Hi, I am new to these boards...my DH & I are cruising in Feb '06 and one of our stops is CL...can anyone tell me, what is the best thing to do there...it appears that the beaches are wonderful. Is there shopping nearby? Will we need to convert our US dollars? Do most people speak English? I would love to visit and beach, eat (of course have a drink) and maybe shop...any help would be greatly appreciated...thanks:classic:
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Cruise stop at Cayo Levantado question
Cayo Levantado is an out island of Samana.
The beach is beautiful and probably one of the most relaxing spots I have ever been. I would pick a tree set down my towel and relax. There are drinks and food avalible (whole fried fish - that is delicious) on the beach - you can usually use dollars (but not change), the shopping is limited to souvenir types things.
If you want to go into a town - samana is a boat ride away. Depending on the length of time your boat will be in port this may be risking getting a boat back to Cayo Levantado.
The beach is beautiful and probably one of the most relaxing spots I have ever been. I would pick a tree set down my towel and relax. There are drinks and food avalible (whole fried fish - that is delicious) on the beach - you can usually use dollars (but not change), the shopping is limited to souvenir types things.
If you want to go into a town - samana is a boat ride away. Depending on the length of time your boat will be in port this may be risking getting a boat back to Cayo Levantado.
thank you for the quick replies...we will be there practically all day...I think 8am - 5pm...Is it a very long boat ride into a town? Which town would you suggest? Are the boats docked right at CL? Thanks again
Hello. I have visited Cayo Levantado and Samana and can fill you in.
There are some pros and some cons:
First the cons -
As far as I know, no one lives on Cayo. It exists as a nice white sand beach with amenities for visiting foreigners, in my opinion. (There was a hotel under construction last I knew.)
While there, I had one too many beach vendors ask me to buy stuff. If you'd rather not buy, do not waste your time and theirs explaining why not, simply say NO GRACIAS and avert your eyes. Done.
There are many open-air restaurants. It seemes that they had reservations from All Inclusive hotels, because boats would land and large groups would head to the restaurants. You can find space for just a few folks. Walk around and ask about the different menus.
My friends and I were only 4 and did have a nice meal which was decently priced for Europe/Canada/USA, but ridiculously high for a Dominican.
I saw no Dominicans there relaxing. They were all working. This is not a typical place where you can see any Dominicans.
In the 2004 hurricane, a lot of the topsoil was blown away and folks discovered that under it was tons and tons of styrofoam and trash - the food vendors had been burying their trash on the beach! But they were clean when I was there, and we did not get sick from the food.
NOW, let's see the good news - it has nice sand and nice palms and is fairly picutesque and you're surrounded by the security of other vacationers, I guess.
Myself, I much prefer Playa Rincon, but you have to plan ahead and/or speak some Spanish to pull that off.
You CAN get into Samana - contact Kim at Victoria Marine in Samana - she probably can get you into town and back in time for your boat. (She is the #1 whale watching guru and long-term resident.)
If you don't go with her, take a BIG boat - the small ones can be choppy and very unsafe - safety regulations are nill here. Make no assumptions.
I am looking for more good news on Cayo.........Guess I am rather jaded against it.
Um, you can use dollars. Most all vendors speak English. As far as I know, the shopping is limited to tourist type of trinkets, very few higueros (carved gourds). The paintings were all the same colors and style you see in that area all over. Nothing original.
One good thing to buy -
jewelery.
If Mr. Green is there, ask for him. Speaks English and German, and is a church-going local.
He can sell you necklaces and braclets that are different - they have a blue beetle shell in the middle with horizontal stripes, and the chain is made of a brown shell like turtle shell, but different.
Pay between $20 and $30 - quality varies.
And trust any answers that Mr. Green gives you. He is also a great taxi driver and guide in that area.
If you get to Samana, eat lunch at the french cafe on the side street, off of the Malecon. Expensive - but good. Bambu is also okay.
Ask a goldcart sized motoconcho to take you to a village LOS CACAOS and back. Pay him 100Pesos when you are done.
Motoconchos in town go for 10 pesos.
Get a shoe shine for 10-20 pesos, and tip heavy. Those 6-12 year old boys are supporting their mothers and brothers.
OH - If you acn get off of CL at 8:00, early-ish. Go to the main street and hail a motoconcho for the market. It is wild - like an african market. Buy a bachata CD in the music store.
I forgot THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ON CAYO --
BRING YOUR OWN TOILET PAPER. In fact, just plan to travel with a pocket package of kleenex that can do double duty as needed.
ENJOY!
