|
The main reason visitors stop here is to use it as base camp from which to visit Parque Nacional Del Este, a park just east of Bayahibe on a peninsula jutting south into the Caribbean. The national park maintains a maze of forests, trails, caves and cliffs, home to an impressive array of birdlife and signs of early Taíno activity. Not much of the park, however, is conveniently accessible; no roads lead directly into its interior, and the best method of approach is to hire boats from Bayahibe to hit specific points along the rim. The most popular part of the park - and rightfully so - is Isla Saona , an island off the southern coast lined with alternating stretches of idyllic, coconut tree-backed beachfront and mangrove swamp, unpopulated except for two tiny fishing villages. The larger ships stop off at Mano Juan , a strip of pastel shacks with a hiking trail that leads inland, an expensive restaurant and a couple of modest beachfront eateries; or Piscina Natural , a sand bar with a clear lagoon behind it good for swimming. Another good option is to hike into the interior of the park to the Cuevas José María, a set of stunningly beautiful caves 10km from Bayahibe. Inside them is a treasure-trove of Taíno rock art, including 1200 pictographs depicting the major events of Taíno mythology and some historical events, including a 1501 peace treaty that the Taínos established with the Spaniards. The road that leads into town ends at a car park crowded with tour buses that shuttle package-resort patrons to the larger catamarans docked a few metres further on. If you're on your own, you can sign on for a trip to Saona at Scubafun (tel 809/301-6999; US$75), a local tour operator located right in the village centre. Budget accommodation in Bayahibe is plentiful but somewhat dreary. The most pleasant of the dozen local cabañas are Trip Town , Malecón (tel 809/707-3640; up to US$25) and Nina , Calle Segunda (tel 809/224-5431; up to US$25, US$25-50 with breakfast), both on the waterfront. Of the all-inclusives , Club Dominicus is best (tel 809/686-5658, fax 687-8583; US$130-160), a lavish compound frequented mostly by Italian tourists that offers good food, a great beach, numerous watersports, tennis, aerobics and a dive centre. You can choose between a standard A/C hotel room and a more primitive but private bungalow. For lunch go to the small unmarked comedor across from the police station, which has good fresh fish dishes daily. At night you can try Kettly Berard on Calle Segundo, a small Haitian-run establishment with good Creole cuisine - though you'll be subjected to a bit of harassment from the family salesman trying to sell you cheap souvenirs.
|
Dominican Travel 
