The 14 Best Whale Watching Tours in the Dominican Republic

1.Whale Watching and Cayo Levantado Full Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 159 reviews · 7 hours · from $77Our pick

Join Moto Marina Tours for a 7-hour catamaran and speedboat outing from Samaná. Scan the marine sanctuary for humpback whales with English- or Spanish-speaking guides such as Ileana, then enjoy buffet lunch and 2.5 hours on Cayo Levantado, with drinks, coconut, and snacks included.

“Was an amazing experience, we want to particularly thank Alfonso, captain (Nobel), robertico and the whole team that made this possible. Don’t miss this opportunity and join the adventure!!”

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2.Samaná Whale Watching, Bacardi & Limon Falls

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 131 reviews · 10 hours - 750 minutes · from $107

Leave Punta Cana early for Samaná’s seasonal whale watching, Limón Waterfall, a Dominican lunch, and 90 minutes at Cayo Levantado. You may walk or ride a horse to the falls. Guides speak English and Spanish, with multilingual guides such as Andrii sometimes available.

“Rapporto qualità-prezzo ottimo, posto paradisiaco e personale cordiale e preparato. Ci ritornerei volentieri.”

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3.Bay of Samana Whale Watching Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 97 reviews · 3 hours · from $65

Set out from Moto Marina in Samaná for a guided whale-watching trip through the bay and Marine Mammal Sanctuary. You will spend about two and a half hours searching for humpback whales, with coconut, water, and soft drinks provided. Guides speak English, Spanish, French, and German.

“The trip was great. The guide was informative and helpful. We saw many whales very close to our boat. We all had a great time!”

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4.Whale Watching & Limón Waterfall Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 94 reviews · from $169

From Punta Cana, sail across Samaná Bay to look for humpback whales, then ride a horse for about 30 minutes through tropical farmland to El Limón Waterfall. Plan on a very long day, about 13 hours, with roughly 10 hours spent in transport. Pickup is included.

“Watching the whales was worth the trip. It was amazing to watch them so close! If I had to do this again, I would choose one excursion without the Lemon Cascade. The Lemon Cascade is beautiful too, but you have to walk up and down 280 steps each way, and for me it would have been better to stop in a beach instead.”

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5.Sanctuary Whale Watching Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 87 reviews · 12 hours · from $189

Spend about 12 hours traveling from Punta Cana, Bávaro, or Uvero Alto to Samaná for humpback whale watching, Cayo Levantado, and El Limón waterfall. The day includes breakfast, lunch, drinks, boat transport, a horseback ride, and guides in five languages, but expect long transfers and a wet, busy schedule.

“Pickup from my hotel at 6:30am was smooth, but we spent long stretches waiting and driving between stops before reaching the boat dock. We arrived at the dock at 915am. Breakfast was a ham sandwich and fruit. Whale watching was rough due to choppy water, and we saw very few whales. We spent an hour on Saona Island with pushy photographers. Expect to pay $40–50 USD for photos. Lunch is a mainland buffet with great food, but it’s the last meal. You’re shuttled to the waterfall/“horseback” ride, where attendants repeatedly ask for tips, including $50 for the volunteer and animal. You spend ~30 minutes at the waterfall, then ride back.…”

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6.Whale Watching, Cayo Levantado & Limon Waterfall

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 71 reviews · 1 day · from $160

Travel from Punta Cana to Samaná by bus and boat, ride through jungle to El Limón Waterfall, eat a Dominican lunch, and cruise to Cayo Levantado. Whale watching is seasonal, mainly January through March. Guides speak English, French, and Spanish.

“El anuncio dice que veras ballenas, pero el guia nos indico que solo es de Enero a Marzo. Aún asi, la excursión es increible, mismo si fuimos con publicidad engañosa. La recomiendo en cualquier epoca del año, mejor que punta cana o isla Saona. Verdaderamente increible!!”

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7.Whale Watching and Montana Redonda Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 23 reviews · 9 - 10 hours · from $210

Travel from Punta Cana to Miches for a catamaran whale-watching cruise, then ride a safari truck up Montaña Redonda. You’ll have breakfast at the pier, lunch with an Atlantic view, and time to use the mountain swings. Guides speak English, French, and Spanish.

“I really liked the excursión. The transportation, organising and everything was excellent!”

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8.Samana Bay Private Whale Watching Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 21 reviews · 20 minutes - 10 hours · from $2Best value

Leave your Punta Cana hotel by private transport for a Samana Bay cruise with a captain and guide in English, French, or Spanish. Watch for humpback whales, then eat a Dominican buffet at Cayo Levantado, also called Bacardi Island, and swim before choosing your return time.

