Getting married in
Samaná.
Santa Bárbara de Samaná is the province's old town, set on a bay that closes in on three sides. The sea comes in flat, with no real surf. From the boardwalk you can see Cayo Levantado off to the left and the cliffs of Los Haitises in the distance. A wedding here almost always involves bay water — calmer than the open coast at Las Terrenas — and the option to stretch the day out with boat trips. It's the most authentically Dominican face of the peninsula.
Who Samaná is for
If you want the postcard of palm trees framing flat water. If you'd like the wedding to be just the first day of something longer — whales in February, the El Limón waterfall on horseback, Los Haitises by boat. If you want the town to feel like a town, not a processed tourist destination.
Getting there
El Catey (AZS) is 45 minutes away. The Sabana de la Mar ferry connects to the east coast if guests arrive through Punta Cana. Cayo Levantado is reached by boat from the Simi Báez pier: a 15-minute crossing with the bay opening up behind you.
The best time of year
December to April is the safe window. And then there's whale season: January 15 to March 30, humpbacks calving in the bay. It's a one-of-a-kind touch if your date allows it — the ceremony one day, the whale-watching the next, the whole group on the same boat.
Planning your wedding
in Samaná.
The legal logistics, what an intimate wedding actually costs, and when to come — the guides couples ask us about most.
When to Get Married in the Dominican Republic: Weather, Hurricanes & Crowds by Month
The best time to get married in the Dominican Republic, by a Samaná planner: weather by month, hurricane season, crowds, costs, and the months I'd book.
Dominican Republic Honeymoon Guide: Where to Go, When, and What It Costs
Where to honeymoon in the Dominican Republic, the best time to go, how long to stay, what to do and what it costs — with a focus on the quiet Samaná peninsula.
How to Get Married in the Dominican Republic: A Legal Guide for Foreign Couples
Getting legally married in the Dominican Republic as a foreigner: civil vs symbolic ceremonies, apostilles, documents, timing and costs — explained by a local planner.