Dominican whale watching set to begin

The Dominican Republic’s whale season begins this month in Samana and visitors to Punta Cana will have the opportunity to whale watch with day excursions from Punta Cana hotels. Samana is a lush and mountainous peninsula in the northeastern section of the Dominican Republic. The region is best known for the hundreds of humpback whales that visit each year from late January to late March. These whales visit the Dominican Republic to mate and to nurse their newborn calves in the Samana Bay’s warm, protected waters. Because of the mating season, males are very active to “show off”to the females, making Samana one of the best places in the world to whale watch, according to the World Wildlife Fund. The full day whale-watching excursion takes travellers from Punta Cana Airport to Arroyo Barril Airport in Samana. Visitors then board an awaiting boat where they are transported to the best spots for whale watching in Samana Bay. Due to the sheer numbers of whales that visit (some 1,500 during the season) travellers can expect about 300 whales in the water at any time. Because of this, whale sightings are extremely common. Afterwards, the excursion continues to Cayo Levantado, also known as Bacardi Island, known for its turquoise waters and white sands. Back on land, travellers are taken, on horseback, to the renowned Limon Waterfall, a cascade with waters crashing from 51 metres above into a mountain lagoon. (http://puntacanatours.com)