Las Galeras
Pitch-perfect Playa Rincón, with soft, nearly white sand and multihued water good for swimming, stretches an uninterrupted 3km – enough for every day…
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Península de Samaná
This sliver of land is the antithesis of the Dominican-Caribbean dream in the southeast, where resorts rule and patches of sand come at a first-class premium. Far more laid-back and, in certain senses, more cosmopolitan, Samaná offers a European vibe as strong as espresso; it’s where escape is the operative word, and where French and Italian are at least as useful as Spanish. The majority of visitors base themselves in sophisticated and lively Las Terrenas, with sleepy Las Galeras – situated with several of the country's best and most secluded beaches within reach – a popular alternative. But distances are relatively short, so days can be spent exploring the peninsula's other natural attractions, including waterfalls, underwater geography and North Atlantic humpback whales doing their migratory song and dance from mid-January to mid-March.
Attractions
Must-see attractions
Las Terrenas
Tucked away in surprisingly rough landscape, surrounded by peaks covered in lush greenery, is the 52m-high El Limón waterfall. A beautiful swimming hole…
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Península de Samaná
A gorgeous public beach lies on the western third of this lush island, 7km from Samaná. It's the only section that's open to the public – a five-star…
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Las Terrenas
The sand at Playa Cosón, 8km west along the main highway from Playa Bonita, is tan rather than white, and the water greenish rather than blue, but it’s a…
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Las Galeras
Playa Frontón boasts some of the area’s best snorkeling. Apparently it’s also popular with drug smugglers and Dominicans braving the Mona Passage on their…
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Las Galeras
Better than the beach in town, Playita (Little Beach) is easy to get to on foot or by motoconcho (motorcycle taxi). It’s a stretch of tannish sand and…
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Las Galeras
Playa Madama is a small beach framed by high bluffs at the edge of the country; keep in mind there’s not much sunlight here in the afternoon.
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Las Terrenas
A getaway from a getaway, the appropriately named Playa Bonita (Pretty Beach) is only a few kilometers west of Las Terrenas. It's not without…
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