In the province of La Romana, there is the amazing Del Este Nature Reserve. It was founded in 1975 and covers 792 square kilometers. National park consists of the mainland and the small island of Saona, also called Bounty Island. The island, discovered by Columbus in 1494, can be reached by a pleasure boat. Since this is a protected area, large-scale construction is prohibited here. An exception was made only for the residents of the island village of Mano Juan, who sell souvenirs and thereby earn their living. Now Saona is many-meter white beaches, mangrove and relict forests, where more than fifty different types plants. The island is also famous for its caves, which in the 16th century served as a refuge for the Indians who were hiding from the Spaniards. For tourists there is a sightseeing tour of the city, then they can relax on one of the beaches of the island. The sea off the coast of Saona is ideal for diving.
The mainland part of the reserve is no less interesting than the island one. It consists mainly of deciduous forests. Taino Indians used to live in the local dry subtropical forest. Now, only the well-maintained beaches in the western part of the park remind of human activities in these places. 112 species of birds live on the territory of the reserve. To see at least some of them, you need to go deeper into the jungle. Lovers of boat trips can watch turtles, bottlenose dolphins and manatees. Yachts with tourists usually ply along the coast, from where the mangroves are clearly visible.
While on vacation in the Dominican Republic, you don't have to lie on the beach all the time or sit in a bar tasting local rum and cigars. Despite the fact that in the Dominican Republic there are practically no architectural and historical sights, there are several magnificent national parks and reserves. Only 10% of the territory of the republic has been allocated for natural reserves, but, nevertheless, these protected places are literally teeming with animals and amaze with a variety of flora.
National Park Del Este (Parque Nacional del Este)
Perhaps the most popular in the Dominican Republic is the Del Este National Park, located in the southeastern part of the country. It covers an area of \u200b\u200babout 310 square kilometers and also includes the island of Saona. This park was created for true connoisseurs wildlife, since more than 112 species of birds live in the forests, some of them, by the way, are endemic, that is, they are found only here and nowhere else. By the way, in this national park there are no roads or paths that would lead to the most remote areas of the park, so determined tourists who want to explore all the protected corners of Del Este will need to rent a boat in the town of Bayahibe near the park. When traveling, you should be especially careful and careful, as there are many tarantulas and wasps in the Del Este National Park, which can turn the trip into a real torture. That is why, before walking in the park, it is worthwhile to liberally apply repellent to the skin and avoid spiders encountered on the way.
The most popular part of this national park of the Dominican Republic is Saona Island near south coast Haiti. At one time, the island was known as an untouched corner of virgin nature, but now the flow of tourists has grown so much that only memories of the former idyll remain. In any case, this place is worth a visit. The beaches of Saona Island will allow travelers to feel like Robinsons Crusoe for a short while, while walking along white beach in the direction of mangroves and swamps, you can walk to two small fishing villages, lost in the forests. The easiest way to reach this island is by boat from the town of Bayahibe, where it will be useful to take care of the supply of drinking water and food before the trip. There is only one restaurant on the island, which is known for its sky-high prices and food of questionable quality.
In the Del Este National Park in the Dominican Republic, tourists will also be interested to look at the traces of the disappeared Indian Taino community that inhabited the island before Columbus discovered it. During the excavations in La Aleta, many interesting finds were discovered. In addition, it is known that the entire settlement of the Indians was destroyed, and this terrible story began with the fact that the leader of the Indian tribe was torn to pieces by the dog of the Spanish colonialists. In response, the Indians tripled the rebellion, to which the Spaniards responded by killing 7,000 people.
Los Aitis National Park (Parque Nacional los Haitises)
Another national park of the Dominican Republic called Los Aitis is known for its magnificent nature, located on south bank Samana Bay. This area can only be explored by boat, as without it you will not be able to get to most parts of the park. Most of the territory is occupied by mangrove swamps, in which dozens of secret Indian caves are safely hidden. They now serve as excellent sanctuaries for birds and marine animals. At the moment, only a small part of the park is accessible for tourists, where they spend organized excursions - It will not be possible to independently explore this reserve. By the way, for those who do not like dampness, it is better to refuse such a walk, since Los Aitis is located in the very wet area Dominican Republic.
