Private Whale Watching

Overview

This private outing with Whale Punta Cana puts a boat and crew at your disposal for watching humpback whales in Samana Bay, an area the operator describes as particularly favorable for whales. You meet the operator at an agreed point and travel to the dock at Sabana de la Mar, in the Miches area on the Dominican Republic's Atlantic coast. From there the trip unfolds entirely on the water, with the bay's turquoise stretch as your backdrop.

Humpbacks visit these waters between January and March. The boat ride through the bay is spent scanning for them, with a captain and a guide on board throughout. Sanctuary fees for the whale watching area are already covered in the tour price, which removes one piece of paperwork from your day.

An optional visit to Cayo Levantado can be added to the sailing. Drinks, tips and hotel pickup are not included, so plan for those separately. The full experience runs between 3 and 6 hours, and the crew operates in French, English and Spanish. Free cancellation applies up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet your guideYou make your own way to a meeting point of your choice, confirmed after reservation. Hotel pickup is not part of the tour.
2. Transfer to the coastThe group heads over to Sabana de la Mar in the Miches area, on the wild Atlantic coast of the Dominican Republic, where the boat is waiting.
3. Boat ride into Samana BayOnce at the dock you embark and sail out through the bay, looking for the humpback whales that gather in these waters, with the whale watching portion lasting 2 hours.
4. Optional Cayo Levantado stopAn optional visit to Cayo Levantado can be added to the trip.
5. Return to portAfter the sailing the boat returns to the port where the tour started, roughly half an hour after leaving the watching area.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points will help you plan the day around what this tour actually covers.

• Getting there. Hotel pickup is not included. The meeting point is sent after reservation, so arrange your own transport to it and confirm the details before the day.
• Bring your own drinks. Drinks are not included, nor are tips. Bring water and anything else you want on the boat, and carry cash if you plan to tip the captain or guide.
• Season matters. The humpbacks are in the bay between January and March. That is the window the tour is built around, so time your booking accordingly.
• Time on the water. The whale watching itself lasts 2 hours, within an overall tour that runs 3 to 6 hours. The optional Cayo Levantado visit is part of the day's plan, so decide in advance how long you want to be out.
• Language on board. The guide operates in French, English and Spanish. If you speak one of these you can follow the commentary without difficulty.
• Photography. You will be watching whales from the boat in open water, so keep your camera or phone within easy reach for the moment one appears.

Common issues. Hotel pickup, drinks and tips are all extra, so the price you see does not cover the full day's spending. The meeting point is only confirmed after booking, which makes advance planning of transport a little awkward. Sighting success rests with the whales themselves, since the tour can only try to spot the humpbacks that inhabit these waters.

Common Questions