Samana

For unspoilt beaches, tropical rainforests and go-slow towns, it’s got to be a holiday to Samana – this place is the real Caribbean deal.

A prime location

The Samana Peninsula is straight out of a David Attenborough documentary. Thanks to a landscape blanketed in waterfalls, lagoons and rainforests, this pincer of land sticking out from the north-east coast is home to all creatures great and small. We’re talking everything from humpback whales to exotic birds.

The beach line-up

The big draw, though, is the beach scene. The sandy sweeps here are among the best in the Caribbean, and Samana Town makes the perfect base for exploring them. Playa Bonita, on the peninsula’s northern shore, is a haven for surfing and diving. And Playa Rincon – a little further east – is so good-looking it made Condé Nast Traveller mag’s top 10 list of beaches. Just off the southern shore, meanwhile, is the little island of Cayo Levantado. Dubbed Bacardi Island thanks to a starring role in an advert for the brand, it’s all white sand, green palms and cobalt-blue sea. Plus, it pulls in the punters with its humpback whales, who visit every January for a 3-month dating session.

Laid-back living

Despite its obvious draws, though, the area has managed to stay off the tourist radar for the most part. Wherever you head, expect an old-fashioned Caribbean way of life, with fishermen hauling in the day’s catch by the water, and locals playing dominos in front of pastel-coloured houses.