The Dominican Republic is a picture postcard: miles of beaches, turquoise waters, rows of lazy palm trees, upscale hotels, impeccably manicured golf courses, and Michelin-starred restaurants. Among the country's pearls, the Samaná Peninsula stands out as one of the best places to set down your bags. Here, in the north of the country, some places come close to what one might imagine to be paradise! The peninsula is known for its unspoiled beaches of fine sand and the colour of the water, rich in a thousand shades.

Samaná, the Dominican diversity

The town of Samaná (on the eponymous peninsula), 210 km from Puerto Plata, has 6,000 inhabitants. Now a French stronghold, Samaná was founded around 1824 by freed American slaves. Even today, many Samanans have Anglo-Saxon names and speak English. The town is located in a sun-drenched bay between the sea and the lush palm hills. In the gulf, three beautiful small islands are accessible by a bridge and, if you look towards the horizon, you can admire the famous islets of Cayo Levantado.

The city gives another point of view of the Dominican diversity. It is a recurring stopover during cruises in the Dominican Republic. Many boat trips are possible from the ports of Sanchez, Sabana de la Mar, Miches, Laguna Rotonda, Laguna de Limon and of course Santa Barbara de Samana, most often called Samaná. Small islets, luxuriant mountains, marina and golden beaches, this is what the visitor will be able to appreciate by going along the coasts of the peninsula. The numerous fishermen's boats return with more or less luck at daybreak in order to sell their merchandise as quickly as possible, especially sea breams and shrimps caught with a hawk. It is also possible to eat them immediately fried at the Manita stand on the Malecón. The city of Samaná is also accessible by car via the N5 highway (245 km northeast of Santo Domingo). During the Haitian occupation, former black slaves from the United States and the Leeward Islands were encouraged to settle. They left a legacy of American-sounding surnames such as King, Green and Barret, a darker mix of races than in the rest of the country, as well as Protestantism and many traditions. Partially destroyed by fire in 1946, Santa Barbara de Samaná was rebuilt on Balaguer's orders. Of its past, the town has only preserved the churcha, which welcomed the English faithful, the church then became, like many here, an evangelical office. Samaná is also known for its lively patronal festivals, which are celebrated from December 4, and its carnival in February. A score of houses and souvenir shops and restaurants of Victorian style, very coloured, raise the avenue skirting the port allowing one of the rare possible images of postcard in Santa Barbara of Samaná.

Located 2.5 km east of Samaná, the bay of Las Flechas saw in January 1493, the sailors of Columbus fighting for the first time the natives. The bay is surrounded by palm trees and, further east, you will discover wonderful isolated beaches

Las Terrenas, Gallic stronghold and dreamy waterfall

Las Terrenas, a lively fishing village, has guest houses, charming hotels, restaurants, bars, shops and the most beautiful beaches on the peninsula. The French alone represent nearly 10% of the population (25,000 inhabitants) but if we take the shops, restaurants, bars and small hotels, the percentage rises to over 60%. It is the hoteliers, restaurant owners and business owners from France who were among the first to develop tourism on the spot. The life is particularly quiet in Las Terrenas, with a magnificent beach very well maintained, the village of fishermen, the boats and the coconut palms, nothing misses in the postcard. Many have already come on holiday, once or several times, before putting down their suitcases with more or less success. Las Terrenas and its tens of kilometers of white sand beaches, bathed by a water with turquoise reflections, benefit from an ideal temperature, protected by a coral reef. Offshore, the islets of the Whale punctuate the horizon.

The village of El Limón, at about 10 km from Las Terrenas, is the starting point for the visit of the superb waterfall El Salto del Limón (40 m high) which can be reached in two hours on horseback, then by a rather steep path that can be walked. You can bathe under the waterfall, swim in a natural pool and visit the fascinating caves.

Cayo Levantado, a magnificent islet

Cayo Levantado is a paradise island located only 15 minutes by boat from Samaná and has become a coveted place for tourists. This pearl, of which the Dominicans are so proud, is bordered by two beaches of fine and immaculate sand (Playa Grande on the left of the landing stage, Playa Honda on the right, accessible by a signposted path). Soft green lawns stretch to the edge of the crystal-clear water, picture-postcard coconut palms lean against the blue of the sea, and paths lead through a small tropical forest of coconut palms, lianas and cheese trees. Despite the influx of tourists, street vendors, cantinas and shops, Cayo Levantado is worth a visit although only half of the beaches are accessible to individuals, the other half being reserved for all-inclusive (!) clients. Once the merchants and tourists are gone, the island finds its calm and serenity. An all-inclusive hotel also welcomes its guests in the heart of the Cayo.

Las Galeras, the authentic village

Isolated, at the eastern end of the Samaná peninsula, Las Galeras is reminiscent of paradise. This vast stretch of immaculate sand, in a U shape, is entirely surrounded by palm trees. The silence and tranquility of the place are barely disturbed by the fishermen's boats. The village is home to guest houses, a few charming hotels and a single hotel club... If it was invested by tourists in the years 2000, it remains preserved from mass tourism. Las Galeras is an authentic village, which will please the amateurs of calm. One goes there by a splendid road which crosses many hamlets while skirting the coast. The cove of Playa Francesa (4 km after Samaná) is particularly beautiful, but dangerous, its waters are perfectly clear. The road ends at the village of Las Galeras, facing the sea, where the small tourist village was built. Here time stands still. A small community of foreigners, including French, animates the local tourism. The numerous beaches of the surroundings are among the most fabulous of the country.

The whales' paradise

The highlight of the show is undoubtedly the whale watching! From January to March, the winter parade of humpback whales in Samaná Bay is a unique spectacle. The bay is the annual meeting place of the humpback whales that come to give birth, look for a mate and perform a frenetic courtship before mating. The males jump out of the water and strike the surface with their flukes. Nearly 10,000 whales gather for the occasion. When the calves have used up their mother's milk reserves, towards the end of March, they migrate to the cold seas of the northern hemisphere.

Useful information

When is it time? Two seasons are popular with tourists, from mid-December to March and from July to August, with a clear preference for the former. The Holy Week before Easter is also very popular. Of course, hotel and car rental rates take this into account. In the low season, however, a reduction of about 20% to 25% on the rates is in order. And you can negotiate!

Getting there. The average price of a flight between Paris and Santo Domingo varies between €700 and €1,200.

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