The standard tour that is offered in this park is called Ruta Litoral, and its route includes most of the attractions. During such a walk, tourists will visit a large cave, where rock paintings of the Taino Indians have been preserved, the former refuge of the legendary filibuster Willie Simons, the Remington and San Gabriel caves, on the walls of which you can see images of the faces of the Indians. By the way, they say that pirates and the infamous John Rackham once lived here. The journey through this park ends with a stop near the Cueva de la Linea cave. Once they wanted to build here railway stationin order to send sugarcane, which grew here in myriad quantities, to other regions of the country. However, the station was never built, and the reed has not grown here for a long time.
You can arrange a trip to Los Aitis National Park in Sabana de la Mar. As a rule, the boat is ready to take on board no more than six people, and such a trip will cost about 800 pesos (about 630 rubles). Another 50 pesos (about 40 rubles) will cost a visit to the park, and the services of a guide will cost 300 pesos (about 235 rubles). Tourists can agree on the services of a guide at the park administration, which is located in the city port.
National Parks of Armando Bermudez and Jose del Carmen Ramirez (Parques Nacionales Armando Bermudez & Jose del Carmen Ramirez)
These two Dominican national parks are usually referred to together as they are very close to each other. The parks were founded in the middle of the last century in order to save rainforests from massive deforestation, as happened in Haiti. These national parks have the highest Caribbean islands mountain peaks, which have become a favorite destination for tourists who love hiking, climbing and similar travel.
The parks of Armando Bermudez and José Ramirez are at a considerable height, so the weather in this part Dominican Republic pretty unpredictable. In summer it is quite comfortable here (about + 20 degrees Celsius), while in winter months the temperature drops to minus values. In addition, there are almost all year round it rains, so when traveling here, tourists should definitely take raincoats and waterproof shoes with them.
You can get to the popular Duarte Mountain, located in protected areas, by one of five trails, while La Sienga is the most famous and easiest. Each trail starts in a small town or village at the foot of the mountain, where travelers will need to buy a permit to visit the park and arrange for a guide. In no case should you try to explore the parks on your own - even the most experienced hikers can get lost in these forests. In addition, I am going to conquer Mount Duarte, it should be remembered that, despite the low altitude, climbing up is a rather serious test. The reason for this is the terrible quality of the path - fallen trees and boulders are usually removed from it, but deep ruts and ruts are quite a standard phenomenon. That is why, you need to go to the top of Duarte only in well-fitted hiking boots, which will not only save you from bruises and dislocations, but also make you feel more stable on loose soil and slippery roads. As a rule, the ascent takes two days and another half day is spent on preparation, so it is better to come to La Siennega in the afternoon in order to have time to solve all the paperwork for a visit to the park, and start the ascent early in the morning. Before arrival, tourists also need to take care of food and water supplies for the trip - there is no market or necessary shops in the village.
While climbing to the top of the mountain, tourists will pass such interesting places as the huge lake Enriquillo, more than 40 kilometers long. It is known for the fact that the water in it is three times saltier than the sea due to constant evaporation, which is why swimming in it is not particularly pleasant, but it will be interesting to see. Moreover, this lake is the lowest point in the entire Dominican Republic. Another interesting place in the territory of national parks is the secret refuge of the Indian chief. It is located in one of the caves near Poster Rio. Also noteworthy is the island of Cabritos ("goat island") - the largest of the islands on the lake. Here you can see crocodiles, huge iguanas and a colony of magnificent pink flamingos. Every day at 07.30, 08.30 and 13.00 boats leave for this island. excursion groups... Travel time is about 45 minutes, and the cost of travel depends on the number of tourists.
Jaragua National Park (Parque Nacional Jaragua)
Finally, the largest in the entire Dominican Republic and the most attractive for lovers of deserted beaches is the Jaragua National Park. It is located in the southern part of the Baoruko Peninsula and also includes the two islets of Beata and Alto Velo. The peculiarity of this place, among other things, is that the inspection of the park is possible only with a guide, and a visit permit can be obtained only at the General Directorate of National Parks in Santo Domingo. Jaragua National Park will become a real paradise for wildlife lovers. Here, cacti and palms grow in abundance, rare turtles and many beautiful endemic birds are found.
