Humpback whale watching season begins on January 15th and extends to march 31st.  The north coast of the Dominican Republic is one of the best places in the world to see these incredible creatures up close.  Adult whales range in length from 12–16 m (39–52 ft) and weigh about 36,000 kg (79,000 lb)!  Thousands of humpback whales from the north Atlantic migrate to the Dominican Republic to mate and give birth.  Silver Bank just 90 km north of Puerto Plata is a destination spot for whales and is an excellent place to visit and go on a tour!  The Samana peninsular is also a popular spot to go whale watching.  If you’re lucky, you can even see whales just off Cabarete Beach!

Sliver Bank:

Declared a whale sanctuary in 1986, Sliver Bank is one of the few breeding and calving areas in the North Atlantic for humpback whales.  It is estimated that 5000-7000 whales pass through this 40 square mile sanctuary every winter.  Silver Bank is shallow (60 feet deep in the some parts), but is mostly submerged. In places you can see coral peaking above the ocean surface.  Another interesting attraction is the destroyed freighter ship Polyxeni, most of which is above the surface.

Samana:

The World Wildlife Fund considers Samana to be one of the premier places in the world to watch whales.  The inner bay is a perfect nursery and the outer bay where you can see males competing for females.