Backpacker Hostel Samaná

While the Dominican republic is full of expensive all-inclusive resorts. It’s a little lacking in budget stays geared toward backpackers, as you’d find on the backpacker circuit of, say, Central America.

Backpacker Hostel Samaná‘s mission is to change that. So they opened up a hostel in Samaná, where they welcome newly arrived tourists, of all ages, and do a great job of providing them with travel information on the whole island, including a (slowly) growing list of other budget stays in the country.

It’s not that there’s nowhere to stay for cheap on the island, there are plenty of RD$500/night rooms, but most are owned by locals, exist for local travelers, and can be a little intimidating for foreigners, especially those who don’t speak spanish.

Backpacker Hostel Samaná isn’t fancy by any means, but it’s centrally located on the Samaná peninsula and  is a good base as a foreigner visiting the area, especially those who’d like to meet other like-minded foreign travelers and share stories in the breezy common areas. There’s a little kitchen which will help you save on cost of food, and Samaná has a nice vegetable market, so it’s easy to eat healthy.

For the adventurous traveler who’s just landed on the island (or one who’s finally managed to leave the Punta Cana black hole) it’s a great hub to get accustomed to the Dominican culture, get your bearings straight, plan your trip, and take off to greener pastures.

Indeed, except for the strange bridges of Samaná, there isn’t actually much to do in this town! BUT, it’s a comfortable driving distance to a lot of day trips on the Samaná peninsula, so it’s a nice cheap place to come home to every night after a day’s worth of exhausting but kickass adventures.

The rooms are simple and clean, equipped with ceiling fans (or AC if you wish,) and the beds aren’t uncomfortable. As with everywhere else in the DR you might be kept up by loud music, but that’s no fault of the hostel, it just is. Get used to it.

The staff is super sweet and very helpful, they’re here to give you all the information you need, so do feel free to ask and make small talk too.

Not to miss in the area:

• Bridges of Samaná
• El Valle 
• Whale Watching
• Los Haitises
• Saltos de Limon
• Beach hopping the south-east of the peninsula (and surf, if you’re luckier than we are)

Add to your DR trip on RoadTrippers:

Hotel Docia Backpackers Samana, youth hostel short walk to the beach