Need your help please many questions

Hi Music!

Sorry, I tried to give you a long recommondation list for tours, but this forum dropped me out when I started to post my reply. So here?s the short version:

1. Playa Rincon: Your friend also could go to Las Galeras by guagua and then take a boat (around 15$US) to Playa Rincon. He should deal the price before and pay on his way back.

2. Cayo Levantado: Very nice island, around 15$ from Santa Barbara de Samana. He shouldn?t go there when there are cruiseliners, the public beach is very small and it?s no fun at all with these hundreds of tourists.

3. Las Galeras: A typical Dominican place (guagua). Around he?ll find some of the best beaches at Samana (Playa Madame, Playa Rincon, Playa Fronton (cave), la Playita, Playa Colorada). Or relax at the El Cabito. Please ?google? for further information, some of them can only be reached by boat or on horseback.

4. Las Cascadas de Limon: Organized tour or by guagua to El Limon. Horses and guides are waiting there for tourists. Prices have to be dealed.

5. Los Haitises: Boat trip across the Samana bay to the national park. Birds, mangroves, small islands, caves, pure nature? Organized tour.

6. Las Terrenas and Playa Bonita/Playa Cozon: There?s a guagua to LT, from there he could take a concho to these beautiful beaches. And have a drink at the "Dos Rios"...

7. ?Nasenl?cher des Teufels?: Sorry, I didn?t find any translation for that. These are special blowholes, washed out by the sea, he?d have to go right, shortly before he?ll reach Las Galeras.

8. El Valle: I don?t understand why so many people are touring there. Nothing special, but perhaps he?ll love it.

9. If your friend is an adventurous driver ? he should rent a 4WD and make his own trips.

Hope I could help you - and sorry for my bad English.

Las Galeras

If your friends would consider something besides the AI resorts, and would like to rent a car, and hit some of these destinations on there own, I have a brand new two bedroom two bath condo, right on a private beach, about 5 miles from Las Galeras. Feel free to visit my site, and contact me with any questions. Samana, Dominican Republic
Thanks
Patrick

Bloomin' heck mate. That looks nice!
How much is it?

pedrochemical said:

Bloomin' heck mate. That looks nice!
How much is it?

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Hi Pedrochemical,

Yes your place looks great....I was waiting to see a $$ for rent pop up on this thread but you must have PM'd it. Can you please let me know also how much.
Thanks Very much:bunny:

Samana

Music,
I hope you enjoy your stay. If you rent a car, I would rent it from someone at the airport, from a major chain. I rented one from a local, and it was a nightmare. You can use the car to get to many places, but if you plan to go to Playa Rincon, you should rent an SUV, as the road is very rough.

Playa Rincon is beautiful, but you should bring a lunch with you, since there is nothing to eat there. You should also bring some chairs, your camera, and your binoculars.

If you continue on the Las Galeras, near the end of the road, before you hit the beach, you will find Coconut Roys restaurant. John operates the retaurant. He and his staff speak English, as well as Spanish, and they will make anything they can for you. If you ask them what they have, and they say "what do you want?", they are not being sarcastic, they will make whatever you want, if they can, and if they have it. Their balsamic dressing for their salads etc, is very good.

My friend really enjoyed their fresh tuna steaks, caught locally,which he can make into a sandwich, or on a salad, or whatever. . .

I have not done the water fall tour. I am not much of a horseback rider. From what people have told me, the tours involve small horses or donkeys, on small trails. Having said that, when I do go on the waterfall tour, I am going to skip the horses, and just hike the trail. Locals will swarm you to take their own tour of the falls. I cannot say which is better, but I would always negotiate.

The other beaches on the peninsula all vary. Las Terrenas never impressed me. Too much traffic and people trying to sell you stuff. I would not trust anyone there either. That is not to say everyone is bad. Some are very helpful. I am just telling you to be careful, and it is not worth the trip up there.

The grand bahia is a very nice hotel, and has good food. The pool is up top, and you need to go down the elevator to access the beach. The other beach at the hotel is on the right side, down the windy path or road, and is more quiet, and secluded. There is also a small restaurant at which you can get sandwiches and drinks. I like to place. My only suggestion is the bring pants with you, since they will not let you access the dining room without long pants, and ask that you not get a room under the dining room. When I stayed, you hear every chair that is pushed in and out, and it drove me crazy.

The whale tours will be winding down, and I don't think you will see anything after March. You can still go deep sea fishing, or just take a boat tour. See my links on my webpage for Roberto Guzman. He is a good guy, and he has good equipment, and speaks English. He is located in Las Galeras.

Cayo Levantado tours can be found on the way to Las Galeras. I have not been there, but I does look very beautiful, and is probably worth the trip, but I am not sure how much there is to to there. You may want to do there early, and then continue up to Las Galeras for the rest of the day. Take your time, as the roads are very bad. They should be fixed once they finish putting in the water lines.

Ok, I am tired of typing. If you have any more questions, I will be happy to answer them if I can. I think you will enjoy your trip.

Nothing to eat on Playa Rinc?n? There are three restaurants at the far end - turn right when you get to the beach. We ate at Ruby's.

Chirimoya said:

We ate at Ruby's.

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Thanks for the info. I?ll try it when I?ll be there next week.

Saludos

Thanks Chiri, I was agog at that one....You will eat and want to come back for more!!!

HB

reilleyp said:

If you rent a car, I would rent it from someone at the airport, from a major chain .

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Car rental at AZS Samana? Is that possible now? Last time I was there there was no car rental, no bank to change money, nada. From the airport to Samana-town you also take an hour. We always rented our jeep in our hotel, very good new cars with a 24h-support. Your friends also can take a taxi for a day, it should be around 100$, and go whereever they want.

reilleyp said:

Las Terrenas never impressed me. Too much traffic and people trying to sell you stuff. I would not trust anyone there either. That is not to say everyone is bad. Some are very helpful. I am just telling you to be careful, and it is not worth the trip up there.

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Las Terrenas is Samana?s boomtown, one of the fastest develloping towns there. It?s loud, ugly, crowded, but also typical Dominican-charming. There?s everything you like - nightlife, bars, restaurants and very nice shops (for a woman ), a little bit hidden, with nice clothes (much cheaper as they are here in Germany), larimar... But LT depends on your personal life style. For me Playa Bonita and Playa Cozon near LT are two of Samana?s best beaches, I?m not allowed to attach pictures to my postings, so perhaps google for them.

Saludos

Playa Rincon

Thanks for the update on the restaurants at Playa RIncon. I was not aware that they were there. I will look forward to trying them when I visit again.

@Music
I wrote something wrong in my first posting. The cave is at Playa Madame and not at Playa Fronton. Very sorry for that!

Tomorrow I?ll be on my way to Samana again... To all these beautiful beaches, having fun there for 3 weeks.

Saludos

I highly recommend Playa Rincon and you should check out Boca Del Diablo (Devil's Mouth Blowhole) and cave as well as a small marble mining operation. These are only a few minutes away from the entrance to Rincon off of the main road. If you rent a vehicle and go to Rincon make sure you get an SUV and I would recommend that someone in your group speak Spanish.