Samaná Bay is a bay in the eastern Dominican Republic

Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...

. The Yuna River

Yuna River

The Yuna River is in the Dominican Republic. The river flooded in 2000 and 2004 causing loss of life and livelihood. The river is the second longest river in the Dominican Republic measuring at 209 km long....

 flows into the Samaná Bay, and it is located south of the town

Santa Bárbara de Samaná

Samaná, in full Santa Bárbara de Samaná, is a city and municipality in northeastern Dominican Republic and is the capital of Samaná Province. It is located on the northern coast of Samaná Bay...

 and peninsula of Samaná

Samaná Peninsula

The Samaná Península is a peninsula in Dominican Republic situated in the province of Samaná. The Samaná Peninsula is connected to the rest of the state by the isthmus of Samaná. The Peninsula contains many beaches, especially in the city of Santa Bárbara de Samaná. It contains 3 rivers. The main...

.

Among its features are protected islands that serve as nesting sites for pelicans and frigate birds, caves with pre-Columbian pictographs and petroglyphs, and mangrove-lined river tributaries. In the winter, many whales calve in the bay.

Adjoining the bay is Los Haitises National Park

Los Haitises National Park

Los Haitises National Park is a national park located on the remote northeast coast of the Dominican Republic. It is a protected virgin forest with little road access. The number of tourists allowed is limited, but since 2000 it has been a relatively popular destination for ecotourism...

, which is popular with national and international ecotourist visitors.