Samaná, Dominican Republic

The Samaná peninsula is the Dominican Republic’s natural treasure, a region of verdant mountains, waterfalls, a beautiful bay and miles of pristine beaches. The port town of Santa Bárbara de Samaná overlooks Samaná Bay, where the annual winter gathering of thousands of Atlantic humpback whales is the top attraction. At the bay’s western end, Los Haitises National Park preserves and protects a diverse collection of subtropical plants and birds amid the forests and mangroves. Samaná’s famous beaches are on the northern coast along the Atlantic. Las Terrenas, the most developed town, has a decidedly cosmopolitan air, thanks to the French and Italian expats drawn to the silky sands and crystalline waters of Playa Bonita and Playa El Portillo. Quiet Las Galeras, at the peninsula’s remote far end, is the closest village to idyllic Playa Rincón.