Dominican Republic (Samana)
Trip Summary
A few years ago, I saw a video about a tree house village deep in the rainforests of the Dominican Republic and showed it to my husband. The place looked beautiful and guests could do everything from enjoy the zipline to ride horses and ATVs to relax at the beach. The place even had a waterfall near the property that you could fly into via a rope swing. It seemed like the kind of place my husband and I would enjoy.
So we set a date when we would actually go there over the summer. I read every review possible, asked their staff a ton of questions, and decided to book a VIP room for 4 nights at the Dominican Tree House Village. They have multiple packages available and will actually work with you to tailor something designed after the kind of vacation you want, but I chose this option, because it included everything from airport transfers to all food/drink to unlimited excursions. The VIP rooms also had their own bathrooms, had an open air shower with hot water, and offered the best views. So I made the reservation, booked the flights, and soon, everything was set! We were actually going to stay in the tree house village!
Now Samana is a very small town on the north side of the Dominican Republic, so the Santo Domingo airport (about 2 1/2 hours away) is the main one people use to fly into the country. However, I knew that the Dominican Republic was also known for its beaches in Punta Cana. We had done a trip to Mexico a few years ago where we hopped around to a few different cities and enjoyed the experience a lot–so we decided to do the same here.
So we flew into Punta Cana (the tree house taxi would drive us from there to Samana and after a few days, would drive us back to Punta Cana where we would stay at an all-inclusive resort and enjoy the beach). We had considered renting a car, but transportation is included in the tree house costs, and driving in the Dominican Republic is not for the faint of heart! The transportation manager had estimated the trip from Punta Cana to take about six hours….and we made it in four and a half! It was an experience, too–there are little mopeds everywhere and people are constantly zooming by, honking to let you know they are passing you. Our driver did the same, and I had to laugh a few times at the chorus of honking in the streets as we lurched in and out of traffic. At one point, we even passed an ambulance with its lights on!
As we passed Santo Domingo and turned north, the roads became more rural and soon, we were passing through towns and dodging herds of horses and cattle (so many just walk free here, and we were fascinated to learn that dogs will often herd their master’s horse or cow home after it had taken goods into town). Then I started seeing signs for Samana–we were almost there!
When we pulled up to the entrance, we eagerly started the walk into the village! It is a quarter mile hike from the parking area to the reception area, but it was a beautiful walk as we passed by all the sights and sounds of the rainforest.
As we got closer, the tree house huts came into view–the biggest one being the reception area where the bar and restaurant were…and the most epic view of the sunset awaited us there.
We were just in time for dinner, and what food they have at this tree house village! I was initially skeptical because all the reviews praised the food, but I never saw pictures or descriptions of what they actually made. But let me tell you that you have never tasted food so literally fresh until you come here. The bread was still warm from the oven. The coffee had just been harvested and ground. The mangos and bananas were still on the trees just an hour before. The tree house village only has 22 huts, so there are not a ton of guests to feed which means that rather than making food in mass quantities, the kitchen staff cooks smaller meals with great care! The roasted chicken skewers with onions, peppers, and pineapple, rice, pasta salad, and banana slices drizzled in melted chocolate were divine! The drinks they serve are also good, and their version of Mamajuana (a drink of wine, honey, and rum soaked in a bottle of tree bark) is excellent, too–not too strong and sweet enough that you can sip on it and enjoy the flavors.
After dinner, we found our way to our tree house–number #22! We were glad that we chose the VIP option, because the tree house was so high up that you didn’t even see any of the other tree houses but rather had your own stunning view of the entire valley.
It was also so private that you could keep your curtains open and not even be worried about the open shower. Just you and the rainforest!
The room is also nicely designed. The bed is comfortable and sits below a fan and mosquito net (that we largely didn’t need–we didn’t see a single mosquito thanks to all the critters that keep the place mosquito-free). The rooms also have curtains rather than walls and when the curtains were open, it allowed for a nice breeze to come in at night as you slept to the sounds of the rain and all the critters of the rainforest.
