Bavaro-Las Galeras-Las Terrenas-Bayahibe

Ashley McEachern

New member
Jun 19, 2016
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Hi all, looking for some help with travel directions. Bavaro - Las Galeras - Las Terrenas - Bayahibe.
Here is what I've got so far, any tips will be much appreciated!

Bavaro to Las Galeras
Take shuttle/ferry combo to Samana, catch a guagua from Samana to LG.
Shuttle is very expensive! Are there and public buses running the route form Bavaro to Sabana de la Mar?

Las Galeras to Las Terrenas
Take (two?) guaguas

Las Terrenas to Bayahibe
Wondering if I can rent a car one way and take the toll road?
Would only other option be super expensive private taxi or bus through SD?

Thanks again
- AM
 

kapitan75

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Jun 3, 2005
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The ferry is seldom used, and unknown how to do it this way.
You may be better off traveling the direct route, bavaro-bayahibe-las terrens- las galeras, by bus. This will be the long way.
So , from bavaro, guagua to fruisa for bus towards laromana, then gua gua or taxi to bayahibe.
Laromana to the capitol or the samana bus stop near the sdq airport. Bus from here to samana. Then gua gua to las terrenas or las galeras. A cab between las galeras and las terrenas makes life easier.

Bus from bavaro to laromana is like an hour. Bus laromana to the capitol about an hour. Bus capitol to samana about 2 1/2 hours. Good luck.
 

TropicalPaul

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Sep 3, 2013
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I think it may be a lot easier to rent a vehicle in Bavaro and drive the whole trip - the only issue is that you will need to go back almost to the capital to get from Bavaro to the Samana highway, but I have not heard great reports about the "ferry" (more like a dinghy evidently, not great if you don't like rocking around in the sea). Cars are very cheap to hire, and the roads that you're going to be using are all good quality with not a lot of traffic. If you travel on a guagua as a tourist, with all your valuables and your passport and your money, you will be setting yourself up as a target. It isn't very comfortable at all and unless you are on a seriously low budget I would strongly recommend doing this in your own vehicle.

It would help if you said how long you are looking to do this trip in. Do not drive at night under any circumstances and give yourself time to make these journeys - the island is a lot bigger than most people realise and even on a good road, you often need to drive for several hours to get from A to B.
 

KateP

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May 28, 2004
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If you haven?t purchased your flights yet, I?d suggest you arrive in Santo Domingo and from there go to Samana then down to Barahona and end up in Bavaro. If you decide to not rent a car, it?ll be a simpler route for you.
 

Ashley McEachern

New member
Jun 19, 2016
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We have our flights, flying in and out of Punta Cana. Wanted to see the Samana peninsula, but ending the trip in Bayahibe to be closer to the airport.
 

Ashley McEachern

New member
Jun 19, 2016
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Our trip will be 16 days, 4 in Bavaro, 4 in Las Galeras, 4 in Las Terrenas, and 4 in Bayahibe. Flying in and out of Punta Cana.
I have read that it is pretty expensive to rent a car, starting around $60 US per day. $60 a day for 16 days is a lot to pay when we will really only be travelling 4 of the days.
 

reilleyp

Well-known member
Dec 12, 2006
1,190
663
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Hi all, looking for some help with travel directions. Bavaro - Las Galeras - Las Terrenas - Bayahibe.
Here is what I've got so far, any tips will be much appreciated!

Bavaro to Las Galeras
Take shuttle/ferry combo to Samana, catch a guagua from Samana to LG.
Shuttle is very expensive! Are there and public buses running the route form Bavaro to Sabana de la Mar?

Las Galeras to Las Terrenas
Take (two?) guaguas

Las Terrenas to Bayahibe
Wondering if I can rent a car one way and take the toll road?
Would only other option be super expensive private taxi or bus through SD?

Thanks again
- AM

Take a guagua from Bavaro to Sabana de la Mar. There is a ferry that goes to Samana around 3:30. It is only about 200 pesos. Maybe more but not expensive.

