Cayo Levantado

Cayo Levantado sits in the middle of Samaná Bay, a wooded island of about a square kilometre with beaches on its sheltered sides and calm shallow water that suits families. Part of it is occupied by a resort and part is a public beach with food shacks and loungers. It is often called Bacardi Island because an advertising campaign was filmed here decades ago, a name locals use with a shrug. The real interest is the position: from January to March the bay outside is full of humpback whales, and boats to the island cross the same water, so whale-watching trips often combine the two into one day.

What you actually see

• The sheltered beaches - calm shallow water on the protected side.
• The whale crossing - the same water the humpbacks use in winter.
• The wooded interior - short paths across the island.
• The food shacks - grilled fish on the public beach.

When to go

December to April is drier, and mid-January to late March overlaps with the whales, which is the best reason to be here. Boats run through the day from Samaná town. Cruise ship days fill the public beach entirely.

Honest expectations

On cruise days the public beach is packed and the vendors are relentless. Half the island is a private resort and closed off. It is a short, simple beach trip sold at a fair mark-up, and anyone expecting a wild island will be disappointed. Combining it with whale watching makes far more sense than going for its own sake.

Nearby

Samaná town is the departure point; Las Galeras and Las Terrenas are on the peninsula.