About Samaná & the Dominican Republic

On December 5, 1492, Christopher Columbus discovered the island that he later named Hispaniola. The indigenous people called it Quisqueya, which, in their language means Mother of All Lands. The Dominican Republic occupies the territory that hosted the first permanent European settlement in America; among other “firsts” in the Americas, it was home to the first university, the first cathedral, and the first royal court.

The Dominican Republic is located centrally in the Caribbean Sea, at the convergence of all the routes of the Americas and the rest of the world. This makes it a geographically advantaged location for trade and tourism. Hispaniola is the second largest island in the Greater Antilles, and it is part of Central America and the Caribbean region.

The Dominican Republic is a fertile country, with almost 80 % covered by mountain ranges that run from the Northeast to the Southwest. Pico Duarte (3,175 m) is the highest point in the Antilles. The Cibao valley, one of the most fertile and best watered regions in the country, is located between the Cordillera Central [Central Range] and the Cordillera Septentrional [Northern Range], a range that runs parallel to the northern coast. The country has many important rivers, the Yaque del Norte, [Northern Yaque], Yuna, and Camú in the north; the Yaque del Sur [Southern Yaque], Ozama, and Soco in the south; and a large saltwater lake, the Lago Enriquillo, in the southwest.

Location

Geography

Dominican Republic occupies two thirds of the Island of the Hispañola, which it shares with the Republic of Haiti (Haiti is another indigenous name for the island meaning The High Land ), and is the second largest Caribbean island with an area of 48,442 square kilometers. The Dominican Republic is located in the heart of the Caribbean, bordered to the north by the Atlantic Ocean and to the south by the Caribbean Sea.

Population

Dominican Republic's population is 10.28 million people (2012).

Time Zone

The local time is the Eastern Caribbean Time (GMT -0400). In winter, it is identical with the US Eastern Time. There is no change to summer time in the Dominican Republic

Government

The Dominican Republic is a unitary presidential republic. Every four years the country elects its president, congress and local governments.

Language

Spanish is the official language of the Dominican Republic. However, the majority of employees in hotels and tourist destinations speak relative good English and French and to a lesser degree German and Italian. If visitors who do not speak Spanish want to venture off the beaten tracks though, they should definitely learn some basic vocabulary in Spanish beforehand.

Currency

The Dominican Peso de Oro (RD $) is the official currency of the Dominican Republic. Major credit cards and traveler checks are accepted all over the country. ATMs are available in all towns and touristic areas (only local currency is available at ATMs).

Climate

Dominican Republic has a subtropical climate throughout the year. The annual average temperature ranges 25 ° to 31 ° C (78 ° to 88 ° F).

Samaná

The Samaná Province is located in the northeastern region of the Dominican Republic. An extraordinary place rich in history, traditions, gorgeous beaches, and natural marvels. Before being categorized as a province, it was created as a Maritime District and Samaná town being a free port benefited from a prosperous trans Caribbean trade. It is now recognized as an excellent location for vacationing and it’s best value for money ratio for investing in real estate and residential and touristic developments.

One of its most notable characteristics are that its people still retain many different cultural aspects of their origins such as the slaves escaped from spanish colonial plantations (Cimarrones), french slaves brought to Samaná under french rule for the purpose of founding Port Napoleon (Santa Barbara de Samaná), the freed slaves brought from the United States (mainly Pennsylvania) under Haitian rule of the island, non spanish speaking workers brought from many other Caribbean islands (Cocolos), settlers brought from the Canary Islands (the founding fathers of Santa Barbara de Samaná) and the descendants of colonial settlers of mainly european ethnicity brought to Samaná from the central region of the island (Cibao). Testimonies of that heritage are the Samané language (a patois of english, french, spanish and african words), the Protestant religion, the Bamboula dance, Victorian architecture, magical-religious manifestations (originating in Gabon) and coconut rice and fish, just as much as the tendency to music, traditional fishing and craftsmanship of the descendants of the settlers from the Canary Islands or the extensive and natural way of agriculture stemming from the original pre-Columbian tradition. Its capital, Santa Barbara de Samaná, has a port from which boats set out on excursions to observe humpback whales during their annual visit in the winter months to mate and give birth in the warm Caribbean waters and to many national parks and reserves as well as other touristic and scuba diving hot spots.

Local Attractions

Biking and mountain biking, Horseback riding, Four wheel safaris, Zip line adventures, Scuba diving, Rock climbing, Water sports, Golf, Tennis, Sailing, Excursions, Hiking trails and Beaches.

Location and Access

Tropical Paradise-Playa La Mara is located on the southern shore of the Samaná Peninsula, facing what is known to be one of the most beautiful bays in the world.

The Dominican Republic has a modern airport system spanning over all main regions of the country, allowing for comfortable and efficient access and the province of Samaná alone counts with one international and two national airports. Given its privileged location in the bay, sailing from Puerto Rico, Bahamas and Florida is ideal for those who rather arrive by sea.

Arriving

By Air:

Arroyo Barril Airport, Samaná: 25 minutes

El Catey International Airport, Samaná (AZS) : 50 minutes

Las Américas International Airport, Santo Domingo (SDQ): 1h 45 minutes

By Sea:

Port of Samaná or

Marina Puerto Bahia

Latitude: 19°11’670"N Longitude: 069°21’158"W

By Land:

From Santo Domingo’s Las Americas Airport: toll highway to Samaná town and from there 13 km on the highway direction Las Galeras.

Address: Playa La Mara, Los Naranjos (next to Vista Mare), Carretera Las Galeras - Samaná, Samaná, República Dominicana.

The drive from Santo Domingo is approximately two hours.