Las Terrenas

Las Terrenas was a fishing settlement until the 1970s and is now the most cosmopolitan place on the peninsula, with a strong French and Italian resident community that shows up in the bakeries and restaurants along the beach road. The beaches run for several kilometres: Playa Bonita and Playa Cosón to the west, long, wide and backed by palms, and Playa Las Ballenas in front of the town with a small island offshore. Kitesurfing works with the afternoon wind, horses can be ridden along the sand, and the road east to El Limón waterfall and the whale bay is short. A toll highway from Santo Domingo cut the drive to a little over two hours.

What you actually see

• Playa Cosón - a long empty stretch of sand west of town.
• Playa Bonita - palms and calm water, the classic postcard beach here.
• The beach road - bakeries and restaurants from the European community.
• Kitesurfing - reliable afternoon wind through much of the year.

When to go

December to April is the dry season and the peak, overlapping with the whales in Samaná Bay from mid-January to March. Summer is hot with afternoon rain and the hurricane season runs June to November. Wind for kitesurfing is most reliable from December to April.

Honest expectations

Development has been fast and unplanned in places, and parts of the beachfront are built up in a way the older photographs do not show. Prices are higher than elsewhere in the country because of the European community. Motorbike taxis are the main local transport and accidents are common. Some beaches have seaweed at certain times of year.

Nearby

El Limón waterfall is 20 minutes; Samaná town and the whale boats are an hour east.