Las Terrenas, located approximately 245 km east of Puerto Plata, must be accessed by one of two mountain roads. If you are coming from the west, you would turn left after the town of Sánchez. If you are arriving from the east, you would drive through Samaná, and turn right on the road towards El Limón and El Portillo. Once you're on either road it will take another 1/2 hour to 45 minutes to reach the town of Las Terrenas. The road from Sánchez is the most exciting route to take. This curvy, steep road takes you through the Cordillera Samaná mountain range. Go slowly and you'll see spectacular views of Samaná Bay and Parque Los Haitises on the south side, and the Atlantic coast on the north side. Along the way you'll see brightly painted Dominican homes, as well as the unique farming and vegetation of the area, including 60 varieties of palms. Upon arrival in Las Terrenas, you'll be awed with the calmness of the area and the beautiful white sand beach lined with tall palms and pastel-colored wooden fishing boats. The next thing you may notice is its Mediterranean-influenced atmosphere. There are plenty of cafés and oceanfront restaurants where people can be found sipping wine, over long, leisurely lunches, or having a mid-day break over a café latte. Shops there offer a variety of arts and crafts, many of them unique handmade items that can be difficult to find elsewhere in the Dominican Republic. Activity-wise, you can enjoy watersports like snorkeling, diving, windsurfing and kiteboarding. The 4-wheel drive and horseback riding trips are also popular because they allow you to see otherwise non-accessible areas of beauty. If you just want to plant yourself on a beautiful beach you can also visit closeby Playa Bonita or Playa Las Balleras.