wild – a tropical tangle of lush forests, waterfalls, and deep green mountains. Yet there are plenty of creature comforts to ease the hard edges. The main town, Santa Bárbara de Samaná (more commonly known simply as “Samaná”), offers up a range of tourist amenities along the southern tier of the peninsula, while two atmospheric little beach resorts on its north coast, Las Galeras and Las Terrenas, serve up just the right mix of local fishing-village color and ron-y-cola infused nightlife.
Along with its beaches, Samaná is best known for its world-class wintertime whale watching in Samaná Bay and environs, perhaps unsurpassed in the world. Other adventures include scuba diving and snorkeling amid coral reefs, sailing and swimming in the clear ocean waters, and hiking and horseback riding along the beaches and through jungles. But, if you’re so inclined, you can also stretch out on a swath of powdery sand, soaking up sun or resting in the shade of a palm tree, gazing at the sky and sea. Nowhere else in the Dominican Republic are the chances for pulsating action and glorious inaction married so effectively.
- IN THIS CHAPTER:
- History
- Festivals
- Getting Here, Getting Around
- Information Sources
- Sightseeing
- Adventures
Bases for Exploration - Santa Bárbara de Samaná
- Las Galeras
- Las Terrenas
- El Portillo
