Las Galeras is a small isolated town in the Dominican jungle. Wildlife lovers will be delighted with hiking, fishing, diving or just playing dominoes at a local bar and relaxing over lunch on the beach of La Playa. There are no all-inclusive hotels, tourist “packages” are not sold, so travelers stay in these parts in small villas or bungalows.
El Limon Waterfall
El Limon Waterfall is located about 45 kilometers from Las Galeras. The waterfall itself is very secluded and can only be reached on foot (30 minutes) or on horseback (15 minutes). As a guide: right at the entrance to the beginning of the trail is a restaurant.
The starting point is the small town of El Limon. The peculiarity of this settlement is that all small houses made of local materials are painted in bright colors. The area is predominantly agricultural, with household plots and vegetable gardens bordering on plantations of bananas, cocoa, coffee and coconut.
From the town of El Limon and begins the path to the waterfall: you can get on foot or rent a horse. On the way to the waterfall, you can admire the local flora and fauna of Las Galeras. In the wild, native plants such as the royal palm and pineapples grow in abundance here. Birds are also ubiquitous, for example, you can find the palm coinage – the national bird of the Dominican Republic, the Latin American woodpecker and the broad-billed tody.
In this landscape, surrounded by peaks covered with lush greenery, and hidden 52-meter waterfall El Limon. In the lake where the waterfall flows, you can cool down after a walk. But this must be done carefully, the lake is deep and cold.
Please note that during the rainy season, from May to November, the trail can get quite muddy and wet, so it is recommended to wear suitable shoes and bring a raincoat.
La Boca Del Diablo
La Boca del Diablo in Las Galeras is a natural geological phenomenon in which the sea boils, forming a jet of water that can reach several meters in height. This is an ideal place for lovers of photo and video shooting in a picturesque virgin environment.
La Boca Del Diablo is located on top of a cliff about thirty meters high. When the sea is calm, the wind enters the crevice, which makes whistling sounds, hence the name “devil’s mouth”, when the sea is restless, waves break out, which rush to the fault and form an impressive stream of water. The more the sea is agitated, the greater the jet of water and foam.
La Boca del Diablo is one of the most popular tourist destinations on the Samana Peninsula in Las Galeras. La Boca del Diablo is located between Santa Barbara de Samana and Las Galeras, on the side of the road leading to Playa Frontón (Cueva de Agua). The site is isolated, hotels, restaurants and grocery stores are missing.
Laguna Del Diablo
Laguna del Diablo, located on the Samana Peninsula (Rincón district of Las Galeras), is one of those places that still keep a unique mysticism. The depth of the lagoon is said to be unknown, and there are many myths and legends explaining its name.
Laguna del Diablo (La Laguna del Diablo) is a drying lake, which is located at an altitude of 273 meters above sea level. Laguna del Diablo is located in the territory of Estancia Los Huemules, a private nature reserve of Las Galeras. To enter and walk, you need to register and pay at the entrance. Also, each tourist at the entrance will be provided with useful information.
The trail runs along the Diablo River through a valley covered with beautiful forest with local vegetation, and river crossings are made over suspension bridges. As you move towards the lagoon, the trail moves from the forest to the more rocky terrain. It’s a quiet, not very crowded place.
Devil’s Lake was formed after the construction of the dam in Las Galeras. Depending on the lighting, at different times of the year (and day) the color of the lake changes from emerald to turquoise. This is due to the smallest particles of basalt contained in the water.
On the shores of the lagoon there are hotels where you can spend the night.
Iguanario Los Tocones
The Iguanarium was opened in Las Galeras in 2004 and is led by a community group from Los Tocones: the Ecological Society of Los Laicos. The obligation of the association is to protect and reproduce this endemic endangered species.
When visiting Iguanarium, guides show objects related to the maintenance of iguanas. But most importantly, in the iguanarium you can observe numerous rhinoceros iguanas: both adults and those that are even in the incubation period.
The name of the rhinoceros iguana is associated with the three horns that form on their foreheads. The scaly reptile moves on land, feeding on flowers, leaves, fruits, seeds, eggs, insects and small invertebrates. Usually, iguanas live about 16 years, they defend themselves from danger by raising their legs and hitting their tail hard. This species of iguana is threatened with extinction, and you can find them in Puerto Rico, Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
At the entrance there is a point of sale of handmade products created by the same people from the association to contribute more income to the project. Also, tourists here will find Dominican flora, various endemic plants and crops:
- mango;
- avocado;
- sweet potatoes;
- bananas;
- cocoa;
- coffee.
Saman Zipline, El Valle
Zipline Samana is the best excursion and attraction in Las Galeras and on the entire island of the Dominican Republic. Here, tourists fly over the valley and the jungle on a breathtaking zipline. The main advantages of Samana Zipline:
3 cables for security;
built-in braking system;
you can jump alone or together with an instructor.
