Camping Playa Fronton

Taylor

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Jan 28, 2005
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Was thinking about camping at Playa Fronton.

From reading posts and blogs online, it's a great place to see the sun rise.

Can anyone recommend a guide to hike in ?

Thanks in advance!
 

Cdn_Gringo

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Apr 29, 2014
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Do you mean camping as in a tent, like overnight, sleeping on a smuggler's beach, far removed from civilization, nighttime police patrols, with medical aid, heck any assistance at all probably having to come by boat?

Sounds like fun sign, me up.
 

reilleyp

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Dec 12, 2006
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Just go out to Boca Diablo and hike in from there.  Once you scouted out the area and where the trail is located, you may want to leave your car in town, or pay the granite mine watchie a few dollars to keep an eye on your car.  If you want an actual tour guide that is registered with tourismo, I can ask around.
 

Caonabo

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Sep 27, 2017
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Do you mean camping as in a tent, like overnight, sleeping on a smuggler's beach, far removed from civilization, nighttime police patrols, with medical aid, heck any assistance at all probably having to come by boat?

Sounds like fun sign, me up.

Perhaps he's searching for Wilson.
 

Taylor

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Jan 28, 2005
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Just go out to Boca Diablo and hike in from there.  Once you scouted out the area and where the trail is located, you may want to leave your car in town, or pay the granite mine watchie a few dollars to keep an eye on your car.  If you want an actual tour guide that is registered with tourismo, I can ask around.

Thanks for the advise on parking the car- will leave it with someone to watch for the night.

Yes, I want to hike in and camp out for the night. Want a guide not b/c I can't figure it out, but for the obvious security that it brings - could bring someone but makes more sense to have a local who's from there. Won't have anything of value (other than food, water, a bottle of rum and a hammock tent) -

The goal is to wake up and watch the sunrise. There's a couple of us going, should be a good fun.
 

jd426

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Dec 12, 2009
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I dunno, we drove that Diablo road, past the marble granite Quarry/Mine , and it was pretty desolate. Not exactly a place you want to get a Flat tire.. We were told by the Locals to be very careful.... ( post # 4 by Reilley is an interesting Idea.. leave your car by that Granite Mine, and hike from there.. did not think of that .. good idea. not sure they are there 24/7 though)
but that Trail is more suited for an off road motorcycle than for a Car, no matter how small.

... I always thought Playa Fronton was more accessible by Boat .. Maybe someone can drop you off, try it for the day to see if you are comfortable camping overnight ..

Frank 12 just had posted some really cool pics, from those cliffs, maybe ask him more info as well, to see what he thinks about camping overnight.
 

ChelseaRose

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Jul 16, 2017
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Taylor, I have friends who camp on Playa Fronton- go for the weekend and climb the cliffs. I think they go by boat, but I've definitely heard you can hike. I'm definitely interested in going too- sounds like a great trip!
 

cobraboy

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Jul 24, 2004
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The area is very isolated. Take that into consideration.
 

Cdn_Gringo

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How much you want to bet no one there has a first aid kit?

To each their own. Sounds like an interesting trip and I can understand why some choose to do this. For me, it would be a day trip. If I intended to consume a bottle of rum and then go to sleep for the night, I'd have to have a couple of people to stay awake in shifts to keep watch.

See a great sunrise or possibly get a machete to the head while I slept? For me, the first is not worth the possibility of the second. Probability, not very high, but not impossible either.
 

reilleyp

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Dec 12, 2006
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I dunno, we drove that Diablo road, past the marble granite Quarry/Mine , and it was pretty desolate. Not exactly a place you want to get a Flat tire.. We were told by the Locals to be very careful.... ( post # 4 by Reilley is an interesting Idea.. leave your car by that Granite Mine, and hike from there.. did not think of that .. good idea. not sure they are there 24/7 though)
but that Trail is more suited for an off road motorcycle than for a Car, no matter how small.

... I always thought Playa Fronton was more accessible by Boat .. Maybe someone can drop you off, try it for the day to see if you are comfortable camping overnight ..

Frank 12 just had posted some really cool pics, from those cliffs, maybe ask him more info as well, to see what he thinks about camping overnight.

There are three ways to get there. An easy hike from Boca Diablo. The road to Boca is fine by car, the path from that point on is only by foot. The other way is over the top of the mountain, leaving from Las Galeras. That way you will need a guide if you have not been there before because the trail is not marked well. When you get close, it is a steep decent but no ropes are needed, you can just hike down. Last way is by boat. That is scenic but I think I would rather save the money and hike.

A guide may make sense for the reasons you mentioned.

There is an area under a rock overhang that was used by one of those "Survivor" shows that will provide some protection from the rain, unless it is blowing sideways. In that same area, there is not much vegetation so you may have some protection from the mosquitos as well. You should have a great view of the sunrise.

