Question about Samana

[karena1]

Has anyone just gone to Playa Anadel Beach? It is next to the Cayenas del Mar Beach Club at Playa Anadel w/o paying for the day pass there. I read you can just grab a cab or motoconchos to get there. There is a little restaurant/bar and it was also okay to take drinks with you in there. Has anyone done this lately?

 

This is more our style, just finding a local beach and chilling w/o paying a fee to get in somewhere. We like to buy a few drinks and hubby typically buys lunch but we also like to take a cooler with us with some drinks and not have a problem.

[luckyprincess]

Has anyone just gone to Playa Anadel Beach? It is next to the Cayenas del Mar Beach Club at Playa Anadel w/o paying for the day pass there. I read you can just grab a cab or motoconchos to get there. There is a little restaurant/bar and it was also okay to take drinks with you in there. Has anyone done this lately?

 

This is more our style, just finding a local beach and chilling w/o paying a fee to get in somewhere. We like to buy a few drinks and hubby typically buys lunch but we also like to take a cooler with us with some drinks and not have a problem.

 

Get ready for very few answers :( I've been asking this question but it seems no one knows anything about Samana except for ship excursions or tours with Terry. I just want a local, public beach I can walk or boat to. I don't want to pay $30 - $50 a person (10 of us) to get a ride to a beach and we aren't interested in a tour.

[luckyprincess]

I also just checked the Terry website but there is no tour to just go to a beach for less than $65 a person...:confused:

[dwjoe]

Not sure which line you're on but Ncl is currently offering a $15pp boat ride to Cato leventado island which makes a nice beach day.

[luckyprincess]

Not sure which line you're on but Ncl is currently offering a $15pp boat ride to Cato leventado island which makes a nice beach day.

 

That's what I would love to do and I don't know why RCCL won't do the same but sadly we're on RCCL. Do you think NCL will let me stowaway for $15 on their tender? :p

[karena1]

Get ready for very few answers :( I've been asking this question but it seems no one knows anything about Samana except for ship excursions or tours with Terry. I just want a local, public beach I can walk or boat to. I don't want to pay $30 - $50 a person (10 of us) to get a ride to a beach and we aren't interested in a tour.

 

We are with you, we don't do tours either. I think we will probably go to Playa Cayacoa which is right in town but still thinking about Playa Anadel. Both are free and very close to town so won't have to pay a fortune for a cab or take an hour to get there.

[luckyprincess]

We are with you, we don't do tours either. I think we will probably go to Playa Cayacoa which is right in town but still thinking about Playa Anadel. Both are free and very close to town so won't have to pay a fortune for a cab or take an hour to get there.

 

I haven't checked out Playa Anadel...I'll have to look! Thanks so much!

[gessel]

We were in Samana on Jan. 21/13 as a port with the Noordam. Access was via tender. It is a short walk to the town. We did the ATV option of Tour Samana with Terry. It was wonderful; we really got into the interior of the area and to a very secluded beach for lunch (no swimming due to surf and undertow). Warning; the roads are very rough and if you have any back issues I would suggest you don't do this tour. You are driving your own 4 wheel ATV with dual seating (front and back).

[gessel]

I just booked the same tour for our visit to Samana on the GEM in March.

 

Question for you...

 

I had read that the portion of the tour in the truck is terribly bumpy. Is that true? In your opinion, would it be too much stress on a person with mild back problems? After booking, I got a little nervous, as one of our party had recent surgery and perhaps the bouncing around would be too much on the healing bones?

 

What to you think? I could always cancel if the roads are too bad....

 

Thank You!

 

Yes, the road is extremely rough but I don't want to make the decision for you. I would be very leary with recent surgery.

[NEW 2 CRUISIN]

Yes, the road is extremely rough but I don't want to make the decision for you. I would be very leary with recent surgery.

 

Thanks so much for the feedback, Greg!

 

I'll run it by the "patient" and let them make the call!

Might be a good day to stay on the ship or take the ferry over to the beach and relax instead!

 

Hate to miss out on a new port (for us), but not a good idea to risk injury if the roads aren't ready for visitors.

 

I guess the condition of this port may be why some of the cruise lines are removing Samana from their schedules next year???

 

Appreciate it!

[familycruizer]

Booked with Terry on the Jan 18th Gem trip. Wife and I did the ATV #3 excursion and had a blast. Terry makes sure you get back in time to tender back to the ship.

[Nole0202]

The port is the most 3rd world country in the Caribbean.

 

Highly recommend just going to Cato leventado island.

[dwjoe]

Cayo Levantado was very nice. Pretty beach with some snorkeling spots.

[MS52]

I'm really looking forward to Samana next month. Glad to know there won't be a Senior Frog mere steps from the cruise dock.

 

And there won't be a Starbucks or a McDonalds or any other store/restaurant that is in every other port. Totally unspoiled.

 

It was my favorite port on our recent cruise. We did Low impact tour #5 with Terry and it was fantastic.

 

As much as I enjoyed our day, I probably wouldn't do this port on my own.

