Los Haitises National Park by Boat.

From Samaná town: the shortest crossing and the widest choice of operators. The run across the bay takes roughly an hour each way, so the boat time alone is a good chunk of the day.

From Las Terrenas or Las Galeras: operators collect you by road, drive you to the departure pier and take it from there. Expect an early start — these are 8 to 9 hour days door to door.

Private charter: if you are four or more, chartering the whole boat is often close in price to buying individual seats, and you set the pace at the caves.

You cannot visit the park independently or on foot. A licensed boat and a park guide are part of every legitimate trip.

The mangrove channels. The boat cuts its engine and drifts through tunnels of red mangrove — the quietest part of the day and the best for birds.

The caves. Cueva de la Arena and Cueva de la Línea are the usual stops: low limestone chambers with Taíno pictographs and petroglyphs on the walls, reached by stepping straight off the boat.

Cayo de los Pájaros (Bird Island). A rock stacked with frigatebirds and brown pelicans; the frigates are at their most dramatic in breeding season, when the males inflate red throat pouches.

Cayo Levantado. Nearly every Los Haitises tour ends at the cay for lunch and a swim, which is why the two names appear together on almost every listing.

Shared full-day tours on Exploras run from USD $65 to $120 per person, and last 6.5 to 9 hours depending on where you start. Lunch is included on most of them; the park entrance fee usually is too, but it is worth confirming when you message the operator.

Private boat charters start around USD $350 for the boat rather than per person.

Prices on this page are each operator's own starting price. Message them on WhatsApp to confirm what your group pays — Exploras does not take a booking or a commission.

Time of year: the park is open year-round and the mangroves do not have a season. Between mid-January and late March, humpback whales are in Samaná Bay and several operators combine the two — that is the single best window for a boat day here.

Time of day: morning departures get the calmer water. Afternoon crossings can be choppy when the trade winds pick up.

Bring: a rain shell (it is a rainforest — brief showers are normal and you are in an open boat), reef-safe sunscreen, a hat, and a dry bag for your phone. The cave floors are wet and uneven, so closed shoes beat flip-flops.