Cayo Levantado, better known as Bacardi Island, is a small island in the bay of the Samana Peninsula, in the north-east of the Dominican Republic. Half of it is taken up by a hotel of the same name, part of the Bahia Principe chain. And although the island is officially called Cayo Levantado, a great many travel brochures still call it Bacardi Island.
It picked up that second name because in the 1970s a commercial for Cuban Bacardi rum was filmed here. The ad became especially popular in Germany during the winter months, and no German tourist visiting the Dominican Republic at the time could resist a trip to “Bacardi Island” to feel, however briefly, like the person in that famous clip.
The island lies about 7 kilometres from the port of Samana and around 25 kilometres from the port of Sabana de la Mar. It is essential visiting for anyone holidaying on the Samana Peninsula — one of the finest beaches in the country is right here.
There are two beaches on the island. One belongs to the Bahia Principe Cayo Levantado hotel and is open to its guests only; the other is on the opposite side and open to everyone. The public beach has souvenir stalls and several small fish restaurants where you can try fresh lobster or the famous pescado al coco — fish in coconut, made to the peninsula’s classic recipe. There are also the typical Dominican bars serving mojito, piña colada, caipirinha and, of course, cold beer.
The island can only be reached by boat. There are plenty of excursion options as well as simple ferry charters leaving Samana daily. A single ferry ticket costs around $10; an organised excursion from Samana runs about $60–70; from Punta Cana, depending on the programme, the price ranges from $99 to $150. Visitors coming from other regions usually combine Bacardi Island with the El Limón waterfall and Los Haitises National Park — and during whale season the park is swapped for whale watching.
What to do on Bacardi Island
Cayo Levantado is a genuinely idyllic place: whales, dolphins, sea turtles and an enormous variety of fish live in the surrounding waters, while rare birds — pelicans, frigatebirds and white egrets — nest onshore. It is an island made for quietly taking in the scenery to the sound of the surf and faint Caribbean music somewhere in the distance.
As for activities, there is snorkelling, and several massage spots — though if you prefer, a massage can be brought to your sun lounger. Excursion groups rarely spend the whole day here, usually pairing the island with a national park, a waterfall or the humpback whales, so there is no time to get bored.