“Barbara was so professional organising today as our original trip was cancelled due to adverse weather. We had moved resorts and she put it all together in a short time . It was brilliant and we were so lucky to see the whales . The team was amazing and customer service is spot on”

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9.Whale Watching and Cayo Levantado Island Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 21 reviews · 1 - 7 hours · from $6

Meet at Samaná’s Malecón at 9:30 AM for a guided boat trip into Samaná Bay, where you watch whales in their natural habitat. Then spend free time on Cayo Levantado, also called Bacardi Island, with beach access, lunch, volleyball, and a return to Samaná around 4:30 PM.

“Really kind guides. We saw two whales and it was unforgettable experience. After watching the whales, we went on Cayo Levantado, where we had good lunch (at extra cost 10$). Then we had free time to spend on the island and beach. After that we came back at 15:30. Really good tour on whole day!”

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10.Whale Watching and Cayo Levantado Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 21 reviews · 1 - 10 hours · from $6

Meet at Samaná’s Malecón at 8:30 AM for a boat trip with whale watching, coastal views, and a typical Dominican lunch on Cayo Levantado. Guides may include Pablo Pima Colada and Captain Mario. Expect a full day, shared-boat conditions, and no swimming with the whales.

“The whale watching tour was well-organized and the boat was fine but I found two parts to be disappointing. The first is that the date scheduled was before most of the whales arrive. There can be up to 300 whales in the bay but at this point there were only three. Does it make sense to schedule a tour when there are so few whales? Second, the majority of the time is spent on Cayo Levantado, which has a nice enough beach but is much less interesting than seeing whales. Perhaps my expectations were unrealistic. Regardless, the guides were professional, friendly, and helpful.”

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11.Whale Watching Tour with Snacks

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 19 reviews · 20 minutes - 7 hours · from $2Top rated

Join a Spanish, English, or French-speaking guide at Samaná’s private dock for a morning boat trip to the Marine Mammal Sanctuary. Look for humpback whales, enjoy coconut, water, and soda, and consider adding Cayo Levantado if your selected option includes it.

“Fantastic whale watching experience in Samaná. The tour was well organized, the crew was friendly and professional, and the boat was comfortable. We saw whales up close, which was truly unforgettable. Highly recommended for anyone visiting the area!”

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12.Whale Watching and Bacardi Island Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★3.6 · 15 reviews · 10 - 12 hours · from $150

Leave Punta Cana early for Samaná Bay, where a 2.5-hour boat trip offers a chance to see humpback whales from January through March. Then enjoy a Dominican buffet at Bacardí Island, with an option for horseback riding to Salto El Limón or a safari truck ride to Playa Rincón.

“The guide Christelle was very professional! I have never seen someone be able to navigate through languages so seamlessly! She knew her information very well and was great at handling things and keeping us all in check and order. She explained things correctly and multiple times to ensure all participants understood. Very impressed by her. The pick up from the hotel was done very well and punctual as well. The boat however was very rocky (the weather conditions weren’t ideal) and so be warned and prepared before going on! It gets wet too so plan accordingly. We were able to see a couple of whales and it was wonderful. The…”

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13.Half Day Whale Watching Humpback Whale Watching

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 15 reviews · 1 - 5 hours · from $6

Meet at the Samaná dock for a guided catamaran trip into the Marine Mammal Sanctuary. You may see humpback whales during winter mating season, with English, Spanish, or French guidance and simple snacks on board. Confirm the departure time and meeting point before booking.

“Die 42 Euro Tour mit Cayo Levantado und Mittagessen ist die selbe Tour wie die 55 Euro Tour. Man hat bei beiden Touren mit Beginn erst 10 Uhr nur 45 Minuten Beobachtungszeit, zurück ging es 11:30 Uhr. 55 Euro für 45 Min Wale Watching, 42 Euro für 45 Min Wale Watching mit Cajo Levantado und Essen. Alle sitzen im selben Boot und für die die mehr zahlen geht's sogar direkt heim. KEINE 3,5 h Tour. Max. erlaubter Aufenthalt im Marinepark sind auch nur 45 min. Verarsche! Bucht also die günstigere Tour, die 55 Euro Tour ist NICHT länger.”

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14.Whale Watching Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 12 reviews · 12 hours · from $163

Travel from Puerto Plata, Sosua, or Cabarete to Samaná Bay for seasonal humpback whale watching, then take a boat to Cayo Levantado for Dominican lunch and beach time. A live English or Spanish guide leads the day, with breakfast, transport, and boat ride included.

“Na dzień dobry problemy z autobusem: nie wiedział po kogo przyjechał, dobrze że moja przytomność umysłu i dostęp do internetu pozwoliły rozwiązać problem. Śniadanie po drodze ok. Na miejscu władowali 2 autobusy na jedną łódkę. Na szczęście dopisały wieloryby. Lunch OK, tylko pan od napojów zapomina o reszcie, trzeba się upomnieć. Przewodnik super.”

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