Our Travel Guide & Experience Staying in Casa Blanca in Las Terrenas, Samana

The Dominican Republic has been our home for close to 8 months now and being the sailors that we are now, we have to keep on sailing. We’ve met a beautiful sailing community here who ended up being like our family but just like that, we had to move forward to our next destination this December. We had very good memories with them and there’s no other way to celebrate this friendship we’ve had than by having a ‘vacation’ while we’re on a vacation.

Good thing Casa Blanca Las Terrenas in Samana invited us to their 6-Bedroom Beachfront Villa so we asked our friends Sailing Satori, Sailing Roxy Dog, and Archipelago Sail to come along. It’s the perfect timing since it’s Thanksgiving in the US and it’s the first time we’re celebrating it! Here’s a travel guide in this beautiful town of Samana and a quick review about our stay in Casa Blanca Las Terrenas. Will I recommend it? We’ll see about that! 🙂

WHERE EXACTLY IS SAMANA?

Samana Province is located in the Dominican Republic’s Northeastern shore. It is the name given to the province, the Peninsula, and the magnificent bay. This province is further divided into Sanchez, Las Terrenas, and Samana which is further divided into 3 Municipal Districts called the Arroyo Barril, El Limon, and Las Terrenas. They have incredible small towns with beautiful beaches.

Nearest Airport: El Catey Airport (Samana International Airport) is located 50 kilometers from the town of Samana

BEAUTIFUL THINGS YOU CAN DO IN & NEAR LAS TERRENAS in SAMANA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Samana is a big province in the Dominican Republic where you’ll find beautiful and secluded beaches which feature magnificent sunsets, huge waterfalls, picturesque mountains and what not. Here’s what you can do in this extraordinary place.

• Go Humpback Whale watching- Did you know that during the months of January-March, more or less 2,500 Humpback Whales come to Samana to mate and birth?? I bet it’s a glorious thing to see I suggest you plan your trip ahead during these months. This isn’t something you’ll see everywhere and even if you find them somewhere else, I bet it’s gonna cost you more (the Dominican Republic is very cheap!).

• Have an Ecological Tour at the Los Haitises National Park- One of the most beautiful spots in Samana is this 618 square mile National Park boasting with magnificent rock formations, series of caves, a huge area covered with mangroves, and is home to multiple bird colonies. No wonder this has been chosen as one of the filming locations for Jurassic Park. It is magnificent!!

• Go horseback riding to El Limon Waterfalls- This is one of the most popular Waterfalls in the Dominican Republic. Our tour was arranged by Melvin, the son of the caretaker of the villa and it was one of the highlights of our stay! We went horseback riding (but one of our friends got a mule which is a crossbreed between a donkey and a horse) and it was perfect! We had to do it for 1 hour each way and a 15-minute hike to the main waterfalls. You wouldn’t believe that we only paid 11 USD each for this!

• Go to the beach- Samana prides itself with its secluded and almost untouched beaches. The closest from Casa Blanca Las Terrenas is the exotic Estillero Beach which is right in front of the property. Playa Las Ballenas is where you’ll find some entertainment and restaurants serving fresh catch along the shore. Only 10-minutes away from the property is Playa Bonita which is perfect for kitesurfing and surfing and is considered as the best beach in Las Terrenas. Playa Coson is one gem that until now remains untouched and unspoiled. The most popular is Playa Rincon known for its towering cliff and as a perfect snorkeling site. Playa Portillo, on the other hand, is a completely isolated and the most remote beach in Las Terrenas. Whatever your taste for beaches is, there’s certainly one for you here!

OUR 5 AWESOME NIGHTS STAYING AT CASA BLANCA in LAS TERRENAS

Casa Blanca is a family-owned 6-bedroom luxury villa who, judging from the interior, has a great sense of style. We had an amazing Thanksgiving dinner with our friends and with the full kitchen we were able to cook amazing dishes. For appetizers, we had prepared Cranberry Feta Pinwheels, Chips and Dip, and Cheese and Crackers. For the main course we had Roasted Turkey with Gravy and Cranberry Sauce, Mashed Potatoes, Sage and Sausage Stuffing, Broccoli Casserole, Sweet Potato Casserole, accompanied by rolls and bread. A meal isn’t complete without a dessert and we had Cheese Flan and Apple Pie for that. 

Anyway, here are some of the many things we loved about our stay.

• It is a beachfront property- Just a stone throw away from the property is the Estillero Beach, one of the most natural and calm beaches on the Samana Peninsula Coast. It is a perfect place for morning walks and romantic nights.

• The lavish villa- All 6 double bedrooms are lavish and are equipped with ensuite bathrooms, all with amazing sea view. Casa Blanca means white house and just as it is, everything in the villa is sparkly white with some blue details to give you that perfect coastal vibes. The garden, as well as the dining and living area, is massive!

• It is pet-friendly – We love our pets and so do they! We were so happy that we were able to take our cats here. Even our friends brought their dogs and we were greeted by the villa’s resident dogs! It’s very nice to take them all on a vacation with us!

• The fully-equipped kitchen- Whether you’re here for a few days or even for a few weeks, you sure won’t get hungry. Just take all your groceries with you and you’re bound to prepare a good meal on their open kitchen. I’ve cooked lumpia and adobo while our friends brought turkey and pies. YUM!

• You can have a private cook- In case you’re too lazy to prepare food on your own or for whatever reason, you can always ask for a private cook to prepare your breakfast, lunch, and dinner. In our case, it was the lovely caretaker named Dora who prepared a Dominican seafood meal during one of our dinners. We bought fresh lobster and fish that’s been delivered directly by the fishermen in front of the house. Would love her to cook most of our meals but our American friends decided to cook our Thanksgiving dinner which is great because they have a fully-equipped kitchen. 

• The daily cleaning service- We definitely had a private vacation with the services of a hotel. The daily cleaning service is great and every after each session, the villa looks exactly how it was the first time we got there.

• The heated pool- A vacation wouldn’t be complete without taking a dip at a pool. Casa Blanca is huge and is heated! So whatever time of the day you decide to swim, you sure will be warm.

So do we recommend it? WE DEFINITELY DO! If you’re a big group traveling to the Dominican Republic, I highly recommend you to visit Samana and stay at Casa Blanca Las Terrenas. Many thanks to the lovely owner, Monika, for having us! Also, big hugs to Melvin and Dora for the hospitality. It was one hell of a vacation in Samana! ♡

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