The beautiful room, amazing food, hospitality of the staff, and the included transportation/excursions all make this place one of the most highly rated hotels yet on this site! Another added bonus that makes this place unique is the lack of wifi due to its remote location–and this works well for the environment because it encourages the guests and the staff to interact with each other a lot more. Every night, we played games with the rest of the tree house village, and spent hours laughing as we played games of Jenga, Connect Four, Uno, Charades, and Cards Against Humanity. And let me tell you that there is nothing like playing an epic game of Cards Against Humanity with 15 new friends! So fun, and we connected with a lot of cool people. We have the tree house village to thank for that, so it earns a high score!
Dominican Tree House Village: A+
The tree house offers a lot of excursions with partner companies in town, so the next day, we decided to go on the sailing and snorkeling excursion. One of the nice things about the tree house village is that their included excursions are not just little trips but rather all-day events that really allow you to get your money’s worth on your stay. This tour was no different. First, we ate a delicious breakfast of fruits (watermelon, mangos, pineapple), french toast, and waffles (and coffee and hot chocolate–I swear, my husband became a die-hard fan of this place after drinking their coffee…every morning, he rushed down to the restaurant area, and when he was there too early, would eagerly wait until he saw the kitchen staff who would then make him some…but he had to ask nicely in Spanish first, haha!).
Then at 9:30, we all gathered to go to the bus that would take us to the boat docks near downtown Samana. Our group joined up with some other people from various other hotels in the area, and as soon as we all got into the catamaran, we were off for a day at sea!
The tour included three snorkeling spots, but the winds were strong that morning, so the captain decided to sail for a bit first and let us all relax and enjoy the ride.
It was a beautiful day, the sun was out, and while we sailed, the boat crew served everyone fresh pieces of coconut and pineapple. We passed by beautiful beaches and when the wind began to die down, we arrived at our first snorkeling spot–a shipwreck.
The water was choppy at this point which made the water pretty murky, but even still, it was fun to see the shipwreck and the fish that swam around it. Most of the fish that hang around in this area are small and blend in with the water, so you really have to look for them.
Our next snorkeling spot was better. We sailed over to Cayo La Farola and while you could only really see sea grass under the water, the beach was close enough so that you could swim to it and take pictures. The beach is beautiful and is on basically a small island, so it had cool places to explore before you had to get back on the catamaran.
The tour saved the best beach for last…Levantado Beach or “Bacardi Beach.” That beach is gorgeous, has the white sands, and the blue and turquoise waters that make it very picturesque. There are also a lot of palm trees there, so the whole time you are there, it feels like you are in a postcard. The boat anchored a bit off shore here, so you could jump into the ocean if you wanted or swim to shore and enjoy the beach.
We also had lunch here, and it, too, was delicious (there is just something about Samana that makes everything taste so good there!). Lunch was delivered on a boat, and soon, trays of fresh fish, chicken, and salad were all out and ready to eat. One of the couples we met on the boat commented on the food and that they recognized the catering company from another excursion and mentioned how good the seasoned rice was and that they were sad not to see it this time at lunch. Well, we looked over, and there was definitely a tray of the rice, but the crew had hidden it from the guests and were eating big bowls of it themselves. I had to stifle a smile as I walked over and asked them if I could try it. “What rice?” they asked, feigning innocence. I pointed, and soon they were laughing and giving me fist bumps, caught with the treasured food. And it was good–very good–so if you go on the tour, try the seasoned rice…you may just have to look a little harder for it, haha!
On the way back, we sampled the beers of the Dominican Republic, took pictures, and enjoyed the views. The tour was a fun one, and got a lot of points for its wonderful food, clean catamaran, and friendly crew. The boat is a smaller one, though, and there is not a lot of room to put your stuff when you get on the boat, so all the guests ended up stacking all their things on top of each other. This caused belongings to be constantly moved, and we often found our things far from where we placed them, its contents spilled out and in some cases, lost (my husband lost his favorite sunglasses this way). Also, there is a photographer on the boat, but he charges you an absurd amount for the pictures and doesn’t even show you the pictures he took, so that was a little frustrating. We didn’t buy them, but it would have been fun to see them because he could have gotten more business if they weren’t so expensive.
