Day trip from Sosua to Samana.. looking for suggestions

Sashafierc33426 · Apr 10, 2012

Hello everyone. I am planning a day trip from Sosua to Samana next week. I have read different post on here that there is a bus that goes daily to Samana. Does it leave from Sosua also, or do I need to travel to Puerto Plata to catch the bus? What is a nice beach in Samana that I can spend a few hours, and still be able to catch the bus back to Sosua?

Any other activities or things I can see while I am there for a few hours?

william webster · Apr 10, 2012

It might be a bit long for a day trip.
Consider staying one night.

Day trip can be done....just over 2 hours each way is my guess.
Say 3 each way to be safe.

Sashafierc33426 · Apr 10, 2012

Thanks for the quick reply William. I wish I could do an overnight stay, but my time is limited, so I can only go for the day.

Do you know if Nagua might be a bit closer, and still have nice beaches? I love the beach at Sosua, but was trying to venture to a different beach area. I just kept reading how beautiful the beaches in Samana are.

william webster · Apr 10, 2012

Nagua will be much closer and has beaches but nothing like the Samana peinsula.

Are you considering Las Terranas or Samana itself? Two very different things.

For a shorter trip, you can consider Playa Grande (just past Rio San Juan)
Its one of the more famous beaches and will have food, etc. for you.
Its just an hour +/- from you.

A bit further for La Entrada, another good beach. Past Cabrera.
Say 1 1/2 hrs from Sosua.

These two are big beaches. There are numerous smaller ones all along the coast east of Sos/Cab.

Ask around

Sashafierc33426 · Apr 10, 2012

hey William where is Playa Rincon? is that on Samana or Las Terrana? is that also about 3 hour ride from Sosua?

With the other beaches you mentioned, can you get there via the bus? I am not driving, so just wondering.

Thanks.

Como_un_cameron · Apr 10, 2012

william webster said:
Nagua will be much closer and has beaches but nothing like the Samana peinsula.

Are you considering Las Terranas or Samana itself? Two very different things.

For a shorter trip, you can consider Playa Grande (just past Rio San Juan)
Its one of the more famous beaches and will have food, etc. for you.
Its just an hour +/- from you.

A bit further for La Entrada, another good beach. Past Cabrera.
Say 1 1/2 hrs from Sosua.

These two are big beaches. There are numerous smaller ones all along the coast east of Sos/Cab.

Ask around

I agree, Playa Grande is breath taking, clear blue water and white sand. A beach secluded in between to high rocky formations.
You can have a cheap and decent meal there too.
Would not go swimming there though, the waves were very strong, I decided not to go, and I'm a pretty good swimmer.

You might enjoy the board surfers from all over the world there.

Again scenery, good food for a bargain, you'll never forget you've been there. That beach is tranquillo.
Just a few hours is fine, by then you've seen it all.

ENJOY !!!

william webster · Apr 10, 2012

Yes, Rincon is Samana, not LT. About 3 hours.

The bus can get you to Playa Grande thru Rio San Juan.
Its just minutes from there past the golf course.

You can find your way to RSJ and then Motoconcho or get the guagua to let you off at Playa grande... he'll know it

And Cameron the shrimp is right.... the current can be dangerous on some days.
Always check it out first.... scope the tide schedule... outgoing is worse

Sashafierc33426 · Apr 10, 2012

@ Como un cameron, glad you warned me about the waves. I am not a good swimmer, so I will be extra careful just in case.

William. thanks again. I really have my heart set on playa rincon, so we shall see if I make the trip or not.
:squareeye

Como_un_cameron · Apr 10, 2012

Oh and don't forget you'll pass that Maria statue. you might have seen it on postcards.
You might catch a peek at it on the way back in the gagua.
It'll be on your left, about ten? minutes after you saw the ocean on your right nearby.

I was told it was famous because Maria appeared there once.

william webster · Apr 10, 2012

You'll love it... but think about staying over.
Apparently there is a very nice hotel/restaurant at Playa Rincon

ben jammin · Apr 10, 2012

Agree with William on this. It is a long trip for just a few short hours of beach time. Maybe Playa Grande and laguna dudu would be a better day trip. You'd be able to spend some time at both.