There are some pros and some cons:
First the cons -
As far as I know, no one lives on Cayo. It exists as a nice white sand beach with amenities for visiting foreigners, in my opinion. (There was a hotel under construction last I knew.)
While there, I had one too many beach vendors ask me to buy stuff. If you'd rather not buy, do not waste your time and theirs explaining why not, simply say NO GRACIAS and avert your eyes. Done.
There are many open-air restaurants. It seemes that they had reservations from All Inclusive hotels, because boats would land and large groups would head to the restaurants. You can find space for just a few folks. Walk around and ask about the different menus.
My friends and I were only 4 and did have a nice meal which was decently priced for Europe/Canada/USA, but ridiculously high for a Dominican.
I saw no Dominicans there relaxing. They were all working. This is not a typical place where you can see any Dominicans.
In the 2004 hurricane, a lot of the topsoil was blown away and folks discovered that under it was tons and tons of styrofoam and trash - the food vendors had been burying their trash on the beach! But they were clean when I was there, and we did not get sick from the food.
NOW, let's see the good news - it has nice sand and nice palms and is fairly picutesque and you're surrounded by the security of other vacationers, I guess.
Myself, I much prefer Playa Rincon, but you have to plan ahead and/or speak some Spanish to pull that off.
You CAN get into Samana - contact Kim at Victoria Marine in Samana - she probably can get you into town and back in time for your boat. (She is the #1 whale watching guru and long-term resident.)
If you don't go with her, take a BIG boat - the small ones can be choppy and very unsafe - safety regulations are nill here. Make no assumptions.
I am looking for more good news on Cayo.........Guess I am rather jaded against it.
Um, you can use dollars. Most all vendors speak English. As far as I know, the shopping is limited to tourist type of trinkets, very few higueros (carved gourds). The paintings were all the same colors and style you see in that area all over. Nothing original.
One good thing to buy -
jewelery.
If Mr. Green is there, ask for him. Speaks English and German, and is a church-going local.
He can sell you necklaces and braclets that are different - they have a blue beetle shell in the middle with horizontal stripes, and the chain is made of a brown shell like turtle shell, but different.
Pay between $20 and $30 - quality varies.
And trust any answers that Mr. Green gives you. He is also a great taxi driver and guide in that area.
If you get to Samana, eat lunch at the french cafe on the side street, off of the Malecon. Expensive - but good. Bambu is also okay.
Ask a goldcart sized motoconcho to take you to a village LOS CACAOS and back. Pay him 100Pesos when you are done.
Motoconchos in town go for 10 pesos.
Get a shoe shine for 10-20 pesos, and tip heavy. Those 6-12 year old boys are supporting their mothers and brothers.
OH - If you acn get off of CL at 8:00, early-ish. Go to the main street and hail a motoconcho for the market. It is wild - like an african market. Buy a bachata CD in the music store.
I forgot THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ON CAYO --
BRING YOUR OWN TOILET PAPER. In fact, just plan to travel with a pocket package of kleenex that can do double duty as needed.
ENJOY!
That is too funny..see, I really have "no clue" on what to expect there...what is the name of the little town...do you need to barter for all items bought...how many bottles of liquor can you buy?..would you recomend anywhere to eat, drink or shop? thanks again..I know this seems like alot, but I want to soak everything I can possible see or do
Read Up
Berlitz Pocket Guide DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, ISBN# 981-246-122-1
Lonely Planet DOMINICAN REPUBLIC & HAITI, ISBN# 1-74059-026-0, page 189-208.
Cayo is close to Samana, and to Las Galeras. I would arrange for Kim to get you from CL to Samana. (Pay for a private boat if you have to, just get the hell off of CL which is a tourist trap place surrounded by paradise across the water).
At her office, VICTORIA MARINE,have Mr. Green meet you and pay him $150 for the day to drive you around. He can take you to Las Galeras, 1 hour) and from there to Playa Rincon (1 hour) via land. At the beach Playa Rincon, he can help you order fresh seafood grilled on the beach in a tent. (2-4 hours)
Then he can drive you to Salta de Limon for horseback ride to water fall and more lunch at Antonia's Posada. But read up on the horserides as the path is steep and if you scream it does nada to calm your horse and those around you. But the view is worth the adrenaline.
PM me for Green's phone number.
Berlitz Pocket Guide DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, ISBN# 981-246-122-1
Lonely Planet DOMINICAN REPUBLIC & HAITI, ISBN# 1-74059-026-0, page 189-208.
Cayo is close to Samana, and to Las Galeras. I would arrange for Kim to get you from CL to Samana. (Pay for a private boat if you have to, just get the hell off of CL which is a tourist trap place surrounded by paradise across the water).
