Samaná Bay is one of the most beautiful bays in the Dominican Republic and the Caribbean, this spectacular mirror of water fed by the Yuna River, the second largest in the country, embraces the city of Santa Bárbara de Samaná at its southern end, and it is the main departure point for daily boat excursions to Los Haitises National Park, Cayo Levantado and the famous Samaná whale watching expeditions that take place from mid-January to March each year.
At least 1,500 humpback whales return to Samaná Bay each year to court, mate, give birth and flutter in its warm waters, serving as a marine sanctuary, with a well-protected location and deep waters, the bay includes small mangrove cays , seagrass beds and corals, all of which provide nutrients to visiting humpback whales, turtles and manatees.
It is not surprising that many fought to take over this area, including the British, French and Spanish. In addition to boat excursions, you will find a great viewpoint to admire the bay in the walk along the Avenida Marina in Samaná, or a walk through the Bridges that connect several of its mangrove cays.
Among its attractions are the islands that serve as nesting sites for pelicans and frigatebirds, caves with pre-Columbian pictographs and petroglyphs, and tributaries of rivers and protected mangroves. In January and February of each year, the Bay of Samaná is enriched by the visit of the Humpback Whales, which give birth in the bay.
Every year, more than 50,000 tourists visit Samaná Bay just to watch humpback whales, which makes the bay one of the most important natural, tourist and economic areas for the Dominican Republic.
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