The Exploras journal

Travel tips & local stories from Samaná.

Guides, insider recommendations and the people behind the peninsula's best experiences.

Articles

1–7 / 7

Sep 8, 202610 min read

Playa Bonita Guide: Surf, Sand & How to Get There (2026)

When the surf works at Playa Bonita, where swimming is safe, what to bring, and the best months to visit — a practical local briefing for Las Terrenas' quietest big beach.

Playa Cosón Guide: Visiting Las Terrenas' Longest Beach — a beach with palm trees and the ocean in the background

Nature & Wildlife

Sep 6, 202611 min read

Playa Cosón Guide: Visiting Las Terrenas' Longest Beach

What a day at Playa Cosón actually costs, what is and is not there when you arrive, and the safety and etiquette notes worth knowing before you go.

Birdwatching in Los Haitises 2026: Species, Tours & Best Time — a kingfisher perched on mangrove roots with green leaves

Nature & Wildlife

Aug 22, 202612 min read

Birdwatching in Los Haitises 2026: Species, Tours & Best Time

Discover the best birdwatching in Los Haitises National Park — from endemic species to guided tours, costs, and the perfect time to visit in 2026.

Playa Frontón & Playa Madama Boat Trips from Las Galeras 2026 — a boat speeds through crystal blue waters

Nature & Wildlife

Aug 4, 202613 min read

Playa Frontón & Playa Madama Boat Trips from Las Galeras 2026

What a boat to Playa Frontón or Playa Madama actually costs from Las Galeras in 2026, how to arrange one safely, and how the two beaches compare.

Samaná in January 2026: Whale Season, Weather & Why It's the Best Month — a humpback whale tail breaching the surface of the deep blue ocean

Nature & Wildlife

Jul 5, 202612 min read

Samaná in January 2026: Whale Season, Weather & Why It's the Best Month

January is Samaná's magic month — humpback whales arrive, skies stay clear, and crowds are manageable. Here's everything you need to know to plan your trip.

Winding river through mangrove and jungle, Los Haitises

Nature & Wildlife

Mar 24, 202612 min read

Los Haitises National Park: A Complete Guide to the Caves, Mangroves and Wildlife

A complete guide to Los Haitises National Park — the drowned limestone landscape on Samaná Bay, its Taíno painted caves, its mangrove channels and the birds that nest there, plus how a visit actually works.

Playa Rincon, white sand and turquoise water in Samana

Nature & Wildlife

Mar 14, 20267 min read

Playa Rincón: Dominican Republic's Most Beautiful Beach Paradise

Playa Rincón keeps appearing on world's-best-beach lists. Here is what actually earns it that place — the sand, the river end, the cliffs — and how it compares with the rest of Samaná.