SAMANA PENINSULA WITH CHILDREN
This is the article Dominican Republic Part II. You can find the first part of our trip to the Dominican Republic here , including the best time to travel to the Samana Peninsula.
After a week in El Encuentro, we continued on to Las Terrenas. A three-hour drive, mostly along the coast. Las Terrenas is located on the beautiful Samana Peninsula. Our hotel in Las Terrenas was the epitome of a tropical architectural dream: La Maison Las Terrenas, a guesthouse with four rooms. Breakfast was included, and food delivery services were available upon request. We shared the house with friends; two other rooms were occupied by two French couples, so it really felt like home. Not like a hotel, but like your own house. A damn beautiful house!
The most beautiful beaches of the Samana Peninsula
The town of Las Terrenas itself isn't particularly beautiful, it has to be admitted, but the peninsula is home to some incredibly beautiful beaches, so much so that you could spend a day lying on a different one every day. We spent a whole day on a beach tour and, according to our driver, checked out the three most beautiful beaches on the peninsula: Playa Rincon, Las Galeras, and La Playita. It's hard to say which is the most beautiful. Playa Rincon has a breathtaking panorama. Las Galeras, with its curved palm trees, probably has the biggest Caribbean feel. And La Playita, with its many beach huts and bars, exudes the best Dominicana vibe. There are even coconuts to drink and pina coladas served straight from pineapples.
The best restaurant in Las Terrenas
One place we unfortunately discovered too late was Playa Bonita. We had dinner there on the beach promenade on our last evening. The place has a great vibe because the restaurants and bars are all right on the beach promenade, so you can enjoy your cocktail with your feet in the sand. We had dinner at El Mosquito , a restaurant and hotel that we would definitely have booked after discovering it there!
The Dominican Republic still often struggles with the reputation of being a dangerous vacation destination, outside of the large all-inclusive resorts in Punta Cana. We truly traveled independently and yet never felt unsafe. I think it's very important to arrange for trustworthy drivers, ideally through the hotel or through a recommendation from another driver.
TRAVEL BUDGET
We paid about €600 per person for our flights to Puerto Plata. Even though Levi was still 1 year and 11 months old, we still booked him a seat for the 15-hour flight. The hotels cost a total of about €1,200 (6 days at El Encuentro Surf Lodge, 6 days at La Maison Las Terrenas), including breakfast. (On top of that, there are additional costs for transfers, additional meals, and excursions/activities.)