How to get to Samana from Punta cana, Bavaro

No flights and no direct buses unfortunately. You'll have to catch a bus to Santo Domingo (Expreso Bavaro runs around 400 pesos, see Expreso Bvaro - Autobuses entre Santo Domingo y Bvaro Punta Cana ), ask to get dropped off at the Samana highway and catch a bus from there. Check out this thread for info on buses to Samana from Santo Domingo http://www.dr1.com/forums/santo-domingo/138910-bus-santo-domingo-las-terrenas.html .

From Punta Cana to Samana is a fairly long haul. You will most likely need to take a bus into Santo Domingo and then the Transporte Las Terrenas bus to the Samana Peninsula. From Samana City you will probably have to take another bus to Las Galeras. There are no flights. Budget or not your best bet is to pay someone to drive you there otherwise you will loose a day at each end for travel. For the life of me I can't ever figure out why people fly into an airport that is nowhere close to where they are going
in the DR. If you are in the DR for only a week it makes little sense to loose a day at each end for travelling to your final destination. STUPIDO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you are adventurous and patient you could take local buses via Higuey-El Seibo-Hato Mayor to Sabana de la Mar and take the passenger ferry across the bay to Samana city, and a bus from there to Las Galeras. It will take the best part of a day so start early. The fact that you are a Spanish speaker will help you greatly and it is a way of seeing a very non-touristy part of the country - consider doing it at least in one direction. Otherwise KateP's advice is the swiftest option.

Chirimoya said:

If you are adventurous and patient you could take local buses via Higuey-El Seibo-Hato Mayor to Sabana de la Mar and take the passenger ferry across the bay to Samana city, and a bus from there to Las Galeras. It will take the best part of a day so start early. The fact that you are a Spanish speaker will help you greatly and it is a way of seeing a very non-touristy part of the country - consider doing it at least in one direction. Otherwise KateP's advice is the swiftest option.

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As the writer stated in his original question, the ferry at Sabana de la Mar is not running and that is the rub. If it was than getting from PC to Las Galeras would not be such a hassle but with than being said, there is no easy way to get there if you are trying to go budget. This traveller will spend a day each way to get back and forth from PC to LG plus the day each way to go to the airport. Makes little sense to me to pick a destination so far of the beaten path and have no expedited way of getting there.

LTSteve

I just heard from Dominican Shuttles that the ferry is still operating... perhaps someone on the board here has a local contact number or contact info for the ferry service, i don't have such info. sorry, Good Luck !

Dominican Shuttles probably know what they are talking about if they use this route, but to make absolutely sure the best way to verify this would be a first-hand report from someone in Saman? or Sabana de la Mar.