Throughout the course of 12 lines and 13 platforms, fly over the valley, the jungle and finally over the river to be near the Lulu Waterfall, which can be approached after crossing the suspension bridge. Safely reaching speeds of up to 65 kilometers per hour, you cross platform after platform, admiring the breathtaking views. The longest line has a length of more than 365 meters and a height of 137 meters above the jungle. After enjoying ZipLine Samana, you can swim in the Lulu Waterfall, located at the bottom of the 13th station.
It is an eco-tourist attraction for all ages that combines contact with nature, flying in the forest, swimming in the beautiful and secluded waterfall of the Lulu Cascade.
Website: https://samanatreetopzipline.com/
Cascada Lulu – Waterfall
Lulu Waterfall is located north of the Samana Peninsula, in El Valle. It is a freshwater waterfall surrounded by lush and lush vegetation, coconut palms, ferns and other all kinds of tropical plants.
This waterfall in Las Galeras is easy to reach even for children and people with walking difficulties. Getting there by car is more difficult, you will need all-wheel drive to cross a shallow river. As soon as you reach the parking lot in front of the waterfalls, you will have to walk along the path to the waterfall itself. Cocoa and coffee trees grow on this path. And since the Dominican Republic is the largest producer of organic cocoa, Lulu is a good place to buy cocoa beans.
Lulu Falls is a natural, unscathed place in Las Galeras with fresh water that few people visit. You can come here for day trips or stay longer. To do this, book hotels or take a tent with you. Nearby there is a nice beach with a small restaurant.
Please note that in the dry season, the waterfall can completely dry out.
Whale Museum
The Whale Museum, located in the city of Santa Barbara de Samana, will tell about the giant marine mammals visiting the Samana Peninsula. Whales swim up to Las Galeras every year to mate and reproduce.
The Whale Museum has become a benchmark for scientists and researchers of ketology, as its extensive collection has a diverse exposition about cetaceans, especially humpback whales. This initiative was born with the aim of spreading knowledge about this animal, as well as promoting sustainable development and healthy habits to preserve the marine ecosystem.
Humpback whale watching in Samana Bay is a very important tourist attraction, with hundreds of tourists coming from all over the Dominican Republic to watch these fantastic marine mammals. Given the success of this excursion, the number of boats allowed to conduct this excursion and approach the whales is limited so as not to disturb the animals.
The Whale Museum also tells why the northeast coast of the Dominican Republic is one of the most important humpback whale sanctuaries in the world. Whale Museum exhibits include a complete 12-meter skeleton of a humpback whale found in 1993 along the rocky coastline between Santa Barbara de Samana and Las Galeras.
The museum has an excursion service that will tell you even more information about all the exhibits of the Museum of Las Galeras. In addition, the museum has a small shop where you can buy local handmade souvenirs.
The museum is located in the center of Santa Barbara de Samana, on La Marina Avenue. It is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 to 15:00. The entrance fee is 150 reais or 3 US dollars. The price is current for March 2022.
Website: https://samana.org.do/museo-de-las-ballenas/
Cayo Levantado Island (Bacardi)
Cayo Levantado is a small island located on the northeast coast of the Dominican Republic in the Gulf of Samana, in the las Galeras region. It has moist forest vegetation, paradisiacal beaches, white sand and crystal clear water surrounded by a beautiful landscape.
This place is famous for the fact that here you can see humpback whales in the season from January to March. But the island of Cayo Levantado attracts visitors also with lush vegetation and well-groomed beaches. This island is also called Bacardi Island because some of the palm trees were captured to advertise Bacardi’s rum.
The whole island is a small area located near the Samana Peninsula and it is the perfect place to stay for a day. Snow-white sand, turquoise, crystal clear waters – ideal for underwater snorkeling or quiet swimming. Several species of birds live on the island, such as Spanish parrots and.
The island, which is visited daily by hundreds of tourists, can be walked in just 15 minutes, as Cayo Levantado is only one kilometer long. But in such a small area there is everything that a tourist from Las Galeras may need: there are excursion bureaus and diving centers, as well as cafes and hotels.
Los Haitises National Park
Los Aitises, translated from the Taino language, means “mountain land”. The park attracts many visitors who come here by boat to see the magnificent row of rock formations towering above the water. Las Galeras Park also has lush mangroves that are home to numerous bird colonies. And nearby are caves, known for the fact that they contain the largest number of petroglyphs and pictograms in the country.
In the Los Aitises National Park, you can find endless species of wild animals, among which the hutia or earwig stands out. In addition, the park is a benchmark for ornithological research, as it is home to one of the largest bird populations on the island.
One of the main distinguishing features of Las Galeras Park is its vegetation, which is sharp and diverse. In addition, the park has rivers so famous for their natural beauty as Payabo or Los Cocos.
Website: http://haitises.com/
Las Galeras, on the Samana Peninsula, is rich in natural attractions. In addition to amazing beaches, travelers can expect mountains, waterfalls, mangrove forests, karst caves and rich wildlife, both on land and in the sea. And despite the fact that hotels are practically not represented here, housing has different levels of comfort.
Attractions Las Galeras on map
