LOS HAITISES NATIONAL PARK + MONTANA REDONDA + WATERFALL:  165USD
(20% OFF with Promocode LPCTOURS)

Los Haitises National Park is one of the jewels of the Dominican Republic’s national park system. Los Haitises means “mountainous land” in Taino and nourishes one of the few remaining tropical forests on the island. The park also has extensive mangrove forests, covering an area of 1,600 km² (618 sq mi).

It is located in the southern part of Samaná Bay and represents an immense reserve full of caves, taino pictographs, humid forests, and hundreds of species of birds, many of them endemic. The characteristic that distinguishes this mystical place from the other parks on the island are its mogotes or “lomitas”, which reach 40 meters in height, and cover the entire surface of the park. 

Did you know? This forest was used as a location for the movie Jurassic Park!

BOUNDARIES

It is located, to a large extent, in the province of Samaná (including part of the Bay of Samaná) and is completed in the provinces of Monte Plata and Hato Mayor. An important aspect is the karst geomorphological formation that determines, among other things, a cave system with samples of pictographs and petroglyphs such as the La Reyna, San Gabriel and La Línea caves. Los Haitises’ karst formation has an extension of 82 km, from Sabana de la Mar to Cevicos, for 26 km, south of Samaná Bay to Bayaguana. Other similar karst areas are found north of Samaná Bay and another south of Sosúa and Cabarete.

FLORA

The flora of Los Haitises is characteristic of its two life zones: the subtropical humid forest (Bh-S) and the subtropical very humid forest (Bmh-S). Preserved forest remnants representative of broadleaf species such as cabirma santa (Guarea trichiliodes), cedar (Cedrela odorata), ceiba (Ceiba pentandra), mahogany (Swietenia mahagoni), copey (Clusia rosea) and leaf (Coccoloba pubescens). In addition, numerous species of orchids abound. This park contains the largest sample of the Caribbean mangrove, in which species such as red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) and white mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa) predominate. 

FAUNA

The fauna of Los Haitises is of great variety and is the most representative of all the protected natural areas in the Dominican Republic, due to the diversity of its environments. Mammals are present in different species of bats as well as in the hutia (Plagiodontia aedium) and the solenodon (Solenodon paradoxus); Both species are endemic and threatened with extinction.

Because it is a coastal-marine park, it contains an unparalleled bird fauna, with a majority representation of endemic, native and migratory species that cannot be found in the rest of the country. Some of these species are the pelican or gannet (Pelecanus occidentalis), the earwig (Fregata magnificens), the parrot (Amazona ventralis), the owl (Tyto alba) and the long-eared owl (Asio stygius).

LANDSCAPES

Los Haitises National Park contains very impressive landscape elements such as the Bay of San Lorenzo, the different keys and the mangrove populations. Between Boca del Infierno and El Naranjo Arriba, is located Cayo de los Pájaros. This is easily recognized by the presence, flying over it at low altitude, of earwigs and pelicans. The tallest trees grow in the center of the key, which is the highest part. The copey is dominant and its horizontal branches are used by birds for perching. The fig tree (Ficus aff. laevigata) and the almond tree (Terminalia catappa) make up the other part of the trees.

WHERE TO STAY

Located at the foot of the Los Haitises National Park, in Sabana de La Mar, 160 kilometers from Santo Domingo, Paraíso Caño Hondo is a charming ecological paradise, where nature invites you to enjoy the crystalline waters of the Jivales River that bathe each of the impressive natural pools, touring the spaces that relax and distract both the body and the spirit.

This ecotourism project was created as an extension of the Los Haitises National Park, to provide its visitors with the privilege of enjoying a pleasant stay under a perfect mix of the beautiful singing of birds and the sound of impressive waterfalls. Paraíso Caño Hondo has 28 rustically decorated rooms, distributed in three beautiful buildings: Caño Hondo, Ceyba Jivales and Altos de Caño Hondo, the latter with an impressive view of the Bays of San Lorenzo and Samaná.

LOS HAITISES NATIONAL PARK FROM PUNTA CANA

From Punta Cana the easiest way to reach the park is to get to the village of  Sabana de la Mar, passing along the new Miches highway. Sabana de la Mar is not short distance. It’s about 142.5 km from Punta Cana (2 hours and 20 minutes) if you go by private vehicle, since there is no public transportation that goes directly there. Important fact: once in Sabana de la Mar there is a route to reach the park where the road is dirt and could be a little uncomfortable if it’s raining.

In case you don’t feel comfortable driving your own vehicle, you can choose to go with us for a great day trip full of fun and adventure. We will also visit the beautiful Montana Redonda mountain and we will have lunch by the river at Yanigua SPA ranch. Check the FULL ITINERARY.