North - The Peninsula of Samana and Los Haitises National Park

Discover the Peninsula of Samana and disconnect from it all, as you become one with nature, on this very special retreat into world class beaches, complemented some of the most untouched rain forests  in all the Caribbean. For many, the northeast region of the island is by far the most beautiful. It is home to one of the richest ecosystems on the planet, Los Haitises, where some of the most important archeological discoveries in the region have been made. Here we can also find picture perfect beaches with a lush green mountain backdrop, that  have earned the peninsula the reputation of having some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Our journey takes us to several virgin beaches, including Playa Rincon, one of the top ten beaches in the world, according to UNESCO (United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization). The whole region looks like something out of a dream, the stuff post cards are made of, and to think, it’s only an hour and a half away from Miami.

However, there is much more than meets the eye. As we move inland we set out on a light hike, and begin to enter thick rain forests set in a very unique topography of limestone hills reaching as high as 130 feet above sea level. We are now in the largest nature reserve on the island, Los Haitises (or high ground in Taino Indian dialect) These hills are typical of the region, are the result of 40 million years of geological upheavals, and can only be found in one other place on earth, the Bay of Ha-Long , in Vietnam, curiously enough, they are also exactly opposite each other on the face of the earth. These hills cover the whole park, and are home to hundreds of thousands of caves, and underground rivers, many of them unexplored by modern man, but served as homes for Taino Indians thousands of years ago. We see evidence of this on our journey through the heart of the forest, as we visit several immense caves containing hundreds of pictographs and petroglyphs depicting Pre-Columbian life on the island, all up for your personal interpretation.

A relaxing boat trip through the park allows us to observe the more than 100 species of birds and mammals that live in the hills, mangrove swamps, and exotic waterways of this 83-square-mile wildlife sanctuary include several rare or endangered species. Such as the peregrine falcon, Hispaniola parrot, and the manatee, just to name a few. Curious rock formations – the result of 40 million years of geological upheavals – host hidden limestone caves bearing pre-Columbian drawings of early Taino life but containing countless Indian pictographs and petroglyphs dating back thousands of years. Those fortunate enough to visit the region never forget this amazing place, not only because of its natural beauty, but also because of its rich historical importance, so much so that it has been named patrimony to all mankind by the UN.

Los Haitises National Park

Town of Samana

Playa Rincon

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