Distance from Punta Cana to Saman?

[Louise]

Hi
I have been trying to find some information on taking the whalewatching tour from Saman?. I was advised to get information from Kim Beddall. I have written her twice over the past two weeks for information but, unfortunately, she has not replied.
So, how long of a drive is it from Punta Cana to Saman?, and where is the best place to rent a car? If we get to Saman?, what are the chances of being able to find a tour that goes out to see the whales? Thanks for any help!!!

On another note, I noticed a request for supplies for local schools in the DR. What is needed and where could they be dropped off in Punta Cana?

 

[snowgirl]

Hi Louise. Did you get to see the whales? I'm hoping to get to that same area, and would love to hear about your travels. i'm hoping to land in punta cana on wed and want to check out that area in the short week that i'm there. were you doing independent travel? did you end up renting a car? I'm hoping to get around by guagua or ??

 

[Gabriela]

Too late?

I think the whales are gone by March--but I could be mistaken. Kim is certainly the one to talk to if she's still there. Other people send out boats that are dangerously overloaded.

 

[PICHARDO]

The drive form Punta Cana to Samana depends on where exactly you're located in Punta Cana, but give or take a few miles about a good one and half or two hour drive depending on your kamikaze driving skills on the DR as well on road conditions, wearther etc.

The Waters of the Dominican Republic are home to the world's largest breeding grounds of Humpback whales, just off Samana Bay, the Silver Banks are a vast (100 sq. mile), shallow coral reef area that derives its name from the large amount of Spanish Gold & Silver lost during ship wrecks in the 1600's.
This area is also known as "The Nursery". Through a special license issued by the Dominican Republic Whale Commission, to some boat operators, you'll be taken with a minimum number of people.
The swim and watching trips are made from *****mid December to mid March for the usual,***** you should contact your hotel manager to see if they can arrange it for you, or speak with your travel agent, as I think they offer some better packages.

 

[PJT]

The drive form Punta Cana to Samana depends on where exactly you're located in Punta Cana, but give or take a few miles about a good one and half or two hour drive depending on your kamikaze driving skills on the DR as well on road conditions, wearther etc.
.

Pichardo, I think you confused Bayahibe as Samana.

The fact is the drive from Punta Cana to Samana is about 400 km, 7 - 10 hrs, , by the overland route. There is an option to go from Punta Cana to Sabana del Mar and take the ferry across from there. However this party has not received feedback on the ferry route and does not know of its reliablilty. Also, I would think, due to concerns of questionable availability of gasoline in the overland transit it is wise to fly from Punta Cana to Samana if one really needs to get there.

There are many auto rental concerns in the Bavaro / Punta Cana area. Also, the hotel and/or resort where you are staying at in P.C. will have information on tours to Samana.

....And responding to the note, simple basic school supplies are acceptable. Small paper pads, pencils, erasers, little plastic pencil sharpeners, some colored craft paper, plastic scissors, colored chalk, world maps in Spanish, etc., all can be dropped off to PJT in Bavaro for distribution.

Regards,
PJT

 

[ggparts]

I have taken the ferry

I have taken the ferry from Samana to Sabana de la Mar and I can assure you it does carry cars.

 

[Andy B]

I have taken the ferry from Samana to Sabana de la Mar and I can assure you it does carry cars.

And I can assure you that the ferry has NEVER carried cars from Sabana de la Mar to Samana as not only are the docking facilities yet to be built on the Samana side but the ferry is currently sitting in the mud on the Sabana side waiting for new engines.

 

[CES]

Hi Andy B . . .

. . . its been a whole year already. Damn, time sure flies.

Mrs. CES sez Hi.

Best Regards,

Charlie & C__

. . . CES

 

[Andy B]

. . . its been a whole year already. Damn, time sure flies.

Mrs. CES sez Hi.

Best Regards,

Charlie & C__

. . . CES

Hi Charlie,
Long time no hear from you! Drop me a line at my Codetel address.

Also, to add a postscript to my note above about the car ferry that has never begun operations, readers can go to the Transportation section of www.SamanaOnline.com for ways to get from Punta Cana to Samana via ground, air and water transportation. It also includes the "people" ferry crossing times, both ways.

 

[PICHARDO]

Pichardo, I think you confused Bayahibe as Samana.

The fact is the drive from Punta Cana to Samana is about 400 km, 7 - 10 hrs, , by the overland route. There is an option to go from Punta Cana to Sabana del Mar and take the ferry across from there. However this party has not received feedback on the ferry route and does not know of its reliablilty. Also, I would think, due to concerns of questionable availability of gasoline in the overland transit it is wise to fly from Punta Cana to Samana if one really needs to get there.

There are many auto rental concerns in the Bavaro / Punta Cana area. Also, the hotel and/or resort where you are staying at in P.C. will have information on tours to Samana.

....And responding to the note, simple basic school supplies are acceptable. Small paper pads, pencils, erasers, little plastic pencil sharpeners, some colored craft paper, plastic scissors, colored chalk, world maps in Spanish, etc., all can be dropped off to PJT in Bavaro for distribution.

Regards,
PJT

Back in my days as a Dominican terror of the roads, I did the Punta Cana (back then unknown to most people outside of the DR) to Samana in 1 hour 45 min, my speeds were in the upper 100's but teenagers know more about death defying tricks than us old folks, anyhow a good driver could get there within the 3 1/2 hours for a normal towny, again I repeat :"depending on your kamikaze driving skills on the DR" you can do it in much less time, I did! so did all my buddies!, by the way back then my car was like a 2004 Diablo against a Volks Beettle the police used to drive, I had a volkswagen SP2, with headers and the works and it could run like the wind or get so hot inside that we had to pull over and let the tranny cool off for an hour or two after the sprints, I think there're only a couple of them in the DR, they were very cool looking, something like a poor's kid Porshe, the only drawback was everyone knew it was you running wild around and my parents always had and earful for me at home, my second car was a two door Ford LTD with the cool headlamp automatic visors, again not a great choice after the gas price when up, funny thing was they gave me more money for both cars whe I sold them than I paid for them when I got them, RD economics go figure!

"

Pichardo, I think you confused Bayahibe as Samana.

Man believe me I know RD from head to tail, my buddies and me used to take a trip every year to a new province in the country and mess around with the local girls a bit.

 

[PJT]

Back in my days as a Dominican terror of the roads, I did the Punta Cana (back then unknown to most people outside of the DR) to Samana in 1 hour 45 min, my speeds were in the upper 100's but teenagers know more about death defying tricks than us old folks, anyhow a good driver could get there within the 3 1/2 hours for a normal towny,

Well, your information is news. It may be a trip for the organized jeep safari trips out of Punta Cana, not for the unskilled tourist doing the "upper 100's" in a rental car. What pueblos do you pass through in your route?

Regards,
PJT

 

[PICHARDO]

Upper 100's in KMH not US MPH!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pueblos??? What Pueblos???
The only pueblos I did see where about 10 or 15 Frituras and whatchamakalit huts on the side of the sandy when dry, Muddy when wet, a patch of tar here and there, look out for that vaiven ahead trail back in 1986, so you mean to say we can use an actual blacktop 8 meter wide "Road" from Punta Cana to Samana????, I sure would like to test drive that one in the MPH range, with my newly imported 2004 Ford Harley-Davidson F-Series Super Duty Monster of a Truck, h*eck! I will rip the tar off the road!

Now if I only could find it within myself to ship my Fatboy before I go so I could afford to buy me the North American Aviation P-51D-20NT a.k.a P-51 Mustang, it's still a tad over my Budget but what could be more cool than taking a dive around the west of DR in a Mustang????