Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Activities
For sheer awe-inspiring, 'the natural world is an amazing thing' impact, a whale-watching
trip is hard to beat. Samaná is considered to be one of the top 10 destinations in the world
for whale-watching. Around 45,000 people travel here every year between January 15 and
March 25 to see the majestic acrobatics of these massive creatures. February is peak sea-
son for humpback whales, but try to avoid the weekend of February 27 - the Independen-
ce Day holiday 'Carnaval' for Dominicans makes it the busiest weekend of the winter and
Samaná is packed.
Most of the whale-watching companies have a morning and afternoon trip. There's little
difference in terms of your likelihood of seeing whales, and although the water may be
slightly rougher in the afternoon, it also tends to be less busy, with fewer boats out. There
are 43 vessels with legal permits: eight companies, two of which are foreign-owned (Ca-
nadian and Spanish) and the rest owned by Dominicans from Samaná, and around 12 in-
dependent operators. A co-management and self-regulation agreement was established in
1994 between the boat owners and various departments of the Dominican government, in-
cluding the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of the Environment. A manual of rules
and responsible behavior was created and every year all the stakeholders sign it to renew
their commitment. One of the more important objectives is ensuring a minimum boat size
of 8.7m: in big seas small boats are low to the water and sometimes aren't aware of the
whales until they're too close.
Private vessels are strictly prohibited from whale-watching; this applies to yachts and
boats of any size. They can only transit into or out of the bay. Additionally, do your part
by not frequenting illegal operators. Your vessel should have a registration number and a
yellow flag issued by the Ministry of Environment.
Whale Samaná
MAP
WHALE-WATCHING
GOOGLE MAP
(
809-538-2494; www.whalesamana.com ; cnr Calle Mella & Av La Marina; adult/under 5yr/5-10yr
RD$2500/free/RD$1250; office 9am-1pm & 3-6pm Jan-Mar, 9am-1pm Mon-Fri Apr-Dec)
Samaná's most recommended whale-watching outfit is owned and operated by Canadian
marine mammal specialist Kim Beddall, the first person to recognize the scientific and
economic importance of Samaná's whales back in 1985. The company uses a two-deck
boat with capacity for 60 people. The daily tour leaves at 9am and lasts three to four
hours.
 
 
 
 
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