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1 city
Province · Costa Leste: Punta Cana e La Romana
Hato Mayor
Hato Mayor is the southern gateway to Los Haitises: the limestone hills that rise from the water, the mangroves and the Taíno caves visited by boat from Sabana de la Mar, and inland, orange groves and ranches.
In the photo: Mogotes de Los Haitises na baía de Samaná (Hato Mayor)
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
The province
Get to know Hato Mayor
Hato Mayor is a province in the east, between the Cordillera Oriental and Samaná Bay. The interior has green hills, pastures, cattle ranches and orange and other citrus plantations, which made the capital, Hato Mayor del Rey, a town of agricultural fairs.
What draws travelers to the province is in the north, in Sabana de la Mar, a port town on the southern shore of Samaná Bay, which the guide includes in the Peninsula of Samaná destination. From there boats depart for Parque Nacional Los Haitises, a landscape of hundreds of rounded limestone mogotes covered in forest, separated by mangrove channels.
In the park, boats pass islets where pelicans and frigatebirds nest and stop at caves such as San Gabriel and La Línea, with paintings and engravings left by the Taínos. At the entrance to Caño Hondo, near Sabana de la Mar, a river drops into natural freshwater pools surrounded by forest.
From Sabana de la Mar speedboats also cross the bay to Santa Bárbara de Samaná, a shortcut for those combining Los Haitises with whale watching from January to March.
Destinations
1 destination in Hato Mayor
Cities
1 cities in Hato Mayor in the guide
When to go
Los Haitises can be visited year-round. From December to April there is less rain and the bay is usually calmer for boats; from January to March the crossing to Samaná allows whale watching. From June to November there is a hurricane risk in Los Haitises, and boat trips may be suspended on days of heavy rain.
Getting there
From Santo Domingo, the road passes through Hato Mayor del Rey and reaches Sabana de la Mar in about two and a half hours. From Punta Cana, the quickest route is via the new Miches road, in about two hours. From Samaná, speedboats cross the bay in around one hour. The nearest international airport is Punta Cana (PUJ) or Santo Domingo (SDQ).
Your questions
Frequently asked questions about Hato Mayor
What is the best entrance to Los Haitises?
Sabana de la Mar, in Hato Mayor, is the closest: boats reach the mangroves and caves in just a few minutes. There are also tours departing from Samaná, Las Terrenas and Punta Cana.
What can you see in Los Haitises?
Limestone mogotes covered in forest rising from the water, mangroves, islets with seabirds and caves with Taíno paintings.
Can you go by boat from Sabana de la Mar to Samaná?
Yes, speedboats cross the bay in about one hour, depending on sea conditions.
What is there in the town of Hato Mayor?
It is an agricultural town of commerce and fairs, known for the region's orange groves; most travelers pass through it on their way to Sabana de la Mar.