Just got back from four days with my visiting family in Samaná, taking in all the main highlights: Playa Rincón, Salto El Limón and the whales. It was my first visit in three years to an area that I used to visit as often as once a month when my son was a baby and toddler and we weren't so constrained by his academic schedule.
Getting there on the new road
We used the new toll road and although the route and the scenery are great, I couldn't help noticing that as a mere two-lane highway it hardly merits the title 'autopista', and certainly does not justify ANY peaje charges. Mr C speculated that in good old Latin American tradition it was originally meant to be a proper four-lane highway "pero se robaron los cuartos". There is a short stretch in the hilly, windy section after you enter Los Haitises National Park where there is an extra lane for overtaking but that's it. There are also long stretches without any painted lines or cats-eyes. This may or may not still be in progress though.
The real shocker though was when you rejoin the Nagua - Samaná road. It has deteriorated beyond belief, to the point that there are patches where the road has crumbled away completely. So what was the point of that new highway when the rest of the route is almost impassible? Airline passengers landing at the spanking new El Catey international airport also have to endure about 70kms of this before they finally get to Samaná. Once you get beyond Samaná city and head on towards Las Galeras it is even worse. This stretch was never great, but now it is sheer torture.
I know that people in the Punta Cana/Bávaro area are always complaining about the state of the roads considering that it is the country's main tourist area that generates huge amounts of revenue for the government, but I can safely say that the folks of Samaná have far more to complain about. What are the the people in government thinking of, apart from which model to choose for their next jeepeta? Are all those influential tourist empresarios asleep or just not influential enough??? If I had invested as much as Gran Bahía Principe and other tourist businesses in the area I would be positively screeching it from the rooftops, threatening to pull out of the country and sending the government ministers concerned poos in the post (if the postal system worked, that is) sneaking into their offices and sewing sardines into the hems of their curtains RIGHT NOW.
Seriously, had I known just how bad the road was, I wouldn't have taken my visitors there. My group included one elderly person and one toddler who isn't a patient traveller at the best of times. I would - with a heavy heart - discourage anyone who isn't a youngish, fit and seasoned traveller or anyone travelling with small children from visiting this part of the country until the situation improves.
Samaná is - for my money - the most beautiful part of the DR and still has a reasonably good balance between tourist development and local colour, but for many visitors the experience will be seriously altered by the agony they have to suffer travelling along those bumpy roads, and local businesses must be suffering the consequences too. I am aware that a better road may tip the balance towards over-development but it is not just the comfort of the tourists that is an issue but the safety and comfort of local people using those so-called roads on a daily basis.
Highlights
The attractions are as wonderful as ever - there were more people than I've ever seen at the beach to top all beaches in the DR,
Playa Rincón but that was to be expected, and happily there is still no sign of the threatened Cap Cana style residential/tourist development there.
I didn't go to
Salto El Limón myself but most of the other members of my party did and had a wonderful time despite all the mud from the recent rains, and were very pleased with the guides and food provided by Doña Nega.
We went on a
whale watching trip with Kim Beddall and were all very impressed by her and her colleagues - it was a most rewarding experience that more than met our expectations, even though our youngest member chose to projectile vomit the moment we finally got to see a whale breaching and I would like to apologise once more on behalf of my niece to the tourist who got caught in the crossfire.
We stayed at
Hotel Las Ballenas Escondidas between Samaná and Las Galeras - overall an exceptionally lovely place and highly recommended on many counts. Idyllic setting on a steep slope that descends to a small private beach, well maintained, spotless and nicely decorated rooms and cabins, gorgeous gardens (lots of steep steps so not entirely suitable for people with mobility problems), fantastic views, smallish infinity pool fed by cool spring water, free wi-fi, pleasant staff, delectable French cuisine: as in many establishments in Samaná the owners are French but the lady speaks excellent English.
On the downside - no credit cards accepted which is a problem especially if you are in a large party staying for several days - one is hardly going to be travelling around with such large sums in cash. IMO the prices were just a little too high for what you get - usually one expects a little more than just soap and cheap toilet paper in the bathrooms (no shampoo, shower gel) and not very nice sliced bread for breakfast. Maybe they thought that as Brits we would be happy with white sliced and save the good stuff for the continentals?
We also made a lightning visit to our beloved
Las Galeras and it seems to have grown quite a bit, in a typically haphazard way. It was good to see some of the old faces there.
Samaná city is looking good, the new hotels and cruise ship traffic have served to boost it a little and the new constructions are mainly in harmony with the surroundings. The Malecón, which was imaginatively refurbished a few years ago, was looking a little sorry and neglected, unfortunately.
(600)
Samaná - first visit in three years
