Discover the beaches and landscapes:


The village of Las Terrenas is located at the Northeast of the Hispaniola Island, on the Atlantic coast of the Peninsula of Samana. The bay of Samana is on the other side of the peninsula. This bay was historically a shelter and the starting point of the Spanish fleets between the end of 15th and the 16th century. At present the bay of Samana is, first of all, a high place for fishing and the sanctuary of the humpback whales in winter (www.whalesamana.com).

The small village of Sanchez, on the other side of the peninsula, is an old commercial port which is known for its peak at the time of the railway that crossed the island up to La Vega, when the country had a strong agricultural export. The train was removed a few years ago. To join Las Terrenas to Sanchez, it is necessary to cross the plain of Las Terrenas and a range of hills (the sierra of Samana) by a tarred minor road. During a long time this part of the island had nothing to see with the large interior trade flows, as well as with the tourist development because the old way gullied by the storms was almost impassable.

The Peninsula of Samana is white sand beaches; it is the bays protected by the coral barrier, the intensity of the tropical light that the winds of the trade winds purify, the green and bright hills of the range of mountains which come to die in the broad coastal plain of about 3 to approximately 4 km large.

In the area of Las Terrenas, the majority of the 30 km beaches between Limon and Coson are unexploited; nevertheless those are regarded as being the most beautiful beaches of the country and even of all Caribbean. The population is of an incomparable kindness, some great Dominican families have their properties in the bay, some tourists and expatriates /residents have settled and this makes of Las Terrenas a single place, with the somewhat original atmosphere and where it nice to live at the rhythm of the sun, the rum and the tropical night.

Weather: subtropical, ideal all the year. The seasons are summarized in 2 seasons: the wet season from June to October (some heavy tropical showers primarily on the reliefs) and the dry season from October to May. The temperatures oscillate between 16°C and 35°C with an annual average of 23 to 25°C. The mode of the trade winds modifies these standards in the Peninsula of Samana, some dominant breezes blow from East to West. The rain season is from May to June and from October to November, with great variations from one year to another. The best moment to travel is from December to the end of April. Sometimes there are hurricanes between September and November. Nevertheless the range of mountains of maximum 600 m. hight of the area of Las Terrenas/Samana breaks the storms what protects us from the cyclones.




Fauna: In its forests and its waters the island shelters mammals, of which the most impressive one is, without a doubt, the humpback whale. In the Dominican waters there are also manaties or manatees, fresh water or sea turtles. The plate nodonte, small mammal marsupial kind, is one of the endemic species of the island. In the same way, many iguanas, lizards and the smallest boa constrictor of the world (1,50 m) also live in the country.

The crocodile reserve of the lake enriquillo, in the south-west of the country, deserves to be visited, where there is also the very rare iguana "rhinoceros". Thousands of pelicans, frigates, falcons or milans, white waders, herons and thousands of flamingos remain quietly in the several national parks. There is expected to be 112 species of sedentary and migrating birds living in the island.

Note: No dangerous animal for the human life is indexed in the island.

Flora: you will discover an immense variety of fruits or typically tropical vegetables like pineapple, mango, avocado, coconut, the banana fruit or plantain, the tobacco and the yucca (tapioca). As well as the breadfruit tree, cocoa, coffee-tree, tayota, guayaba, lechosa (papaw), zapote, granadillo, the delicious passion fruit and famous sugar cane. Many kinds of trees like the mangrove, the caoba (mahogany tree), the splendid blazing and, of course, the royal palm trees and the coconut trees which will delight your sight. 8' 000 species of plants, flowers and trees, of which 1' 800 endemic species, mainly the orchids (300 varieties) and the palm trees: Dominican nature has a rich palette of bright colors and astonishing forms!

National parks: the Dominican Republic wishes to preserve its historical inheritance, its fauna, its flora and its natural and human richness. Many national parks (16 in all) among which: Jaragua (1' 374 km²), Los Haïtises (1' 200 km²), the sierra of Baoruco (800 km²), Armando Bermudez (766 km²), Jose del Carmen Ramirez (764 km²), Montecristi (530 km²) and park del este (420 km²).

The several scientific reserves, the sanctuary of the whales at the banco de Plata and the several national parks represent a total surface of more than 10' 000 km² (20% of the territory) controlled by the Management of the National parks (military organization). You will have many occasions to go and visit these wonders of nature.

Tourist achievements: Tourism has developed since a few years and some small hôtels/restaurants are emerging, the majority created by french, Swiss or Italians, accomodating the tourists nicely in the search of authenticity. At present, many projects, of greater scale, like hotels or residences are being developed. Golf of 18 holes is under development and a marina is in project close to Punta Bonita. Las Terrenas is also more than 2' 000 french-speaking people among the many foreign residents, a french school, a hospital, doctors in several specialities, 3 pharmacies, 4 banks, 4 shopping centres and 3 super markets, a hundred trades, bars, hotels, residences, restaurants, night clubs....