Dominican North Coast & Samaná sargassum & beach forecast
Dominican Republic · 45 beaches and resorts
Veabird grades 45 beaches and resorts in Dominican North Coast & Samaná, Dominican Republic, every six hours on seaweed, water, waves, weather and crowds, including 4 area pages covering a whole stretch of beach. The most are in Las Terrenas, Puerto Plata and Santa Bárbara de Samaná. On a typical beach here, sargassum risk is moderate or higher from March to September, peaks in June and is lowest in January and December. It varies by beach: Cabarete Beach Resorts has the highest typical risk and Villa Flamboyan the lowest. Across the region, average highs run from about 83°F in January and February to 89°F in July, August and September, and the sea from about 79°F to 84°F. Rain is most likely in December and least likely in June and July.
This week, beach by beach
Las Terrenas
- Donoma Las Terrenas Resort & Villas, Autograph Collection seaweed peak: highSatDSunD+MonD+TueC-WedC-
- Gran Bahia Principe El Portillo seaweed peak: highSatFSunDMonDTueCWedC
- Hotel Albachiara seaweed peak: highSatFSunDMonD-TueC-WedC-
- Las Olas Luxury Villas seaweed peak: highSatD-SunDMonD+TueD+WedD+
- Las Terrenas Beach Resorts seaweed peak: highSatFSunDMonD-TueC-WedC-
- Playa la poza de bojolo seaweed peak: highSatFSunD-MonD+TueDWedD
- Resort Bahía de los Dioses seaweed peak: very lowSatD+SunC-MonCTueCWedC+
- Villa Mariposas seaweed peak: highSatFSunD-MonD-TueC-WedD+
- Villas Maranata, Las Terrenas seaweed peak: highSatD-SunDMonDTueD+WedD+
Puerto Plata
- Be Live Grand Marien Hotel seaweed peak: highSatD-SunD-MonDTueC-WedD+
- Hotel Sand Bay Oceanfront seaweed peak: moderateSatCSunB-MonBTueB-WedB
- Iberostar Waves Costa Dorada seaweed peak: highSatD-SunD-MonDTueC-WedD+
- Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Club seaweed peak: highSatD-SunD-MonDTueC-WedD+
- Playa Dorada Beach Resorts seaweed peak: highSatFSunDMonCTueCWedC
- Puerto Plata Beach Resort seaweed peak: highSatD-SunD-MonDTueC-WedD+
- Punta Rucia Lodge seaweed peak: moderateSatCSunB-MonBTueB-WedB
Santa Bárbara de Samaná
- Bahia Principe Grand Samaná seaweed peak: moderateSatD-SunDMonD+TueC-WedC-
- Grand Paradise Samana seaweed peak: very lowSatC+SunB-MonA-TueA-WedA-
- Luxury Bahia Principe Samana seaweed peak: moderateSatD-SunD+MonC-TueC-WedC
- Marriott Miches Beach, An All-Inclusive Resort seaweed peak: very lowSatC+SunC+MonB-TueBWedB+
- Principe Bahia Cayo Levantado seaweed peak: moderateSatDSunC-MonC-TueCWedC+
- Villa Caribeña seaweed peak: very lowSatC+SunB-MonA-TueA-WedA-
- Villa Flamboyan seaweed peak: very lowSatC+SunB-MonA-TueA-WedA-
Playa Dorada
- Amhsa Marina Grand Paradise Playa Dorada seaweed peak: highSatFSunD-MonCTueCWedC-
- BlueBay Villas Doradas seaweed peak: moderateSatD-SunDMonCTueCWedC
- Casa Colonial Beach & Spa seaweed peak: highSatFSunDMonCTueCWedC
- Celuisma Playa Dorada Beach Hotel seaweed peak: highSatD-SunDMonCTueCWedC
- Hotel Occidental Allegro Playa Dorada seaweed peak: moderateSatFSunD-MonC-TueCWedC-
Cabarete
- Cabarete Beach Resorts seaweed peak: highSatFSunFMonC-TueC-WedC-
- El Encuentro Surf Lodge seaweed peak: highSatD-SunD-MonCTueC-WedC-
- Seawinds seaweed peak: highSatFSunFMonD+TueD+WedD+
- Villa Taina seaweed peak: highSatC-SunCMonBTueBWedB
Playa Grande
- Amanera seaweed peak: highSatFSunFMonD+TueD+WedD+
- Sunrise Villa seaweed peak: highSatFSunD-MonFTueDWedD
- Villa Castellamonte seaweed peak: highSatFSunFMonFTueDWedD-
- Villa Flor de Cabrera seaweed peak: highSatFSunFMonFTueDWedD-
Sosúa
- Casa Marina Beach & Reef seaweed peak: moderateSatDSunD+MonC+TueC+WedC+
- Piergiorgio Palace Hotel seaweed peak: lowSatD+SunD+MonB-TueB-WedB-
- Sosúa Beach Resorts seaweed peak: highSatDSunDMonC+TueCWedC+
- The Ocean Club, a Luxury Collection Resort seaweed peak: highSatDSunDMonC+TueCWedC+
Maimón
- Hotel RIU Bachata seaweed peak: highSatC-SunC-MonCTueB-WedC+
- Hotel RIU Mambo seaweed peak: highSatC-SunC-MonCTueB-WedC+
- Hotel RIU Merengue seaweed peak: highSatC-SunC-MonCTueB-WedC+
Ciudad Marina
- Hotel Luperón seaweed peak: highSatC-SunCMonC-TueCWedC+
Las Galeras
- Hotel Villa La Plantacion seaweed peak: very lowSatC+SunB-MonA-TueA-WedA-
Grades for the next few days from Veabird's beach forecast, updated Oct 3, 18:00 UTC. Higher is better: A+ to F.
Weather, water & seaweed by month
| Month | Avg high | Sea | Chance of rain | Sargassum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 83°F | 79°F | 45% | Low |
| Feb | 83°F | 79°F | 38% | Low |
| Mar | 84°F | 79°F | 32% | Moderate |
| Apr | 85°F | 81°F | 30% | Moderate |
| May | 86°F | 81°F | 32% | High |
| Jun | 88°F | 82°F | 22% | High |
| Jul | 89°F | 82°F | 22% | High |
| Aug | 89°F | 84°F | 25% | Moderate |
| Sep | 89°F | 84°F | 25% | Moderate |
| Oct | 88°F | 82°F | 30% | Low |
| Nov | 86°F | 81°F | 45% | Low |
| Dec | 84°F | 81°F | 48% | Low |
Regional monthly averages from Veabird's climate table for Dominican North Coast & Samaná; resort pages add their own spot's numbers where available. Sargassum is the typical-year risk on the median beach here.
Seaweed cleanup & barriers
- Offshore barriers
- None
- Public cleanup
- Municipal crews in Puerto Plata, Sosúa, Cabarete
- Resort crews
- Resort crews rake frontage
- Typical clearing time
- Same morning at resorts; slower on open public beaches
Safety notes
US State Dept: Dominican Republic, Level 2 (exercise increased caution) — verify
- Petty theft and motorbike snatch-thefts in Sosúa, Cabarete and Puerto Plata town
- Strong surf and currents at Cabarete, Encuentro and Playa Grande
- Humpback whale season in Samaná Bay (Jan–Mar) brings peak crowds there
Things to do in Dominican North Coast & Samaná
- Samaná humpback whale watching
- 27 Waterfalls of Damajagua
- Cabarete kitesurfing
- Puerto Plata cable car (Mount Isabel de Torres)
- El Limón waterfall
- Playa Rincón