La Rancheta

Las Galeras


Buried in lush jungle 2.5km from the main intersection, this rustic guesthouse (cold-water showers) has four simple rooms in two-storied bungalows that can comfortably accommodate between four and six people (the top-floor rooms are less crude). Semi-outdoor rustic kitchens lend an eclectic cabin-in-the-woods feel to this very laid-back traveler favorite. Breakfasts are an extra US$4 to US$5 and are substantial.

The Belgian owner, Ronald, offers a godsend after too many intimate evenings with Presidente: Belgian brews from the motherland, served in the restaurant (a favorite for those who don't want to traipse all the way into town).

Dogs and cats roam the property, as do bugs and mosquitoes. A small pool provides respite from the heat.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Las Galeras attractions

1. Playita

1.74 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…

2. Playa Madama

1.87 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.

3. Playa Frontón

1.99 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…

4. Boca del Diablo

2.02 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…

5. Playa Rincón

4.58 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

10.6 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

10.72 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

12.05 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…