Info regarding Samana

[Crucero Amor]

My family and I are going on a cruise that leaves January 3. We are planning to go to Samana and have no excursions planned. We just want to walk around town. Is this possible? How safe is Samana? Any info on this port would be appreciated.

 

Thank You

[flashdog_1]

and click Dominican Republic. There will be lots of posts on Samana. My husband, also, would like just to walk around, but the town with shops is quite a distance, I understand (never been there but going in January, also).

 

I've been in communication with an American married to a Dominican who lives in Las Galeras. She said there is a special police force that come out on cruise ship days and patrol the areas where they expect the tourists to be, so safety should be good if you are on an excursion. Not sure they'd be patrolling the walk to town ??? anyone?

[CC Help Michell]

and click Dominican Republic. There will be lots of posts on Samana. My husband, also, would like just to walk around, but the town with shops is quite a distance, I understand (never been there but going in January, also).

 

I've been in communication with an American married to a Dominican who lives in Las Galeras. She said there is a special police force that come out on cruise ship days and patrol the areas where they expect the tourists to be, so safety should be good if you are on an excursion. Not sure they'd be patrolling the walk to town ??? anyone?

 

Just based on that description, I'm happy with our decision for our April cruise to do a ship-sponsored excursion in Samana. We'll be doing the Caves and Mangroves Beach Break excursion. To the OP, the Ports of Call board is the place to go.

[jollycruise]

If you get off the ship and just walk to the few shops that are there you will be dissapointed in Samana. Samana is a port best enjoyed through an excursion. I highly suggest looking into one. We did the ATV tour through NCL and it was the best excursion we have ever taken. You need to get away from the dock to see the beauty Samana has to offer. I have heard great things about the 4x4 tour, the Caves and Mangroves and Cayo. There are a few shops and farmers market area that sells local craft. We did walk down there and it wasn't far at all. But if that was all we did we would have missed so much and would have been dissapointed. We loved Samana and look forward to going back someday.

[flashdog_1]

The photographs you see of beaches in the DR in travel magazines are so gorgeous. Other than Cayo Levantado which is an island near the port, the beaches are on the north shore of the Smana peninsula.

 

I want to see the interior, the mountains and rain forest (?) not just a beach. I believe I will get that on a trip to Playa Rincon. Anywhere else? Las Terrenas?

[wendywr]

I think you'll be disappointed if you just plan to walk around Samana. My husband and I walked around town for about an hour, and that was more than enough for us. He even lived in the Dominican Republic (though not the Samana area) for a couple years, so he had more reason to linger than the average person.

 

I never felt like we were in any danger. I have heard that some of the kids who are selling shells along the walk will try to pick your pocket. While they were invading our personal space and wouldn't take no for an answer, they didn't seem to be trying to steal anything.

[Nickymjw1]

If you take the Playa Rincon trip you will mainly be driving around the coast, but not the beautiful mountain region.

 

Of course playa Rincon is beautiful.

 

If you go to Las Terrenas you will go across the mountains and see all the wonderful nature. We did a cruise ship excursion to Las Terrenas but did not get to spend much time there due to the long drive/short excursion time.

 

The roads are bad in Samana, but per our taxi driver that is due to the corruption in the government. When we were there last year he said they had an election coming up and they were hoping to get someone new in office that would spend the money to fix the infrastructure in Samana.