Samana

Samana Bay offer great appeal to sun seekers, nature lovers and romantics, due to its islets or keys and immense beaches. Green mountains, long beaches, lively little towns and turquoise waters make up the beautiful sceneries to see. A main vacation attraction here is whale-watching between November and March. Also the Los Haitises National Park, with its exotic vegetation, fauna and calm waters, make for an ideal daytrip.

Accommodations can be found for any budget, and a slue of little restaurants offer delicious Dominican meals, some say the best of the island. At dusk, a stroll along its malecon is a must, where the breakwaters suddenly become alive with stalls, deckchairs, merengue music and plentiful rum.

Samana

The town of Samana is located on the southern side of the peninsula along Samana Bay. It's a popular base for tourists who plan to participate in whale watching excursions or day trips to Cayo Levantado, both of which leave from the town's port. Samana's Malecon, or beachfront strip, is the center of activity and features outdoor cafes and small shops.

Samana is heavily populated by Americanos, descendents of freed American slaves. Because of this the town holds a series of annual harvest festivals, a tradition dating back to the Yam and Rice festivals of West Africa. These lively events are held on Fridays from late August through the end of October at Samana churches.