Boat operators in Las Galeras can submit applications for the 2027 whale-watching season from October 16 through November 13, 2026, according to the Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources.
The ministry announced the process on October 1. Its call specifically includes individuals, navigation tourism companies and boat-owner associations in Las Galeras, Samaná Bay, Miches, Sabana de la Mar and Las Cañitas, as well as operations at Banco de la Plata.
Documents must be submitted through the ministry’s Digital Services Portal, under the environmental authorization procedure for whale watching in the Bancos de La Plata y La Navidad Marine Mammal Sanctuary. The official announcement links to the portal and a downloadable timetable for the 2027 authorization process.
For the town’s boat operators planning to participate, the upcoming application window is the immediate deadline to prepare for. These dates concern permit applications; they are not the opening and closing dates of whale-watching excursions.
Visiting during whale season? Our whale-watching guide explains when to go, where boats leave from and the rules on the water.
Source and application information: Ministry of Environment — 2027 whale-watching authorization notice.
Photo: Humpback whale in Samaná Bay, 2012 (illustrative archive image). Caballero1967 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.