Samana Province
Caribbean's largest whale-watching industry (2,500 humpbacks annually); 32,913 km² marine sanctuary; Las Terrenas European-expat boutique destination.
Every winter, approximately 2,500 humpback whales migrate to Samaná Bay to mate and give birth—and since 1985, an expatriate tour operator has been converting that migration into the Caribbean's largest whale-watching industry. The Marine Mammal Sanctuary of the Dominican Republic (32,913 km²) represents the country's most extensive conservation area, and Kim Beddall's pioneering tours from Santa Bárbara de Samaná established sustainable ecotourism before the term existed.
The peninsula remains the DR's most secluded destination: wild beaches, coconut plantations, and rainforests accessible via El Catey International Airport (opened 2007). Las Terrenas attracted European expatriates who built French cafés and boutique hotels, creating a cosmopolitan village vibe unusual for the Caribbean. Beyond whale watching (January 15 to March 31), the province offers Los Haitises National Park for birding and caving, El Limón waterfall for horseback treks, and consistent wind for kitesurfing. Cruise ships began visiting in 2009, bringing package tourists for pre-arranged boat excursions.
By 2026, Samaná will test whether low-density ecotourism can resist pressure from mass-market development. The whales return because the bay remains relatively undisturbed; overdevelopment could disrupt the breeding grounds that drive the entire tourism model. If conservation enforcement holds and Las Terrenas maintains its boutique character, Samaná could demonstrate how natural assets create sustainable value. If cruise volumes and hotel construction accelerate without limits, the whales—and the economy they support—may swim elsewhere.