Attractions
There are many wonderful attractions to take advantage of in and around the Samana Pennisula. A few of these are listed below.
Humpback Whales - Did you know that Samaná is reputed for it’s humpback whale watching during the whale season from December to March. Humpback whales can be seen in the protected reef of Banco de la Plata (Silver bank) just outside Samaná. During these months approx. 2000 to 3000 humpback whales migrate from the cold North into the warm sea in order to mate or to breed.
This is without any doubt a breathtaking spectacle watching these giants of the sea measuring up to 16m and weighing around 40 tons jumping and diving in the water. Humpback whales are said to be the most entertaining whales of all, especially during mating season.
Spectacular Beaches - Beach lovers will find no shortage of postcard-perfect beaches throughout the Samana peninsula. Most of the beaches are very quiet, especially during the summer months. Las Galeras is one of the most peaceful areas in all of Samana, with a horse-shoe shaped beach with clear, turquoise water and sugar white sand. West of Las Galeras is Playa Rincon, a beach on the eastern part of the peninsula that has been voted as one of the best beaches in the world by Condá Nast Traveler.
Scuba Diving - Samaná diving is considered as the best diving of the north coast of the Dominican Republic as the rocky coastline with high cliffs leads to an extraordinary underwater world of drop offs and pinnacles rising from 165 feet to 15 feet of the surface.
The dive sites are suitable for divers from beginner to advanced level and there are plentiful corals, sponges, canyon style incisions and hundreds of tropical fish.
The visibility of Samaná’s transparent blue waters can range from 100-150 feet.
The sea floor varies broadly from shallow, reef sites featuring lots 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 cave and tunnel formations, are numerous.
Cayo Levantado, also known as “Bacardi Island”, is a picturesque island just off the coast of mainland Samana that is a wonderful place to spend the day. There are many lovely beaches and hidden coves to explore throughout the island. Most group tours offer a traditional Caribbean-style lunch, complete with local drinks such as Rum and Coke or Pina Coladas.
The National Park of Los Haitises is Located at the western end of the bay on the south shore across from Sanchez, this park features mangrove swamps with giant mangrove trees forming a lush, green canopy above the watery trails that wind through the swamps. Taino caves where the islands first inhabitants lived are another popular attraction of the park. Tours leave from Samaná, Sanchez and Sabana de la Mar at the park’s eastern edge across the bay from Samaná.
El Limón Waterfall is an impressive waterfall set in magnificent scenery and can be reached on mule back or horse back as well as on foot. 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. The trails leading to the falls are maintained by ACESAL (Association for Community Ecotourism of Ell Limón.). Its members run so-called paradas, where they offer guided horse and mule excursions to El Limón and other places of natural beauty, such as Playa Limón, or horseback tours to El Valle via Palmarito. Most offer comida criolla (local cuisine), soft drinks and locally hand-crafted artifacts, not to mention organic coffee and cocoa. For anyone with a love of nature and outstanding natural beauty, with a lively curiosity and sense of adventure, this is a fantastic place to visit.