[MS52]

I just booked the same tour for our visit to Samana on the GEM in March.

 

Question for you...

 

I had read that the portion of the tour in the truck is terribly bumpy. Is that true? In your opinion, would it be too much stress on a person with mild back problems? After booking, I got a little nervous, as one of our party had recent surgery and perhaps the bouncing around would be too much on the healing bones?

 

What to you think? I could always cancel if the roads are too bad....

 

Thank You!

 

It is extremely bumpy. We had a private tour and there were only 10 of us in the vehicle. Eliseo said that it is a much better ride when there are about 20 people. More weight....

 

Mild back problems and recent surgery - I would be hesitant in all honesty.

[MS52]

Great review, How far was the walk? Was there shade at the beach? Can't be in the direct sun, will that be a problem?

 

Thanks

 

 

The walk was fairly easy and about 10 minutes. Lots of shade at the beach. Lunch is in a pavilion and there are many trees. Suns wasn't an issue anywhere during the day.

[cantwaitt]

Is it safe to walk into town and to the beach? I think that is what I will do when I am there in 2 1/2 weeks, unless I go the waterfall with Terry.

[dwjoe]

It is extremely bumpy. We had a private tour and there were only 10 of us in the vehicle. Eliseo said that it is a much better ride when there are about 20 people. More weight....

 

Mild back problems and recent surgery - I would be hesitant in all honesty.

I had the zipline tour booked with Terry but cancelled due to back pain... I was worried about potentially bumpy roads.

 

Terry was very nice about it... I gave him 3 days cancelation notice and he said if you feel better he would be glad to take me on last minute notice. Would love to go with him if we are in Samana again.

[NEW 2 CRUISIN]

It is extremely bumpy. We had a private tour and there were only 10 of us in the vehicle. Eliseo said that it is a much better ride when there are about 20 people. More weight....

 

Mild back problems and recent surgery - I would be hesitant in all honesty.

 

THANK YOU!

 

You are the second experienced reply we had with similar feelings.

 

We may have to pass on this and see the Domincan Republic from the ship! :(

[karena1]

We want to do Playa Anadel or Playa Cayacoa. Anyone been to either of those recently? Leaning toward Playa Cayacoa since it is so close to the ship.

[cantwaitt]

Is it safe? to be blunt, is there a risk of being robbed by the locals?

[MS52]

Is it safe? to be blunt, is there a risk of being robbed by the locals?

 

 

In MY experience, I would say it is safe. I found the people to be very friendly.

[dwjoe]

Is it safe? to be blunt, is there a risk of being robbed by the locals?

Opinions will vary on this one. My googling turned up a few cases of robbery. That could probably happen in any port, mind. What makes the DR different I think is that it's a very poor country - and less developed and with fewer English speakers. Not speaking Spanish myself, I don't feel comfortable hopping in a cab and driving to a new place under those circumstances. A great and relatively undiscovered place to expore, but I'd rather do it with a guide, my $.02.

[wassup4565]

cantwaitt, my two cents worth, it's very, very unlikely you would be robbed. Most Dominicans are not thieves and they are not violent or aggressive. However, they are enthusiastic about doing the best deal they can for themselves. This means you have to negotiate and bargain, or you will pay more than you should.

 

Sometimes, honestly, I just can't be bothered to spend the energy dickering. I ask the guy his price, and decide whether it's worth it to me. If not, I walk away, and chances are good he follows me, offering a lower price. You always need to keep in mind what you are willing to pay, bottom line. If you can't get that deal, well, just walk away and do something else. If you do get a deal you can live with, confirm it by repeating it back to the guy. If he tries to jack the price later, just give him what you agreed, and walk away. He's not going to hit you over the head and steal your wallet. He'll probably just look disappointed.

 

I disagree with dwjoe. The DR is no longer dirt-poor, as it was 20 years ago. The country has had several good governments in that time, and education levels have improved immensely. The country also has, now, universal health care for its citizens. Many people speak some English - they also watch a lot of American TV now that most homes have electricity. There is a rapidly expanding middle class of young educated professional people who use all the i-technologies our kids do. Granted, they live in the cities, not in Samana, which is the boonies (beautiful though it is). Chances are, however, that the guy or lady who is trying to sell you a souvenir in Samana has a brother or a nephew working in the capital, Santo Domingo, with an MBA.

 

I do find the bargaining and dickering very tiresome - it's not in my culture. But it's the Dominican way.

[wassup4565]

Sorry for back-to-back posts, but I made a big error above. Chances are also pretty good that the souvenir vendor in Samana also has a niece or a daughter in one of the big cities, educated, and earning a good living in her own right. That's the biggest change I've seen in the DR in the past 20 years, the change in women's lives.

 

Twenty years ago, the women were uneducated, and married early. Their husbands ran the household, drove the car, and controlled the money. They were also often philanderers, leaving wifey at home with the babies, while they flirted and danced the night away with North American tourist women. Hah! not so much any more. Modern young Dominican women take Beyonce and Jennifer Lopez as their role models. They drive cars, have aspirations, and know where to get birth control.