At her office, VICTORIA MARINE,have Mr. Green meet you and pay him $150 for the day to drive you around. He can take you to Las Galeras, 1 hour) and from there to Playa Rincon (1 hour) via land. At the beach Playa Rincon, he can help you order fresh seafood grilled on the beach in a tent. (2-4 hours)
Then he can drive you to Salta de Limon for horseback ride to water fall and more lunch at Antonia's Posada. But read up on the horserides as the path is steep and if you scream it does nada to calm your horse and those around you. But the view is worth the adrenaline.
PM me for Green's phone number.
I ran into a jerk selling jewlery on that island in sept. he kept pushing and pushing and pushing.....the price dropped by 3/4 on his own accord and still my GF just didnt like anything.....I told her buy as if the money was yours....you like it you get it....I went to the bathroom and when i came back he was gone and she was upset... he basically called her a whore because she didnt buy anything.....he was a total dirt bag. He had the gall to approach me when I went back to tip the bathroom attendant ( he thinking I had may wallet for him)....I told him he needs to watch his tounge. The beach and water was really really nice.....the food was just OK..my private boat ride was a rip off at 1700 pesos...... just the 2 of us.... I have some really great pcitures of that beach , but dont know how to post here....bob
Activities are being organized for the passengers on the ships.
I haven't been out to the island for awhile, but Kim Beddall tells me the island is in the process of being changed to accommodate the new hotel and villas. I'm told now a fence to limit access to the entire island and that those beautiful trees in the center of the island are gone.
I haven't been out to the island for awhile, but Kim Beddall tells me the island is in the process of being changed to accommodate the new hotel and villas. I'm told now a fence to limit access to the entire island and that those beautiful trees in the center of the island are gone.
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samanasuenos said:BRING YOUR OWN TOILET PAPER. In fact, just plan to travel with a pocket package of kleenex that can do double duty as needed.
ENJOY!
you really dont need to bring your own...just bring 10 pesos and you can tip the lady outside the banos for the paper she has there....I can even assume you dont have to tip..it was just that the tip bowl with 5 and 10 peso notes in it was nest to the paper sitting there....because there is none inside....you have to come outside and get a bucket of water to "flush" the toilet !!!!! ha ha ha......she guided me after three trips out with a puzzled look on my face.... and before i could ask why the water didnt work she offered her tip ha ha ha........I gave her a $400 peso tip.....only because i was so irrate at the jewlery salesman, I wanted to tell him I gave the toilet lady his $400 pesos because he was so rude to my GF. they dont understand it isnt the money as much as its the stupid disrespect and hassle.......I dont know if his name was green or not...he started out very nice......but he was the only guy that came up to us while we were there( only about 2 hours total)..... they have police officers on the island as well........I thought the food was over priced compared to other spots i have eaten served food.....but not outrageous.......we went into the "town " at night and it seemed dead for a sat night.... two small places with very small of a crowd........bob
you know for such a "supposedly" nice hotel the Hotel Gran Bahia had poor bathrooms. the tile was bad chipped, and ugly.. the bedsheets were bland the one twin bed was caved in. The first 2 rooms we were given smelt like mildew...we ended up on the third flor to get a room that didnt smell. Nice hotel have super clean nice looking bathroom....thats a sign of cleanliness to me.....so maybe its a good thing they are being remodled... and since the hotel on the island is being rebuilt it the perfect time.. to stay in the game they need to not fall too far behind.....bob
Fron Aug. 2 DR1 news:
Pi?ero group bets on Samana
The Grupo Pi?ero that operates the Gran Bahia Principe San Juan (Playa Grande) in the North Coast, the Gran Bahia Punta Cana and Gran Bahia Bavaro in the East Coast, announced it is taking on the Occidental Gran Bahia located in Samana, on the Northeast Coast. The 110-hotel was operated by Occidental Hotels & Resorts.
Pi?ero had recently announced it had reached an agreement with the government for the operation of the Hotel Cayacoa and the Cayo Levantado. The company will be upgrading the hotels to cater to an upscale market in Samana.
Pi?ero group bets on Samana
The Grupo Pi?ero that operates the Gran Bahia Principe San Juan (Playa Grande) in the North Coast, the Gran Bahia Punta Cana and Gran Bahia Bavaro in the East Coast, announced it is taking on the Occidental Gran Bahia located in Samana, on the Northeast Coast. The 110-hotel was operated by Occidental Hotels & Resorts.
Pi?ero had recently announced it had reached an agreement with the government for the operation of the Hotel Cayacoa and the Cayo Levantado. The company will be upgrading the hotels to cater to an upscale market in Samana.