When planning a vacation, you have the hard choice to make on which type of vibe you are seeking. Chilling in hammocks around a Tiki bar? Sleeping in a yurt? Partying all night with live music? Camping on the beach? Whale-watching from your shower (!)? Sipping a drink in a spa on a vegetal roof? The Sea Shack is probably the only hostel in the world where you can find all of the above on-site! (Oh and the not-to-forget toilets, which are in a building inspired by a Chinese Temple!)
Photo by Paty
This Auberge festive (party hostel), laying on the beach, behind the mountains of the Parc National de la Gaspésie, offers a spectacular environment in which you can disconnect from the world and dive into a parallel universe for a few days.
Located at the gate of a masterpiece of Mother Nature, you can easily go from the hostel for a hike ranging from a few hours or few days in le Parc National de la Gaspésie, home to various species including the iconic woodland caribou. Sea kayaking and canyoning are also offered, with trips running right on the doorstep of the hostel for you to get thrilled to bits in the water!
Party-wise, there is no such thing as a “small weekend” at the Sea Shack. There is a whole music festival going on, featuring well-known local artists and bands and attracting a crowd mainly from La Belle Province (Québec), which makes it an excellent spot to meet locals.
Here are my picks, personal deal-makers, among the special features of this hostel:
- The whale-horn: On the balcony, near the common kitchen, there is a special tiny horn at your disposal, attached to the ramp. The only use of it: if you spot a whale at sea, you have to blow the horn so that everybody rushes out the kitchen to watch the cetacean!
- The whale-watcher-shower: Ever had a shower with a window? You better be ready for this one. Windows have been cut into the shower walls for you to be able to overlook the sea and any animal that may appear while you are shampooing!
- The yurt: Kept warm by a wood stove, this traditional lodging will make you feel like you stepped out of the 21st century and into a hundred-year-old time warp;
- Massive bonfires on the beach: Because a weekend in the woods in Québec is not complete without a bonfire, marshmallows, a guitar and good friends to sing along!
- Sunrise and sunset: this amazing twice-a-day natural show will leave you speechless, seen from your VIP rock seat surrounded by water.
- THE party.
One thing is for certain, you will come back from your stay at the Sea Shack with an incredible respect for the environment, heaps of funny new local expressions from Québec and, most probably, sand in your backpack. It is one of those things you have to try to understand the very unique vibe!
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