Las Terrenas

Set midway along the peninsula's remote northern coast, the former fishing village of LAS TERRENAS has grown over the past twenty years from backwater to an expat-dominated resort town renowned for its buoyant nightlife. Though development has led to a new paved road from Sánchez and a town centre which, along with the beach, is lined with restaurants, bars and shops, the inland Dominican barrio remains much the same as it was.

Las Terrenas makes for a pleasant base camp from which to explore the northern part of the Samaná Peninsula; on either side are less developed beaches such as Playa Bonita ; a day trip to the El Limón waterfall is also highly recommended.

Aside from spectacular day trips to the surrounding countryside, the beach, which stretches uninterrupted 2km in either direction from town, is the focus of daytime entertainment. Just west of the Carretera is the less lively beach area, which stretches a full 2km to Playa Las Ballenas - a section of the beach named for three oblong islands in the waters just beyond it that resemble breaching humpback whales - before ending in a patch of swamp. The beach east of the intersection has just recently been built up, and has a slightly funkier feel, dominated by low-end cabañas and bars until the construction peters out entirely.

Picture from Las Terrenas