Dominican Tree House Sailing and Snorkeling Excursion: A-
The next day, we took the horseback riding excursion to the El Limon waterfall. After another delicious breakfast, we crowded into the open-air car that would take us to the waterfall. It was an hour ride to the place where you could take horses to the viewing area, so as soon as all the horses were saddled up, we set off on the trail! The horses are more like ponies, and the area is mountainous, but even still, I was shocked at how steep the trail was–at times, the horses were climbing up and down stairs built into the landscape. I was impressed with the horses and the handlers who would trot alongside the horses (in flip flops), so if you go on this tour, tip them well, because they certainly work hard to keep up with the horses!
My horse, though, turned out to be quite the character. She had decided that she was in no mood to hike the trail that day, so anytime a person or a horse would come near, she would bare her teeth and lash out to take a bite. My husband’s horse often bore the brunt of her wrath because every time our horses would get close, those ears would flatten and out would come those teeth! She would kick at her handler, too, if she came too close, but luckily, she never made contact. I felt bad that the horse was so angry, but with that climb to the waterfall, I might be angry making that trek, too!
Once we reached the viewing area, we left the horses with their handlers and saw the waterfall in all its beauty. Even in dry season, it is still an impressive giant, and we were eager to see it up close.
It’s quite a hike from the viewing area to the waterfall, but it was a beautiful journey, and when we got to the waterfall itself, it was refreshing to enjoy the water, take pictures, and even jump off the nearby cliffs!
Soon enough though, it was time to hike back using the same path we used on the way down, so knowing it was going to be a hard climb, I dunked my towel in the water and wore that on my head while hiking back up. I am sure I looked ridiculous, but it was actually very refreshing and made the hike a lot easier. So don’t be afraid to do the same if you go on this hike. A fair number of people got overheated hiking back up, so carrying a wet towel with you will help a lot!
Once we got to the viewing area, we rode the horses back, and my horse was all too happy to show how displeased she was at having to hike again, haha. On the way, the horse handlers picked up mangos and pointed out various fruits and plants growing near the hiking path. I don’t think my husband had ever tried a mango before, but his life was forever changed when he bit into one. The whole ride back, I heard him on the horse behind me, gasping and yelling between bites, “Oh, my gawd! This is so good!” And it really was good–I think we were spoiled by all the good, fresh food in Samana! It is going to be hard to go back to grocery store food and not fresh food that you can just pick up and eat!
The tour actually included an afternoon of ATV riding, but one of the open-air busses was available to take an injured person back to the tree house village. Some others with back issues were concerned that horseback and ATV riding would be too much, so they decided to go back. We were really torn on what we should do. ATV riding sounded fun, but it was already past 3 and would take an hour to get back, and we wanted to be able to explore the tree house village while it was still light and see the pool for a bit.
So this part of the tour gets high marks for its adventurous trek to the waterfall, the beauty of the landscape, and the impressive work of the horse handlers. The horses are small, though, and it felt wrong to be riding them on such an arduous trail. The handlers put anyone on a horse, regardless of weight, and there were some instances when some people should not have been on these small horses (one of the horses fell under a particularly heavy person and they both ended up injured, so if you go, be honest with yourself about how ethical it is to make a small horse carry you up and down a mountain). I also wish that the tree house offered this trip in parts–either the horseback riding or the ATV riding, because both together make for a very long day (we didn’t see the rest of the group members until late that night). We could only go back because one of our group members was injured, but splitting up the excursion this way would also allow more people to participate if they were concerned about back issues or things like that. All in all, though, we had a great time on this tour.
Dominican Tree House El Limon Horseback Riding Excursion: B+
On our last day at the Dominican Tree House Village, we thought we’d try the Samana Ziplining Excursion. So many of the reviews I had seen praised the ziplining (you get unlimited ziplining trips through the tree house), so I was eager to try it! The zipline was within walking distance, so after hiking up a very steep climb, we got geared up for the first of 12 ziplines. You can go solo or with a partner, and I liked the freedom of being able to do whatever I wanted on the zipline (even hanging upside down!). I actually flipped upside down so much that my helmet came off on one of the lines!
