Come to Cabarete Kitebeach to Kiteboard and We'll Go Watch the Humpback Whales Together!

5,000 Humpbacks Are Arriving to Sing & Mate!

A Humpback Whale swims in Dominican Republic waters

There are but a few thousands of whales left on our planet earth. Wiped out by fishing industry and the polluted sea waters, their numbers continue to dwindle year for year.

Read about the  singing Humpback whales and whale watching in the Dominican Republic here and discover the fascinating things about humpbacks and when & where one can see them! You could also sign up with us here for a combination tour of whale watching and downwind kitebaoording!

Did You Know This About Whales…

Whales are huge, magnificent aquatic (water) mammals, existing since +70 million years, and along with dolphins they are part of the cetacean family of aquatic mammals.
Why are they considered as “mammals” if they live in water? Because whales are basically warm-blooded, air breathing animals, not a fish. Some can take such a large gulp of air, that it lasts them for 2h underwater and even in depths of up to 1.24 miles (2,000 meters deep). 
They also nurse their babies with mother milk.

But…

How do whales sleep?
Why is half their brain always awake?
How intelligent are they?
How do they protect their eyes?
How do they mate? Where?
How large is the baby humpback whale?
How much milk does he drink each day? 

We answer these questions and more in our humpback whale info page

Whales are, in fact, the only mammals – apart from Sea Cows (manatees) – that live their entire lives in the water, and have freely adapted to life in the open oceans. Water is probably a good solution for over-weighted individuals… less gravity, easier to move.

Humpback Whale in Dominican Republic Fast Facts:

Humpback whales are water mammals, but since they breath air, unlike fish, and are mostly underwater, their brains must control the act of breathing voluntarily- unlike us humans who can sleep yet keep on breathing on auto-pilot.

Therefor, humpback whales cannot ever be 100% asleep. So their brain is devided in 2 parts, each taking a rest while the second part stays awake! Amazing, isn't it!  

Almost 5,000 Humpback whales arrive in the Dominican Republic to mate and breed each year Jan- March.

Samana Bay is the biggest Humpback nursery in the world!

The Dominican Republic's Humpback Breeding ground – Samana Bay

When you arrive in Samana, if you haven't booked a whale watching tour in Cabarete Kitebeach or elsewhere- no problem. There are many boats for you to choose from, ranging from the local fishing motor boats with no protection from weather or waves, to large, twin-diesel engine vessels capable of handling 50-80 passengers (with bathroom and protection from weather elements).

Regardless how calm the inner Samana Bay looks like from the dock, the outer Samana Bay (where the whales usually are singing and mating) is often quite rough waters during the winter months. So a solid choice of boat is very important.

Consider the following when choosing your whale watching boat tour provider:

1. Boat construction 
2. Protection from the weather and water-wind spray
3. Height above sea level for visibility at the distances required by whale-watching regulations. 
4. Bathroom – you may need it if you get sea sick and want to wash up…
5. Whale specialist/naturalist on board

We recommend the Victoria II boat, holding 50-80 passengers and perfect for whale watching. They always have whale expert on board, usually it's Kim Beddall, the founder of whale watching in Samana Bay; excursions last 3-4 hours. +1(809) 538-2494.

Humpback Whale | Samana Bay | Dominican Republic