There are a lot of coconut palms if you want to hang your hammock on the beach.


https://imgur.com/a/T8HMi
 

Taylor

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Jan 28, 2005
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If anyone can recommend someone from the area who knows the path - and act as the guide - most appreciated.
 

reilleyp

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Dec 12, 2006
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If anyone can recommend someone from the area who knows the path - and act as the guide - most appreciated.

Call my main man, Coco. 809-961-5900. He is not an official tour guide but he can hook you up with one, or if it is a Saturday night, he can go with you. He is the one who hiked it with me the first time and showed me the path.
 

Salsafan

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Aug 17, 2011
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The local scuba-shop in Las Galeras surely knows someone for you. Nice cave in playa fronton for rain.
 

frank12

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Sep 6, 2011
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The guide i used just this past June is from Las Galeras, and his tlf # is: 809-801-7920 (sorry, cannot remember his name). As Patrick Reilly commented above--there are three ways to get there (two are hikes), but none is more stunning than hiking from town and coming over the table top--about 800ft above the beach!

Patrick Reilly knows the area well. He lives there and has condos there. And Robert Cooper--AKA-Cobraboy visits there quite a bit as well. Between those two, they would be a wealth of information.

[video=youtube;TltwNdmIlns]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TltwNdmIlns&t=335s[/video]
 

LTSteve

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Jul 9, 2010
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The guide i used just this past June is from Las Galeras, and his tlf # is: 809-801-7920 (sorry, cannot remember his name). As Patrick Reilly commented above--there are three ways to get there (two are hikes), but none is more stunning than hiking from town and coming over the table top--about 800ft above the beach!

Patrick Reilly knows the area well. He lives there and has condos there. And Robert Cooper--AKA-Cobraboy visits there quite a bit as well. Between those two, they would be a wealth of information.

[video=youtube;TltwNdmIlns]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TltwNdmIlns&t=335s[/video]

Fantastic Video!!!!! Thanks for the tour.
 

frank12

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Sep 6, 2011
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One quick suggestion Taylor. You'll definitely want to do lunch at the top of the mountain at the restaurant El Monte Azul--see photos in the video i posted. The restaurant is so remote that they only do it by appointment. You must call in advance in order to give them time to prep the food (we got their Thai food. Delicious!!). And they also need time to let their staff get up there. This is really remote, so try and give them a couple days notice. The view is amazing. Again, see video. I think the owner and Chef's name is Pierre. Nice guy.

Frank
 

reilleyp

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Dec 12, 2006
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One quick suggestion Taylor. You'll definitely want to do lunch at the top of the mountain at the restaurant El Monte Azul--see photos in the video i posted. The restaurant is so remote that they only do it by appointment. You must call in advance in order to give them time to prep the food (we got their Thai food. Delicious!!). And they also need time to let their staff get up there. This is really remote, so try and give them a couple days notice. The view is amazing. Again, see video. I think the owner and Chef's name is Pierre. Nice guy.

Frank[/QUOTE

Call ahead for El Monte Azul. I saw them in October and they said they had a lot of hurricane damage and are currently rebuilding. They plan to reopen for the high season, but gave no specific date. I would go anyway and enjoy the view, even if they have not finished rebuilding. Yes the owner and chef is Pierre along with his wife Vanina.
 

jd426

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One quick suggestion Taylor. You'll definitely want to do lunch at the top of the mountain at the restaurant El Monte Azul--see photos in the video i posted. The restaurant is so remote that they only do it by appointment. You must call in advance in order to give them time to prep the food (we got their Thai food. Delicious!!). And they also need time to let their staff get up there. This is really remote, so try and give them a couple days notice. The view is amazing. Again, see video. I think the owner and Chef's name is Pierre. Nice guy.

Frank

Yeagh, this place is a Must see... the owner and his wife will treat you life family.. The wife is from Thailand I think.. Awesome cook. We lucked out, just went up there to see the place with no expectation of late lunch/ early Dinner without Reservations, but since another group was coming up, they were set up, and we piggy backed and we finished eating before that group even arrived ..
Awesome food . not overly expensive either . spectacular view . that last hill is a doozey though, 4wd and good brakes are a MUST, not exaggerating .
 

reilleyp

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Dec 12, 2006
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Yeagh, this place is a Must see... the owner and his wife will treat you life family.. The wife is from Thailand I think.. Awesome cook. We lucked out, just went up there to see the place with no expectation of late lunch/ early Dinner without Reservations, but since another group was coming up, they were set up, and we piggy backed and we finished eating before that group even arrived ..
Awesome food . not overly expensive either . spectacular view . that last hill is a doozey though, 4wd and good brakes are a MUST, not exaggerating .

Oh come on! You and Frank have no sense of adventure. I have gone up there many times in my Chevy Aveo rental car. I guess I am used to this after growing up in the mountains of PA. However, my wife gets very quiet on the ride up . . .