Cayo Levantado (Bacardí Island): A Complete Guide to Samaná’s Famous Islet

Cayo Levantado is a small island in Samaná Bay, about five kilometers off the coast of Santa Bárbara de Samaná on the Dominican Republic’s northeastern shore. Most travelers know it by its nickname, Bacardí Island: in the 1970s, Bacardí filmed a famous rum commercial beneath its leaning coconut palms, and the image of that beach became visual shorthand for the entire Caribbean. Half a century later, the island still delivers exactly what the advertisement promised — and it remains one of the easiest, most rewarding day trips on the Samaná Peninsula.

Key facts

• Location: Samaná Bay, ±5 km offshore from Samaná town
• Size: roughly 1 km² — you can walk the public area in 20 minutes
• Access: boat only, 10–15 minutes from Samaná’s piers
• Cost: shared boats from ~US$15–25 round trip; private water taxis more
• Facilities: public beach with restaurants, chair rental, souvenir stands
• Resort: eastern side occupied by an adults-oriented luxury all-inclusive
• Best season: year-round; mid-January to late March coincides with whale season

The Bacardí story

The island’s fame is a marketing accident. When Bacardí’s advertising team went looking for the perfect deserted-island backdrop, they found it here: a crescent of white sand, impossibly clear water, and palms that lean photogenically over the beach. The campaign ran internationally for years, and tour operators have called Cayo Levantado “Bacardí Island” ever since. The palms are still there, still leaning, and still the most photographed trees in the province. Before the rum era, the island served fishermen as a sheltered stopover and, in the deeper past, the Taíno as a fishing ground — shell middens have been found across the islet. Today its two industries are simpler: lunch and photography.

How to get there

From Samaná town

Public boats and tour catamarans leave continuously from the Malecón and the nearby Carenero pier. The crossing takes 10–15 minutes across usually calm bay water. Buy a round trip and confirm your return time — boats run until late afternoon. Solo travelers can join a shared lancha; groups may prefer a private boat and the freedom to set their own schedule.

From Las Terrenas

Drive or taxi to Samaná town over the scenic mountain road (about 45 minutes), then catch a boat. Most visitors from Las Terrenas combine the island with something else: in season, nearly every whale-watching excursion in Samaná Bay offers an afternoon extension to Cayo Levantado, which is the single best-value way to do both.

From cruise ships

When ships anchor in the bay, tenders frequently bring passengers straight to the island’s docks — details in our Samaná cruise port guide. On heavy cruise days the public beach fills by mid-morning, which is worth factoring into your timing.

The public beach

The western, public section of Cayo Levantado is the postcard: fine white sand shelving gently into turquoise water, with natural shade under the palm canopy. Facilities are simple and effective — beach chairs and umbrellas for rent, several open-air restaurants grilling fresh fish and serving rice, beans, tostones and cold Presidente, plus vendors with coconuts, mamajuana and souvenirs. Snorkeling is decent along the rocky edges of the islet, though the main event here is unapologetically the beach itself. Arrive before 10 a.m. for the quietest sand and the best light for photos.

The resort side

The eastern portion of the island belongs to the Bahía Príncipe Luxury Cayo Levantado, an adults-oriented all-inclusive with private beaches, restaurants and a dedicated guest ferry. Day visitors cannot enter the resort grounds, and resort guests use their own facilities — the two halves of the island operate as separate worlds. If you want to sleep on Cayo Levantado, the resort is the only option; everyone else returns to the mainland by late afternoon.

When to visit

The island works in any month. The marquee window is mid-January to late March, when thousands of humpback whales gather in Samaná Bay and combined whale-plus-island excursions run daily. Summer brings the calmest seas and the warmest water; between May and November brief tropical showers pass through, rarely lasting more than an hour. For wider trip planning, the official Dominican Republic tourism board’s Samaná page is a useful complement to local guides.

Practical tips

• Bring cash in Dominican pesos — card terminals on the island are unreliable at best.
• Agree boat fares and return times before boarding, or book through a hotel or licensed operator.
• Pack reef-safe sunscreen; shade is plentiful but the midday sun is serious.
• Weekends and cruise-ship days are the busiest — weekday mornings are blissful.
• There are restrooms and changing areas near the restaurants; no lockers, so travel light.

Frequently asked questions

Is Cayo Levantado free to visit?

The public beach itself has no entrance fee — you pay only for the boat, plus anything you rent or order. Chairs, umbrellas, food and drinks are priced slightly above mainland levels, as you’d expect on an island.

How much does the boat cost?

Shared boats from Samaná town typically run about US$15–25 per person round trip depending on season and negotiation. Private boats charge per vessel, which becomes economical for groups of four or more.

Can you stay overnight?

Only as a guest of the Bahía Príncipe resort, which occupies the eastern side. Day visitors must take a boat back to the mainland in the afternoon.

Is it worth it on a short trip?

Yes — it is the highest postcard-per-hour ratio on the peninsula. With a morning start from Las Terrenas you can be back by mid-afternoon, even pairing it with whale watching in season.

Is the island good for children?

Very. The public beach’s gentle slope and calm bay water make it one of the most family-friendly swims in the region — just bring sun protection and water shoes for the rocky edges.

Fell for Samaná Bay?

Plenty of people discover the peninsula through a Cayo Levantado excursion and end up planning a much longer stay. If that’s the direction your daydreams are headed, browse the current properties for sale in Las Terrenas — the peninsula’s most international beach town — or start with our guide to things to do in Las Terrenas.