The Dominican Republic is full of beautiful places to see. There are countless beaches, lakes and hills/mountains that you can explore. In most cases, the prettier and more peaceful the place, the harder that it is to find.
On our travels to Las Galeras, North East most point on the island, we heard of a hidden gem called “Laguna Del Diablo” in English “The Devils Lake”. The name really intrigued us and the local whom told us about this place said that it was in the middle of nowhere so we would need a guide. He would of taken us but it was a long trip of which he didn’t have the time for.
Off we went in search for this hidden lake. We passed by one town, then two, then three and so forth. Finally, after a few days of searching, we arrived on a road called “La Ruta De Jengibre”. We drove up this road for about an hour before it ended, then we kept going over rocks, bumps and humps until our poor little Suzuki Sidekick had nothing left. We decided it was time to stop before we get stuck on this road in the middle of nowhere.
When we pulled over we decided it was time to enjoy the view and open up some fresh coconuts. We hung out for a bit until a big blue pick up truck, full of locals, was driving down that road. I stopped the driver to ask if he knew about the lake, low and behold he did! He was more than happy to take us and assured us we would love the place.
The next day we woke up with the sunrise and headed off on our adventure. During our hike our guide showed us all sorts of different things that we could eat. Much of which we already knew but then he took a growing coconut tree, about a foot high, and sliced it in half with my machete. Inside was a savory, spongy, delicious fruit called a coconut apple. I’ve eaten my fair share of coconuts and never thought you could eat them at that stage. That being said it was truly delicious.
About an hour later we make it to our destination. This lake is huge! After taking in the view, as well as some pictures, we all stripped down to our undies, or bathing suits, and got into the water.
In the water we went. Enjoying the peace and tranquility that can only be found when you are truly in the middle of nowhere. We did have company though. There were some local fishermen catching their daily food. We made conversation from the other side of the lake and then proceeded to enjoy the peace and quiet of the place once again.
If you’re ever in the Las Galeras area of the Dominican Republic and you’re looking for adventure, I highly recommend this lake. The locals in the area are very friendly and the view is stunning. Start the hike in the early morning, that way you don’t have the midday sun blazing and the light for pictures is better.
Gabriel H
