Rancho Español brings together two crafts: Higüero carving and cigar making. Higüero carving includes both finished pieces and the carving process; with cigars, the focus is on their production. If a particular shop, demonstration, or visit is the reason for your trip, check in advance whether it is possible today.

Carving: Finished Pieces and Demonstrations

A 2019 report mentions carvings made from Higüero wood by Valerio Jiménez, which could be viewed and purchased at the La Ballena arts and crafts plaza in Rancho Español. A report from the same year also describes Jiménez demonstrating his skill at carving Higüero in Rancho Español. This links a craftsperson’s name with both finished pieces and the carving process. The accounts offer two different perspectives on the same craft: the plaza concerns the finished pieces, while the demonstration concerns the carving itself. If you are interested in crafts, you can consider whether you would rather view finished pieces or experience the process of making them. It is advisable to check current details before making a special trip to view a display or attend a demonstration.

Cigars: Route and Production

A route description published in 2019 included the La Ballena cigar factory in Rancho Español on the Chassériau Route. A 2021 visit report describes Cigar House Las Ballenas in Rancho Español as a stop on the way to the town of Samaná. During this visit, Franklin showed a guest how cigars are made. The 2019 Chassériau Route places the factory in a cultural context; the 2021 visit to Cigar House Las Ballenas focused on cigar making itself.

A 2019 report also locates the Las Ballenas arts and crafts shop in Rancho Español. The shop’s name adds another specific point of reference to the mentions of the plaza and Jiménez’s carvings. If you are specifically looking for this shop, give its full name and the reason for your visit when making an inquiry.

Plan Your Stay Around the Reason for Your Visit

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 and lists a total of eleven ecotourism businesses. It names Salto del Limón as the main attraction; the community-based offerings it describes include food and drinks, horses, local guides, handicrafts, and the sale of gourmet coffee and cocoa to tourists. This community-based offering applied to the wider travel area at the time of the report; check current details about specific activities before visiting.

When planning your accommodation, it helps to first decide what you want to visit: carvings, the carving process, the arts and crafts shop, or cigar making. This can help you focus your vacation rental search on the topic that matters most to you.

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

Go to the main travel overview: Samaná.