Dominican Republic, a Private Peninsula

Seven nights with a whole private resort on the Dominican Republic's north coast, between the Samaná Peninsula and Cabarete. A picnic on a beach that exists only from August to January, humpback whales from January to March, horses through cacao to a hilltop over the Atlantic, and afternoons with the young artists of the ÀNI Art Academies.

Length: Seven nights
Pace: One house, day trips out
Style: Villa, family, beach, adventure
Route: The north coast
Best time: Jan to Mar

A forested green headland rising from deep blue sea under scattered cloud.

Days 1 to 8 · seven nights

The north coast

Driven from Samaná El Catey airport, a little over an hour away. Days by boat to Playa Chencho for a picnic between August and January, while the sea leaves its sand in place; by small local boat through the mangroves of Laguna Gri-Gri, then on by catamaran into the Cave of the Swallows; on horseback through a cacao plantation, finding wild honey on the way, by ATV to freshwater caves, or up El Morro for the view. Kitesurfing or surfing at Cabarete, with chocolate-making, village coffee brewed on a clay stove and street art in Río San Juan closer to home. From January to March, a private boat goes out for the humpback whales.

Where you stay

ÀNI Dominican Republic

ÀNI Dominican Republic takes a whole peninsula on the north coast, with 270-degree views of the Atlantic, and is let to one group at a time across Villa Larimar and Villa Amber. A private chef, premium drinks, up to 12 spa treatments a day, children's activities and airport transfers are all included.

Arranged on request

Playa Chencho, in season

A boat picnic on a beach that is there only from August to January; for the rest of the year the sea takes the sand and leaves rocks.

Humpbacks off the north coast

From January to March, private whale-watching cruises go out for humpback whales.

Cacao on horseback

A ride from the foot of the mountain to its top through cacao, finding bees' nests and local honey, then a chocolate-making workshop at the resort.

The ÀNI Art Academies

Time with the young local artists of the ÀNI Art Academies Dominican Republic.

Subject to availability.

Ways to make it yours

A three-day kitesurfing course at Cabarete: two days learning on the sand, then the water with professionals on the third.
A morning in Cabrera, 20 minutes away, with the resort's guest experience team, who live there.
A day in Puerto Plata's old centre, and the cable car up Mount Isabel de Torres.

This is a sample. The hotels, the pace and the order are where we start, not where we finish: every journey is designed around the people taking it.

Made around you

Most travel is bought. This is designed.

Before anything is booked, we talk: who is travelling, how you like to spend a morning, and the hotel preferences below the obvious, from the kind of bath you like to the time you wake and how much daylight you need in a room. You see options where options matter and clean recommendations where they don't.

The same person remains your point of contact from the first reply to the trip after next. No handovers. No team.