From Samana, you may want to rent a car. It would give you the flexibility to explore the various beaches in the area. Call Sandy (real name is Domaso) at Sixt rent a car. If you give them a few dollars, they will deliver a car to you from the El Catey airport. When you are finished in Las Terrenas, you can take the car back to the El Catey airport and take a bus to the end of the toll roll near Las Americas airport. From there, you should be able to take a bus or guagua to Bayahibe.
 

Ashley McEachern

New member
Jun 19, 2016
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Take a guagua from Bavaro to Sabana de la Mar. There is a ferry that goes to Samana around 3:30. It is only about 200 pesos. Maybe more but not expensive.

From Samana, you may want to rent a car. It would give you the flexibility to explore the various beaches in the area. Call Sandy (real name is Domaso) at Sixt rent a car. If you give them a few dollars, they will deliver a car to you from the El Catey airport. When you are finished in Las Terrenas, you can take the car back to the El Catey airport and take a bus to the end of the toll roll near Las Americas airport. From there, you should be able to take a bus or guagua to Bayahibe.

Thank you for the great ideas, I like the idea of renting a car in Samana much better than driving all the way around to the peninsula the long way.
I have heard so many mixed messages about the ferry. Some say it doesnt even run, others think its the only way to go, others say its dangerous, I'm not sure what to make of it all. Have you used it recently? Would you consider that a reliable plan?
 

reilleyp

Well-known member
Dec 12, 2006
1,190
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Thank you for the great ideas, I like the idea of renting a car in Samana much better than driving all the way around to the peninsula the long way.
I have heard so many mixed messages about the ferry. Some say it doesnt even run, others think its the only way to go, others say its dangerous, I'm not sure what to make of it all. Have you used it recently? Would you consider that a reliable plan?

Useful thread on the subject is below. If there was a hurricane coming through, I would not get on the ferry, but otherwise it looks fairly safe and I made it across without incident. However, it is small as you can see in the photo;
http://dr1.com/forums/showthread.php/155697-Ferry-from-Meeches-to-Samana?highlight=ferry+from+miches

One other option is to contact Sixt and ask them to meet you at the beginning of the toll road by the Santo Domingo airport. You can take a bus from Bavaro to that point. I gave him $20 and paid the tolls both directions.From there you will have about a 2 1/2 hour drive.
 

TropicalPaul

Bronze
Sep 3, 2013
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As you're coming for 16 nights, I would suggest that you start by travelling to Santo Domingo on the Bavaro Express, provided that your flight lands in the morning in Punta Cana you'll be able to make the bus. Air conditioned and nice. You'll then need to stay in Santo Domingo one night, but you could see the Colonial Zone, even if you've done it before it is changing a lot and worth a repeat visit. You can then get the Caribe Tours to Samana the next day, large bus, very pleasant. Hire a vehicle, take your time exploring. If you end up at Samana and give the vehicle back, you can then get the Caribe Tours back to the capital, one last night in the Colonial Zone and then get the Bavaro Express back to Punta Cana airport the next day for your return flight. This gives you 14 days, easy travelling. The only downside is that you miss Bayahibe, but it's probably much easier to get from Santo Domingo to Punta Cana airport (the Bavaro Express goes direct to the terminal) than to try to get from Bayahibe to the airport as public transport will be more limited. And you'll have some nice hotels and restaurant options for your first and last nights in the Colonial Zone.
 

kapitan75

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Jun 3, 2005
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A night or 2 at the colonial zone is a good idea for many reason, taste of real culture and getting supplies.
You will be , even with the bus, have some taxi costs, like from the bus station to the hotel.

Consider this, taxi from ;
the capitol to bayahibe is about $120?
Punta cana to the capitol, about$225?
The capitol to samana, $300?

Renting a car is whatever rate on the internet, plus $20 per day for insurance.

Punta cana to the capitol should be easy. Punta cana to samana, there is only 1 sign for the highway north, miss it, and you are lost. But the highways are mostly smooth, buckle up, drive safely, brush up on spanish, drive safely...