The 4 Samana Whale Watching Tours That Earn Their Price

1.Samana: Bay of Samana Whale Watching Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 97 reviews · 3 hours · from $65Our pick

Set out from Moto Marina at 9:30 am for a guided whale-watching trip in Samaná Bay. Spend time in the Marine Mammal Sanctuary looking for humpback whales, with coconut, water, and soft drinks provided. Guides speak English, Spanish, French, and German.

“The whale watching itself was great, we saw quite a few. But this excursion was advertised as 3.25 hours. We didn’t leave the marina until 10:00 am and were back by 12:30 pm. We could have spent more time watching the whales instead of rushing to drop guests off at Bacardi Island.”

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2.Samaná: Whale Watching and Cayo Levantado Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 21 reviews · 1 - 10 hours · from $6

Meet at Samaná’s Malecón at 8:30 AM for a local-led whale-watching trip, then sail to Cayo Levantado for a typical Dominican lunch and beach time. Guides including Captain Mario speak English, Spanish, and French. Expect a full day, with whale sightings dependent on timing and sea conditions.

“The whale watching tour was well-organized and the boat was fine but I found two parts to be disappointing. The first is that the date scheduled was before most of the whales arrive. There can be up to 300 whales in the bay but at this point there were only three. Does it make sense to schedule a tour when there are so few whales? Second, the majority of the time is spent on Cayo Levantado, which has a nice enough beach but is much less interesting than seeing whales. Perhaps my expectations were unrealistic. Regardless, the guides were professional, friendly, and helpful.”

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3.Samaná: Whale Watching and Cayo Levantado Island Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 21 reviews · 1 - 7 hours · from $6

Meet at Samaná’s Malecón at 9:30 AM for a boat trip into Samaná Bay, where local guides look for whales in their natural habitat. Afterward, spend free time on Cayo Levantado, also called Bacardi Island, with beach time, lunch, volleyball, and coastal views.

“While we saw a few whales, it was quite irritating that most other guests disregarded our guides‘ instructions to stay seated when there‘s a whale on their side of the boat so that everyone can see it. Our view was pretty much blocked because of that for a big portion of the whale watching excursion and some guests even reacted quite rudely when we asked them to sit down so that we‘d also get a chance to see something. While this was absolutely not our guides‘ fault, who kept telling people to stay seated, it still significantly affected our experience. Additionally, it felt like all the boats (not just ours)…”

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4.Samaná: Whale Watching Tour with Snacks

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 19 reviews · 20 minutes - 7 hours · from $2Best value

Join a Spanish-, English-, or French-speaking guide at Samaná’s dock for a boat trip into the bay and Marine Mammal Sanctuary. Look for humpback whales, enjoy coconut, water, and soda, and return around 1:30 PM. Some booking options may include Cayo Levantado.

“Fantastic whale watching experience in Samaná. Smooth ride, great guide, and beautiful views.”

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