Discover Rancho Español

Reports from 2019 and 2021 connect Rancho Español with two handicraft traditions: carving Higüero wood and making cigars. They describe a demonstration, finished pieces, and a guided look at cigar production. A report about the wider travel area adds rural ecotourism to these stories about the town. When looking for a vacation rental, you can therefore first consider whether the town itself or the broader regional setting better suits your travel interests.

Carving and handicrafts

A 2019 report describes artisan Valerio Jiménez carving Higüero in Rancho Español. A second description from the same year mentions his carvings made from Higüero wood at the La Ballena handicrafts plaza, where they could be viewed and purchased. The two reports emphasize different aspects: one focuses on demonstrating his skill, while the other highlights finished pieces at a place where they could be seen and bought. This offers two ways to appreciate woodcarving: through the craft itself and through the pieces on display.

Cigar making in a travel report

A 2021 report describes Cigar House Las Ballenas in Rancho Español as a stop on the way to the city of Samaná. Cigar roller Franklin guided a guest through the process of making a cigar, from tobacco leaf to finished product. The report thus presents a different kind of craftsmanship from the carvings: the focus here is on the production process.

By comparison, the carving reports focus on a demonstration and finished wooden pieces; Franklin’s report follows the process from tobacco leaf to finished cigar. The handicrafts therefore differ both in their materials and in whether your interest is more in the finished piece or in a described production process.

A regional perspective on ecotourism

A report on the wider travel area describes Rancho Español, Loma de la Cruz, Arroyo Surtido, El Café, and El Limón as five rural communities. It reports a total of eleven ecotourism businesses across these five communities. The report identifies Salto del Limón as the main attraction. At the time, their joint offerings also included food and drinks, horses, local guides, handicrafts, and the sale of gourmet coffee and cocoa. The regional description thus places a prominent attraction alongside a range of offerings: hospitality, guided activities, and local products. This context adds the five communities’ shared tourism focus to the handicraft themes associated with the town.

Find the right focus for choosing where to stay

When looking for a vacation rental, it helps to distinguish between these settings. If you would also like to consider the ecotourism offerings described for the communities collectively, base your choice of location on the wider rural travel area. What matters is which focus best fits your travel plans. If a visit to one of the handicraft locations mentioned influences your choice, check current visiting options in advance.

Discover more destinations: Samaná, Las Terrenas, El Limón, Las Galeras

Go to the overview of the wider travel area: Samaná.