Most often, excursions in the park start in the city of Pedernales, where you can also take a boat to the nearest islands, a trip to which, by the way, will cost a substantial amount. However, once on the islands, tourists will understand that the money was not wasted. Beata only at first glance seems to be an uninhabited island, but having landed on the southern coast, travelers will be able to explore numerous caves, the walls of which are decorated with ancient Indian drawings. Alto Velo Island, in turn, is known for the fact that it was here that scientists discovered the smallest lizard in the world - a dwarf gecko one and a half centimeters in size.
By the way, it should be borne in mind that those who suffer from seasickness should better refuse to travel to this national park. The fact is that the journey can take from three to five hours, and even hardy travelers will find it rather exhausting. In addition, just in case, you should personally make sure that the captain of the ship has filled enough fuel, as otherwise there is a real chance to stay in this paradise for a long time. As for obtaining permits, they are issued by the National Parks Directorate. It is necessary to allocate at least one day to receive the necessary papers, since paperwork in Dominican institutions is completely normal. In the same administration, you can also agree on the services of a guide, without whom access to the park is prohibited and dangerous.
Park Del Este (Parque Nacional del Este) is located in the east of the Dominican Republic, and covers an area of \u200b\u200b430 km2. The Del Este National Park includes a part of the water area Caribbean and the mainland, including famous island Saona. From the village of Bayahibe, boats and boats leave for the island of Saona, if you decide to go to sightseeing tour across the island. The mainland part of the park is of great interest for tourists to explore, as it contains a large number of limestone caves, hills and depressions, wells formed from rains over millions of years in soft limestone rocks. They are whole cave complexesthat keep traces of the culture of the indigenous people. Drawings and pictograms made by the hand of the Taino Indians have survived to this day on the walls of many caves. Since the soil of the park is very porous (limestone), you will not see any rivers, streams or lakes on the territory. For this, deciduous trees grow in large numbers, including wild olives, red and guaiac trees. In the park are pronounced natural areas: dry subtropical jungle and arid forests
Animal world the park area, in comparison with the great variety of birds and plants, is unusually poor. All types of mammals can be found here, including the chain-tailed hutia (a rodent the size of a cat), the snake-tooth (a small animal with a narrow muzzle, secreting poisonous saliva).
The coastline of the park is heterogeneous: sheer cliffs hanging menacingly in east side the peninsulas merge in the south into the mangroves of the Calderas Bay. The western side of the park pleases tourists and divers with its quiet beaches, coral reefs and clear water of the Caribbean Sea.
The water area of \u200b\u200bthe park is rich in populations of manati and dolphins. Manatees, very similar to manatees, have thick skin covered with bristly hair and extremely developed lungs. They do not live at great depths, they are found even in large rivers and lakes, they penetrate there through the mouths of rivers. The main food for manati is freshwater and marine plants. Manatyas are often hunted by fishermen, since their meat has good taste and fat is valuable.
The eastern entrance to the park is at the village of Boca del Yuma: the trail runs along the coast and ends at the mangrove swamps. The western entrance and the local park office are located in the village of Bayahibe.
Del Este National Park in the most extreme point southeast of the Dominican Republic. The park is the main natural attraction of the country. The territory of the park is quite large - it covers the large peninsula and the adjacent island of Saona. Here the greatest pleasure will be enjoyed by lovers of travel and adventure, as well as true connoisseurs of relaxation in the bosom of pristine nature.
A small number of limestone terraces, entirely covered with forests of subtropics, represent the mainland of the reserve. Local soils are very porous and easily absorb moisture, as there are practically no lakes or rivers. Therefore, this part of the park is dominated by deciduous trees. The fauna in the Dominican Republic is not very diverse, but in the Del Este Park there are all the native species of mammals, and there are also rare, endangered species among them.
The coastline of the park is the rarest example of the diversity of the Dominican Republic landscapes. Here, mangroves and sheer cliffs alternate with each other. Near the coast, with enough luck, you can see bottlenose dolphins and very rare Caribbean manatees. The western coast of the park is occupied by beaches with clear water and very beautiful coral reefs - a dream for diving enthusiasts. 