It was a really fun few hours, and the ziplines are varied so that some of them are long, some shorter and faster, and the staff was very friendly and did their best to make sure everyone had a great time (whether they were dancing and singing while hooking up your harness or unexpectedly twirling you as you jumped off the launching platform)!
The braking system was also unique on this zipline in that you didn’t have to do any of the braking yourself. Rather, there was a wooden block set out before each landing platform that caught your gear and slowed you down so that you could spend the whole ride flipping upside down rather than worrying about when you should be applying the brake. I will say that it is quite a jolt when you hit that wooden block, though! A week after the trip, I still have bruises! But even so, we all had a blast, and I would totally recommend it.
This excursion gets marks for its friendly staff, fast ziplines, and freedom to do whatever tricks you wanted on the zipline.
Samana Treetop Zipline: A
With only an afternoon left of our stay, we decided to enjoy it at the Playa El Valle beach just a short bike ride away. The tree house lets you rent bikes for free, so we quickly picked some up and headed off for a few hours of relaxation.
The beach is gorgeous and is largely unpopulated, so it almost felt that we had the beach largely to ourselves. The white sandy beaches and the waves are beautiful, and my husband and I walked down to the cliffs on the left side. There is a large ladder there that goes up to the cliffs, and there are no people here at all, so we relaxed here, built sandcastles, and walked along the beach.
When we walked back, we decided to use the lunch voucher the tree house village had given us for lunch at Mami Restaurant. They have a limited menu (only fish and chicken were available when we went and just a few minutes after we ordered, they had run out of chicken, so be sure to get there early if you want food)! The food is delicious, though, and is served in very hearty portions. Along with the chicken came rice, plantains, beans, and salad.
One funny thing to note when you go there is that there are a lot of friendly stray dogs…and they know that all the restaurant patrons are eating tasty food! As soon as the food came out, they started running over and would look at you with their little puppy dog eyes. They were good at begging, too, because one just set her head on my lap and looked up at me mournfully.
We have a heart for dogs, but even still, I looked at my husband, and said, “Don’t you do it!” I knew these dogs had friends and sure enough, after we had finished our meal, there was still a lot left over, so my husband offered them a bite. They were gentle in taking it, but soon, you heard the rush of paws as more dogs came running over from other areas of the beach, and soon, we had a pack of fur friends swarming the table.
So the restaurant gets high marks for its food. The meal was absolutely delicious and the portions plentiful. The dogs did get pretty distracting, though, and I am not sure how much the restaurant can really do about that (I am sure that patrons like my husband who fed them food certainly don’t help, ha!). I could see the experience being less than ideal if you had small kids or were fearful of dogs, though, these ones were sweet.
Mami Restaurant El Valle: A-
That night, we spent our last in the tree house, and made sure to walk the grounds one last time. It is certainly a magical place–one of the most memorable we have ever stayed in, and we are so grateful to the Dominican Tree House Village for the amazing experience.
Favorite Experiences
It is hard to narrow down so many amazing experiences to one favorite. All the excursions were a lot of fun, the grounds absolutely amazing, and the food and game nights so memorable! I think I have to name the ziplining as my favorite, though! The staff seemed like they were having the best time working there, and the day was so jovial and fun. I also liked the freedom to zip and zoom as fast as we wanted while flipping over and seeing the rainforest while upside down!
What I Wish I Knew
Luckily, I read just about every review on the Dominican Tree House Village and looked at every room tip when booking, so I felt that I was pretty prepared, but if you decide to go, remember that you are paying for the uniqueness of the experience, not luxury. It is also a lot of hiking to get around the village, so when you get to the parking area, let the locals help you with your bag (and tip them generously)! It is a quarter mile to the reception area, and it’s a rocky trail, so you wouldn’t be able to drag any suitcases with rollers on them. The locals carried the suitcases on their shoulders, so if you want to do that–great. If not, definitely let them help.
