Whether it’s whale watching at Samana Bay, a horseback ride to the beautiful waterfall of El Salto del Limón, or swimming with the Sea Lions, all this and much more await you in Samana!
Located on the north coast of the Dominican Republic, the Samana Peninsula is a beautiful and welcoming destination. The Samana Peninsula was first visited by Christopher Columbus in 1493. He named the bay where he and his men landed Golfo de las Flechas due to the welcome he and his men received from the indigenous Ciguayo Indians. When they arrived and began exploring this beautiful new land, they were attacked fiercely by the Ciguayo who released a hail of arrows on them, thus the name given to this place, which means gulf of arrows.
The town of Samana was later founded by freed slaves from the United States in the 1820s. Their descendants can still be found living in the area and many speak English as their first language. The influence of these first English speaking residents is still prominent in the culinary, architectural and religious customs in Samana.
Today, Santa Barbara de Samaná, or just Samana, is the largest city on the Samana Peninsula. Unlike many Caribbean destinations, Samana does not have all the glitz and sophistication of many of its counterparts. Instead, visitors find a beautiful, relaxed hideaway, very much the way you would envision it in Columbus’s day. There are some fine resorts with all the amenities you will need but the area is largely untouched, making it an island paradise perfectly suited to a romantic retreat or a family vacation.
The Samana Peninsula has an abundance of the natural beauty that the Dominican Republic is famous for that will entice visitors to explore this island paradise. Crystal clear waters along pristine white sand beaches, lush tropical vegetation and picturesque rugged terrain offer the perfect place for a relaxing getaway.
The Samana Peninsula offers some of the best diving on the north coast of the Dominican Republic. The many variations in the underwater terrain offer an outstanding dive for those seeking an underwater adventure! The clear water offers excellent visibility for diving and exploration. During the winter season from mid-January till mid-March, vast numbers of humpback whales frequent the area during their migration to warmer waters. Along the coast of the peninsula surrounding the many small islands in the bay is a series of caves, swim-throughs and tunnels interspersed throughout the reef system along the sea floor.
One of the jewels of the Samana Peninsula is the Parque Nacional de Los Haitises. This magnificent park is well known for the Taino cave paintings and carvings that date back to the 1500s. There are many attributes of this lush tropical forest area that make it one of the premier eco-tourism destinations within Samana. These include the red and white mangrove swamps, numerous cayes and lagoons and a reef system where many bird species, including the blue heron and the brown pelican, come to nest.
Samana is the best spit in the dr with best beaches and now also with the best roads in the country.