We booked 3 tours with J&L agency - quads, buggies, and the waterfall. The agency is conveniently located at Plaza La Marseillaise (which we loved for delicious breakfasts and coffee). We asked the owner, I guess, 5 or 6 times whether the quad tour is different from the buggy tour (she barely speaks English, so we did it with the help of a translator too) and she convinced us multiple times that these are two completely different tours and routes, and even showed us on the map two quite opposite locations. The quad tour on day 1 was really nice. We loved it! But the next day when we set off on buggies it appeared that the buggy tour was ABSOLUTELY THE SAME! The similar route, similar stops, similar places! No difference! So we ended up having the same tour twice. We got disappointed for wasting our precious time. And also for the owner LYING into our faces. Actually, one thing I wanted to say is many many thanks to the guides Camille and Rafael for making our journey more pleasurable. The guys are real professionals and very nice people! They filled our journeys with positivity and fun and actually saved the day! Thank you, guys!

This was the best experience we had on our trip to Las Galeras. Joel & Ludi Excursions gave us excellent service. Our boat captain, Omar, cooked us delicious food and showed us the best and most beautiful beaches in Samaná. Ludi greeted us at the start of the tour and was very kind to us. I 100% recommend Joel & Ludi Excursions and I highly recommend visiting Las Galeras, Samaná.

Had a great excursion whale watching with Joel and his crew! They have a beautiful craft that is very capable in higher seas. We were blessed with a few breaching whales, a wonderful shore luch and a swim on Fronton beach.Stunning day with a very professional captain.

Professional and good company. Our buggy ride was so much fun! The only thing we could complain about is that it was nearly impossible to get a hold of them ahead of our trip, and also that when we went on a trip we were the only two people in a group of 10 people who spoke English and not french. So we were told we would get a English guide, but what happened is that he spoke french with the french people maybe 70-80% of the time, also his English maybe wasn’t that good so we didn’t get the information we were hoping for at all the beautiful places we went on the tour, but he was a good guide and I think the company owners and not the guide are to blame for this. They should have arranged it differently.

The excursion itself is wonderful, beautiful beaches, lunch at Rincon Rubi restaurant very good. For us, it was easier scheduling in advance with a larger group, than showing up and winging it (which I would have done were it only my husband and I). Galeras beaches are a must if you are in Samana. This review is an honest reflection and feedback of our experience hiring the company. My concern is with the company owner and not directly with the two employees that were with us all day. The captain and assistant did a great job getting us from point A to point B --- not the most attentive or friendly, but also not necessary. While our day was extremely pleasant, a woman tried joining and neither she or the employees could answer who she was until I asked her to leave. Maybe this is typical island culture, but we hired a more expensive company than just showing up so these things would not happen. When we got to the restaurant, they had no idea we were arriving because the owner of the company didn't let them know. Also, we had to pay for chairs in Playa Rincon, albeit a minimal fee -- this is typical at public beaches in the country but confused our group. The restaurant had no idea we were showing up, so after the second unnecessary call of the day with Joel, we ordered included fish and chicken. As we're leaving the beach, two hours later, the chef comes running after us saying we didn't pay our bill. Again, mistake of management, not the boat assistants or the restaurant. Cue third unnecessary call of the day with the now upset restaurant owner, us confused as to why we didn't just order straight from the menu instead of the excursion food if this was going to happen, and now Joel instead of apologizing at all, tells us he'll cover the $150 difference in rice (USD $3 as if he's solving the problem). These are minor hiccups, but not one that a reputable brand would make, especially when charging AT LEAST 500 DOP more per person, including drinks and food, than just showing up and hiring a boat on your own. Total Transparency: We paid DOP 3,500 PP, 9 people on one yola, and did the three beach tour. A cooler filled with waters, sodas, and presidente beer was included. We had no idea until we arrived despite my constant asking about food, but lunch was at Rincon Rubi restaurant (great spot) and the included food is fish and chicken. I didn't like that we had no choice in how the fish was cooked and that it was served family style to be honest...no one really had a hot fish (or typical fried fish). Joel told me if I wanted the excursion without lunch, it was a 500 PP discount. Meals at the restaurant were slightly higher, at about 450-750 and you can use credit card. Our day was good, but the owner is unorganized. He didn't show up until the end of the day after the final, and angry phone call to collect payment. My recommendation is that he be more organized and present - be there in the morning and make sure the restaurant is aware of guests HIMSELF. The confusion with the food is unnecessary - just say it's fresh fish at a restaurant and let each person choose how their fish is cooked and serve per plate...not tourist, overcooked, and cold family style. I couldn't seem to get a clear answer about origin of food until I was pleasantly surprised upon arriving at the restaurant. Finally, the beach chairs - we know you have an "in" with the chair people - just reserve the chairs for your group and include it in the price so international tourists aren't confused & scrambling for change. Just the tiny details that mark the difference between a service and a great service IMO.