Samaná Humpback Whales

Every winter the humpbacks of the North Atlantic leave their feeding grounds off Canada, Greenland and Iceland and swim south to the warm shallow water off the Dominican north coast to breed and give birth, and a large share of the entire population passes through the Bay of Samaná. Between mid-January and late March the bay holds hundreds of animals at a time: males singing below the boats, competitive groups of escorts churning the surface around a female, and mothers with calves resting in the shallows. Sightings during the peak weeks are close to certain. The area is a protected marine mammal sanctuary with rules on boat numbers, distance and time, and licensed operators work to them.

The landscape

• Breaching and tail-slapping - the surface behaviour the bay is known for.
• Mothers and calves - resting in the shallow warm water of the bay.
• The singing - male song audible through a hydrophone on many boats.
• Competitive groups - several males escorting a single female at speed.

When to go

Mid-January to late March, with February the peak; outside that window the whales are simply not there. Morning trips generally have calmer water. Book with a licensed operator that carries a marine biologist and observes the sanctuary rules rather than the cheapest boat on the dock.

What to expect

The season is short and rigid, and visitors arriving in April find an empty bay. The bay can be choppy and seasickness is common, so take something beforehand. Some operators crowd animals or overload boats; the sanctuary limits exist for a reason and a cheap ticket often means an operator ignoring them. Whales are wild and no trip can promise behaviour.

Nearby

Las Terrenas and Las Galeras are on the peninsula; El Limón waterfall is inland.