CocoBoy · Apr 10, 2012

My housekeeper who is from Samana and travels back there frequently by the bus says it's about a 4 hour trip one way from Sosua.

snowbird44 · Apr 10, 2012

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I went to Samana in February via Bus "Transporte El Papagayo". It passes through Cabarete around 7a.m. From Sosua probably a half hour earlier and you can flag it down on the main road going East, I'm sure.
We arrived at the Malecon in Samana about 10:15. The return bus leaves from the malecon at 2:30 p.m.
That does not give you a lot of time to explore, especially if you don't have a car to get around and don't exactly know where you are going. There are all kinds of hidden gem beaches that are not visible from the main highway, for example la Boca del Diablo a bit before you get to Las Galeras.
Wishing you a great trip!

RV429 · Apr 10, 2012

To answer your original question, a day trip isn't going to be a day trip, it will be bus rides of total of 7 hours give or take and maybe two hours on the ground. If you get off and then on at Playa Grande you'll have more time. Better off spend the day in Sosua or Cabarete Beach.
This is the bus:
Transportes Papagayo 809-749-6415 leaves Puerto Plata Hospital around 6:45am once a day for Samana. They stop in front of Janet's but will stop anywhere in Cabarete/Sosua if you call them. I was told they go through Cabarete at about 7:15am. To be safe, I would be in the sub stop at 7am. They stated it is a blue bus (not purple) but I wouldn't trust that what we may consider purple is shade of blue for Dominicans. Call Them, no English.
Ask them about the return, I believe they leave Samana center at 1400.

Sashafierc33426 · Apr 11, 2012

thanks everyone for the helpful information. Wow that is a bit of a long trip for one day. Besides playa grande, Sosua, and Cabarete, what other beaches are nice for a day trip or a few hours?

william webster · Apr 11, 2012

william webster said:
Nagua will be much closer and has beaches but nothing like the Samana peinsula.

Are you considering Las Terranas or Samana itself? Two very different things.

For a shorter trip, you can consider Playa Grande (just past Rio San Juan)
Its one of the more famous beaches and will have food, etc. for you.
Its just an hour +/- from you.

A bit further for La Entrada, another good beach. Past Cabrera.
Say 1 1/2 hrs from Sosua.

These two are big beaches. There are numerous smaller ones all along the coast east of Sos/Cab.

Ask around

You're asking hard questions..... More beaches than you can count....

just go and do it.... you cannot miss....

ask the guagua driver...

You got good advice early on about the trip length........

Free advice - but good advice

bellakins · Apr 12, 2012

A day trip to Samana is a very long haul, even if you have your own car. Playa Rincon is best reached by boat from Las
Gallerias with $$ and time. For a day trip, go for Playa Grande or Playa Caleton...

william webster · Apr 12, 2012

Ok, here's my last input.

there is a small beach between Cabarete and Rio san Juan with few people, some nice little Dominican restaurants and calm water usually.

Drive east from Cabarete...... the road will open to the ocean for a few hundred yards on your left after about 1/2 hour.

3.5 miles after that is this little beach (it might have a name but I don't know it).

If you don't like it and want more action thre is another small beach in RSJ or Playa Grande is about 20 miles further past this 1st little beach.

There are others, but I assume you want to be able to eat.

All of the above offer food.

Have fun and don't forget your water wings:cheeky:

DavidZ · Apr 12, 2012

Playa Grande is probably the best beach day trip to do from Sosua...especially for your first one...there are a dozen or so other beaches along the way and just past it, some with food and services, some totally secluded, all accessible from the main highway, but Playa Grande is the most famous, has everything, and is very easy to get to...everyone will know where it is.

Nagua is an interesting town with "local Flavor" and a lot of beachfront...but it's not the best or prettiest beach in the area.

To go to Samana, especially Playa Rincon (which is at the very end of the Peninsula), on a one-day return trip is definitely NOT the way to go...but if/when you have more time, Samana, Las Galeras, El Limon, Las Terrenas (with Coson, Bonita, etc), and definitely Playa Rincon, are all worth checking out

Day trip from Sosua to Samana.. looking for suggestions

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