6 Best Sights in Samana Peninsula, Dominican Republic

La Playita, or Little Beach, is a stunner that's a 15-minute walk from the main Las Galeras beach. Here you'll find a small shack serving fresh fish and a newer, two-story stucco restaurant with a variety of seafood offerings and a full bar. Coconut trees lean far out over the water, and the virgin stretch of Cabo Cabrón extends far along one side, providing incredible views and a sense of privacy and solitude. Amenities: food and drink; parking; toilets. Best for: partiers; solitude; sunset; swimming; walking.

Only accessible on foot or by boat, this beach is undeveloped save for a hotel at the far end, and it offers solitude on most days. Have your hotel arrange for a small boat to take you there, either privately or with a group. Intrepid travelers who choose to go by foot will enjoy an intermediate, one-hour hike worth every second of the slight climb--especially for the incredible views. To hike here, ask for directions to Casa Dorado and stay on that path until you reach the beach. Bring water and snacks as there are no facilities. In the low season, expect to be among the only visitors. Amenities: None. Best for: sunbathing; swimming; hiking; solitude.

Playa Frontón is a beach accessible only on foot or by boat and offers gorgeous views. It's on the east side of the easternmost cape of the peninsula. You can have your hotel arrange for a small boat to take you there, either privately or with a group. As you might expect, this long, uncluttered, white sand beach will have almost no one there. (It's BYO everything.)  Wear reef shoes to protect your feet from sea urchins. Snorkeling is stellar but beware of strong currents. Amenities: None. Best for: sunrises; swimming; snorkeling; walking.

Playa Las Galeras lies at the end of the highway of this tiny coastal town, a 20-minute drive northeast from Samaná town. The sand is nearly white, the Atlantic waters generally calm. It has been designated a Blue Flag beach, which means that it's clean and unpolluted, though there are several small hotels here. Seaweed is regularly raked up and there is no parking fee, as it is just street parking. That all said, this is really just a departure point for the nearby virgin beaches closer to the cape to the west. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: partiers; snorkeling; sunset; walking.

Playa Madama is one of Las Galeras's most well-known beaches and also one of the most charming. Located in a cove a five-minute boat ride away from Playa Las Galeras, on the way to Playa Frontón, this beach is a little slice of undeveloped heaven. The water is fairly low and calm, and the backdrop is a jungle of palms and local trees. Bring your own blankets and drinks, as this beach has no amenities. Adventurous travelers will enjoy the long, solitary trek through the jungle and along several local farms to get here, but boats can also be hired to take you for a fee. Ask your hotel to help you book or head down to Playa Las Galeras, where the bulk of the boats are kept. The larger the group, the cheaper the price. Amenities: none. Best for: swimming; solitude; snorkeling.

Remote Playa Rincón, a stunning white sand beach, is one of the most beautiful beaches in the entire region. Relatively undeveloped, there are no facilities per se, but spread out across the large stretch there are two or three restaurants offering traditional Dominican food. Other vendors may have beach chairs or sell bracelets and kitschy souvenirs or massage and braiding services. The water can be rough, but there are some calmer areas. The beach is cleaned regularly but not often enough. You can reach Rincón by boat, bus, or car from Las Galeras, with a boat the better option. Driving here takes about 30 minutes from town.  Theft is a real problem here, so when swimming, watch your belongings, don't bring valuables, and don't stay late. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: partiers; snorkeling; swimming; walking.