Best things to do in Las Galeras
March/April 2024
Las Galeras has a very laid back vibe, way more quieter than Las Terrenas. The people who live here are friendly and there is beautiful nature to explore. Las Galeras and El Valle were my favorite places in the Dominican Republic. Here is a list of the best things to do in Las Galeras.
1. Playa Las Galeras
This beach is centrally located at the end of the main road in Las Galeras. There are some places with shadow underneath the palm trees and you will find the basic facilities here like beds, toilets and showers. There are several places to eat and the Todo Blanco Hotel arranges barbecues in the weekends. The Todo Blanco Hotel also has a bar where you can hangout and drink something. The vibe is good and they play salsa and bachata music. You don’t have to be a guest of the hotel to hangout here. They also offer some chairs and beds at the beach. During the day you will need to pay, but at night you can sit or lay there for free and watch the amazing stars at night!
Click here for the Google Maps location.
2. Playita
This beach is a little smaller and feels a little bit more touristy, but the views are amazing! Like the rest of Las Galeras, the vibe here feels good and welcome. There is also some grass if you don’t like to sit in the sand and you can enjoy a cheap Dominican meal here. Showers are available, although not always working. Can be busy in the weekends, but it doesn’t feel overwhelmed.
Click here for the Google Maps location.
3. Cueva De Duarte
Cueva De Duarte is a little cave close to Playita. It will take 5 minutes to get through the cave to the other side. It’s necessary to bring a light because it’s pitch black inside the cave. You can’t get lost in here because it’s not big. The cave is filled with bats!
Once you get out on the other side there is a stairs which will take you to a nice viewpoint. You can also see another trail when you get out off the cave, this trail follows the coastline and is the Las 9 Playas trail.
Click here for the Google Maps location.
4. Las 9 Playas
This trail takes you along the most beautiful unspoilt beaches. The beaches you will pass are: Playa Caleton, Playa Escondida, La Playita de Irene, Playa Colorada, Playa Ermitaño, Playa del Amore, Playa Breman, Playa Mercedes and Playa Rincon. Playa Rincon is a very popular beach with the locals. In the weekends it’s a almost like if there is a festival going on. People bring music, are dancing, make food, sell fruits. Definitely a recommandable experience.
Click here for the directions.
5. Ruinas Casa Castillo
Ruinas Casa Castillo is located a little outside of Las Galeras. It’s an amazing viewpoint and when it’s whale season it’s possible to see them from here. This spot is not touristy at all, so you can enjoy the views in peace and stillness. On the left side is a little trail that will take you to the rocks closer to the ocean.
You can take a guagua in Las Galeras and get out near the Texaco gas station. From there it’s a 45 minute walk.
See the directions over here.
If you have a car you can just drive there, it’s not an asphalt road so it can be a bumpy ride.
6. Boca Del Diablo
Boca Del Diablo is a big blowhole within a rock formation, and when the sea is wild it will blow the water through the hole with immense power. Even when the sea is a little calmer it’s still an extraordinary sound and experience. Even if it’s just the wind blowing through the hole with very little water it’s a creepy phenomenon.
And the surroundings look extraordinary as well! The huge rock formations give it a completely different vibe than the scenery you will find on the beaches. That’s one of the things I love about the Dominican Republic, the diversity you will find on this island makes every little bit an adventure of exploration.
Boca Del Diablo is on the same road as Ruinas Casa Castillo, just a little further. From Ruinas Casa Castillo it’s another 50 minutes of walking so from the main road it will take about 1 hour and 35 minutes. My plan was to walk there, but luckily, after already 1 hour of walking and seeing nobody, someone offered me a ride on a moterbike. The road was full of holes and because it was rainy season there were a lot of pools so it was an interesting ride with 3 people on a motorbike. But very friendly people, I appreciated it a lot! And luckily I was also able to get a ride back with someone else to Las Galeras.
7. Playa Aserradero
This beautiful quiet beach is located next to Playa Las Galeras. From Playa Las Galeras, just follow the shore to the right and you will reach Playa Aserradero.
Click here for the Google Maps location.
8. Playa Madama
This is a beautiful secluded beach surrounded by rocks. There are boats who can take you to this beach from Playa Las Galeras, but it’s also possible to walk. From Playa Las Galeras it’s at least a 1.45 hour walk. There are no signs at all, you will have to walk through 2 banana plantations, through overgrown jungle and on steap rocks on top of cliffs so it’s not the most easy hike.
How to get to Playa Madama by foot
Starting from Playa Las Galeras, first walk towards Playa Aserradero. From there follow this path. You will pass the El Cabito restaurant. Definitely worth to make a quick stop here for some drinks and make some pictures of the beautiful landscape. After that, just follow the road and keep left until you reach a gate. Go through the gate (it’s allowed). Here you will walk through a banana plantation. There are different paths, just chose the easiest one to walk. You can’t really get lost, just keep the ocean on the left side and the rocks on the right side. Keep walking until you reach the end of the banana plantation.
Now look for an opening in the bush bush, somewhere on the right side. This part of the trail can be really overgrown, but it’s still clear that there is a path. Just walk through the jungle and follow the path until you reach the rocks.
When you get out of the bushy part you’re going to have to walk on steep spiky rocks, I would not recommend this with flip flops. The trail on the rocks is marked with some brown/orange paint, follow this stuff until you reach the second banana plantation.
Walk through the banana plantation until you reach the end.
Somewhere in the middle is an opening, here you will have to climb some rocks to get down to the beach.
Trail to Playa Madama
9. Cave Playa Madama
There is also a cave at Playa Madama. There are no signs of where it is located. But when you are standing on the beach facing the ocean, look back and a little up, and you will see the rock formations. Just look for a trail that goes that way. From the beach it’s a 5 minute hike to get to the cave. It’s a little bit of rock climbing, but nothing too crazy or dangerous.
10. Viewpoint Playa Madama
From Playa Madama there is another trail which will take you to a nice viewpoint underneath amazing rock formations. From the beach it’s about a 10 minute easy hike. At the right side of the beach there is a path that goes through the jungle. Just keep following the path until you reach some palm trees. When you reach the palm trees, there is not really a path anymore but just walk towards the rocks and keep a little to the left and you will see the path again which will take you underneath the rock formations. The path has a dead end, you can just walk to the end of it and climb the big rock and enjoy the views.
11. Boca Chiquita
A little blowhole on a beautiful quiet spot. Enjoy the amazing views!
Click here for the Google Maps locations.
12. Restaurants
Las Galeras has some great restaurants with delicious Dominican food. Here is a list of the best restaurants in Las Galeras:
Casa Juana
For me this was the best restaurant in Las Galeras! Great Dominican food and for a great price and friendly people.
Click here for the Googla Maps location.
El Pescador
I had some great paella here.
Click here for the Google Maps location.
La Bodeguita
Good food and ambiance!
Click here for the Google Maps location.
Bar y Restaurant La Grilla
Cheap good Dominican food on the beach. What more do you need.
Click here for the Google Maps location.
Aventura De John
This is an Italian restaurant which serves great pizza’s! Usually I’m not really into pizza’s but I really liked this one. But what I liked the most about this place was the ambiance and friendly people here. I met people with different nationalities here, but also danced bachata with the local Dominicans.
Click here for the Google Maps location.
El Cabito
I didn’t eat anything here, just came here for a drink when I was walking to Playa Madama. But the views of this place are amazing! The restaurant is located on cliffs above the ocean and the owner is super friendly. If you want to visit this place by car, you will need a good car because the road to this place is super bad!
Click here for the Google Maps location.
