La Hacienda Hostel

Las Galeras


Some 3km from the town intersection on the trail/rough road to Playas Madama and Frontón, Belgian expat Karin runs a one-woman show offering five rustic rooms and a free-standing home (with cat!), a communal kitchen, and pleasant sea and mountain views. It's fairly basic, though – expect cold showers. Horseback riding with Karin is the big reason to stay here.

Guests can help themselves to fruit and veg from the garden, and collect fresh eggs for RD$12.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Las Galeras attractions

1. Playa Madama

1.45 MILES

Playa Madama is a small beach framed by high bluffs at the edge of the country; keep in mind there’s not much sunlight here in the afternoon.

2. Playa Frontón

1.46 MILES

Playa Frontón boasts some of the area’s best snorkeling. Apparently it’s also popular with drug smugglers and Dominicans braving the Mona Passage on their…

3. Boca del Diablo

1.52 MILES

'Mouth of the Devil’ is an impressive vent or blowhole, where waves rush up a natural channel and blast out of a hole in the rocks. Car or motorcycle is…

4. Playita

2.36 MILES

Better than the beach in town, Playita (Little Beach) is easy to get to on foot or by motoconcho (motorcycle taxi). It’s a stretch of tannish sand and…

5. Playa Rincón

5.18 MILES

Pitch-perfect Playa Rincón, with soft, nearly white sand and multihued water good for swimming, stretches an uninterrupted 3km – enough for every day…

6. Cayo Levantado

10.81 MILES

A gorgeous public beach lies on the western third of this lush island, 7km from Samaná. It's the only section that's open to the public – a five-star…

7. Playa las Flechas

11.1 MILES

This small beach, 5km east of Samaná, is easily accessible from town. It's thought by many historians to be the site of a small and short battle between…

8. El Museo de las Ballenas

12.47 MILES

The little-visited, old fashioned Whale Museum is housed in a dilapidated building south of the center. It won't tell you more than you'll get on a whale…