Well out on a northern peninsula, Samaná is still a bit of a secret destination among Dominican Republic fans. Its isolation has kept it more unspoiled than other resort areas, but thanks to a new modern airport and increased development activity, the area is sure to gain in popularity.
Whale watching is the most famous activity in this part of the DR, but there are fantastic beaches and beautiful jungle settings as well. If you are looking for a resort area with far more Europeans than Americans then Samaná is a good choice.
Samaná has a few cheaper hotels, but it’s mostly mid-range beach resorts for the European crowd, so it’s not an ideal stop for those on very tight budgets.
| Population | 52,000 |
| Area | 52,000 |
| Timezone | UTC-4 |
| Currency | Dominican Peso |
| Airports | Samaná El Catey International Airport (AZS) |
Because you won’t find large crowds of vacationers here compared to other popular parts of the island, you won’t find as much to do. Mostly, you’ll find that whale watching is the main attraction here during season, which is a few months out of the year. There are also boats that can be chartered, as well as a few boat cruises available.
Because the resorts and hotels here are considered mid-range and are all-inclusive, this isn’t the best location for budget travelers and is more suited for those with a little extra money to spend.
| Rating | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
 | - |
| - |
| 80.00 - 138.00 |
| 127.00 - 200.00 |
| - |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| - |
| Local Breakfast | Typical Dominican dishes are found at every cafe with some mixing in a few international breakfast options. | $3.50 - $6.00 |
| Local Lunch | Seafood, chicken and other meats are paired with various sides and severed with different types of juice. | $5.00 - $9.00 |
| Local Dinner | Dinner is an experience with options of typical Dominican dishes as well as international cuisine such as Italian and French. | $7.00 - $18.00 |
| Beer | Roadside bars line the streets offering different drinks including domestic and imported beers. | $2.50 - $4.00 |
Even though whale watching is king here during the winter months, there are some other great tours available, all of which your resort or hotel can help set up for you. These range from zip lining, ATVing, and horseback riding to El Limon waterfall, which is an area favorite.
| Month | High F | Low F | PRECIP (inches) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 85 | 68 | 0.7 |
| February | 85 | 67 | 0.7 |
| March | 86 | 69 | 0.5 |
| April | 86 | 71 | 0.6 |
| May | 87 | 72 | 1.7 |
| June | 89 | 74 | 1.1 |
| July | 89 | 74 | 1.1 |
| August | 90 | 74 | 1.3 |
| September | 89 | 74 | 1.5 |
| October | 88 | 73 | 1.6 |
| November | 87 | 71 | 1.8 |
| December | 86 | 69 | 0.7 |
Located on a Peninsula, Samana tends to see mostly sunny days with average temperatures in the 70s and 80s.
There are two seasons in the Dominican Republic, a windy season and a rainy season. Even though it’s labeled as the rainy season, there still tends to be a lot of sunshine throughout the day so it’s not something to worry about unless there is a tropical storm or hurricane on the way.
Winter, otherwise known as the windy season, presents slightly lower temperatures and stronger winds. This time of year is perfect for those wishing to escape the northern winters as the sun shines through the months.
| 21 Mar | 6:43am | 6:51pm |
| 21 Jun | 6:04am | 7:19pm |
| 21 Sep | 6:28am | 6:37pm |
| 21 Dec | 7:07am | 6:08pm |
There are currently still fewer than 20 major resorts and hotels in Samaná, but the area is set to continue its expansion. There are also quite a few casual hotels and lodges available for those who don’t need any luxury or a spot on the beach. The all-inclusive resorts in the area offer much better value if you can get a good promotional package price.
When planning your trip, it’s important to note the price changes that occur throughout the year in conjunction with the weather seasons.
During the winter months, visitors can easily note a price increase in both hotel rates and flight costs. Even though this is the case, you’ll still find that most visitors wish to travel to the region during this part of the year, partly to escape the cold winters of the north.
During the other half of the year, hotel prices decrease about 20 percent or so. This is in part due to the hurricane and wet season. Most people tend to shy away from visiting during the summer and early fall months, helping to decrease the hotel and flight costs.
There are also times of the year that fall into the shoulder season. The month of May and late fall see prices averaging out as well as thinning crowds in comparison to the peak season.
| Rating | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| - |
| - |
| 80.00 - 138.00 |
| 127.00 - 200.00 |
| - |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| - |
Unless you are driving in a long distance from another part of the DR you’ll be flying into the Samaná El Catey International Airport, which only opened in 2006. It has a large enough runway to land widebody planes from North America and Europe, so it should continue to gain popularity as the area expands its resort selection.
Nonstop flights from:
San Juan, Miami, Montréal-Trudeau, Quebec City, Toronto-Pearson, London-Gatwick, Manchester, Lisbon, Milan, Stockholm
If you’re interested in an all-inclusive vacation here, your resort will include transportation to and from the airport. Excursions also include transportation as part of their package, making it so that you don’t’ have to worry about hiring a taxi or renting a 4-wheel drive vehicle. Instead, you can just walk around town if you’d like.