You will still have to bring all your own toiletries (shampoo, soap, and whatever else you need for showers), your own beach towels, and so on. Also, bring a headlamp or flashlight, because while the paths are usually lit at night, some places are still pretty dark, so you want to be able to see where you are going (because the steps to get up to the rooms are steep and get slippery after it rains). The Dominican Tree House has a packing list here and a FAQ page here.
I do wish I brought a sleep mask or something, because while the VIP rooms are nice in that they are high in the valley, they are also one of the first rooms to get sun in the morning. When your curtains are open (which they always were so that we could get the breeze at night), you have the full brunt of the sun shining in your room first thing in the morning. In the end, though, I didn’t mind because I am usually up early, and I spent these early hours watching the lizards skitter around the room. We had to keep our suitcases closed to keep the critters from stealing off with things, so do the same if you stay and put up food (one of the other guests commented that a lizard had eaten one of their granola bars and left only the wrapper, haha).
It is a good idea to bring some snacks, too, because all the food is cleaned up between mealtimes, so if you oversleep or if your flight is late, you may be out of luck. So just bring a couple things, and that way, you will be prepared if anything like that comes up.
You also need to be okay with lizards and spiders and the like, because the whole time we were at the tree house, I kept thinking of the people I knew who would love this place…and the people who would take one took and run away screaming, haha! For example, we did see tarantulas regularly when hiking up to our room, and my husband is a complete nut for them, so he got all close and took pictures while I watched from a safe distance. Then we saw another tarantula much closer to our front door, so I was starting to get the creepy crawlies, and since it was dark out, I put a hand on the railing to get up to the front door, and the railing moved! It ended up being a lizard that I touched, but I think the whole dang village heard that scream! Ha!
During the day, if you decide to rent the bikes to get to the beach, don’t be like me and just assume all the bikes have working brakes. I just picked one and went, but when riding back, one of the bike owner’s little kids jumped out into the road to grab the bike (he wanted to help bring it inside with the other bikes). We were still riding at full speed, and my husband was to my left and the road dropped off into some bushes to the right, and I didn’t want to hit the kid (he was like two years old!), so I veered right and jumped off before crashing into the bushes. It was less than graceful, so now some little kid in the Dominican Republic probably now thinks that silly American ladies can’t ride bikes, haha! So yeah, check your brakes!
On a more serious note, one thing I do wish I did differently was I wish I brushed up on my Spanish more before I came here. Samana is in a more rural part of the country, and while the staff at the Dominican Tree House spoke perfect English, all the drivers, the majority of the tour guides, and the locals did not, so I did keep kicking myself for that. I only know some Spanish from high school, but I should have learned more–it would have made the experience better, and I need to be a better tourist! The Spanish will also help if you decide to drive yourself around the island, so you can better navigate and follow street signs.
Speaking of driving, the interstate going from Punta Cana to Santo Domingo was recently redone, so that road is in great condition. The roads do deteriorate as soon as you go north, though, so just be careful if you drive. The potholes as we got closer to Samana were actually so big that trees were growing out of them, and they are not marked, so if you drive, drive during the day when these areas are lit and you can see what places in the road to avoid.
Last but not least, I wish I worked on the stair stepper more before I got here! I am so glad that we decided to do this trip when we were young and able, because it would have been very limiting if we were older or not as mobile. The hikes from just getting up to your room to climbing up to the zipline to hiking up and down to the waterfall are no joke, so even if you think you’re working out hard enough, push it further, because you will need that stamina!
Even with all these tips, it was really the vacation of our lives, and Samana has a special place in our hearts. We will never forget the magic of living in a tree house for a few days, the hospitality of the staff (that really became friends by the end of the stay), or the memorable game nights.
If you go to the Dominican Republic, definitely try to go to Samana. It is really a gem, and there is a forum here and a travel guide here to help you with your planning. It is definitely worth a visit!
I also post reels and TikToks regularly of all the places I’ve reviewed on here, so if you want to see some videos of what to expect, check out my social media here:
TikTok: @touristyteacher
Instagram: @touristyteacher
Facebook: @touristyteacher
Happy travels!
