Samana El Catey International Airport (AZS) serves the Samana peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Dominican Republic, a lush, mountainous stretch of coastline known for whale watching, palm-lined beaches, and the laid-back town of Las Terrenas. A rental car is one of the best ways to explore the peninsula, since its beaches, waterfalls, and fishing villages are spread along a single winding coastal corridor rather than clustered around one town. The airport is a relatively small international facility a short drive from the coast, with rental desks operated by international and local companies rather than a single dominant brand, and pickup is generally straightforward for a facility of its size.
From AZS, the beach town of Las Terrenas sits roughly thirty to forty-five minutes west along a two-lane road that climbs briefly through hills before dropping back to the coast, while Samana town, the peninsula's main hub with its Malecon waterfront, lies around forty-five minutes to an hour to the southeast. Along the way, the road passes small communities, roadside fruit stands, and glimpses of the bay where humpback whales gather each winter. Las Galeras, a quieter beach farther east past Samana town, adds another twenty to thirty minutes to that leg of the drive.
Driving is on the right throughout the Dominican Republic, and while the peninsula's main routes are paved, they narrow and wind through hilly terrain, with occasional potholes and slower-moving local traffic including motoconchos, the small motorbike taxis common across the region. Fuel stations are concentrated in Las Terrenas and Samana town, so it is worth topping up before heading toward Las Galeras or smaller villages farther afield. Rain showers are common even outside the official wet season, and a little extra caution on the peninsula's curving coastal roads makes for a far more relaxed way to see this corner of the Dominican Republic and its coastline.