Near By

Playa Bayahibe – A 15-minute drive from La Romana International Airport and 10 minutes from the resorts in the Dominicus section, this beachtown and boat launch site has a mix of good food, shopping for local arts and crafts, culture walks, and even a shady grass area to sit and enjoy the sunsets.

Playa Dominicus – The first beach to obtain Blue Flag certification in the Caribbean, the large all-inclusive resorts in La Romana are here, offering a variety of cultural and adventure excursions to guests. There is a public beach access section for visitors who are not staying at the resorts.

Palmilla – Preferred by the jet set for docking their yachts, Palmilla is also known as “the natural pool” for its shallow and transparent waters. It can easily be reached by boat from Bayahibe.

Isla Saona – Few will imagine that Saona Island, which is almost 14 miles long and 4 miles wide (covering an area of 68 square miles) and just over one mile from the shore, is the same size as Aruba. It is really a collection of many beaches with the town of Mano Juan in the south center. Coconut trees, white sands with transparent shallow waters make it the perfect postcard of a Caribbean dream beach. The boat trip to the island from Bayahibe passes by mangroves and coral reefs, all part of the National Park of the East.

Isla Catalina – Five miles south of La Romana, the second largest island off the shores of the DR is a protected, uninhabited area. Divers visit to explore the coral reefs to the east and north of the island. The Living Museum of the Sea with the remains of the Quedagh Merchant, the sunken ship of pirate William Kidd is its newest attraction. It is a cruise ship mooring point. Enjoy the banana boats and snorkeling.

Banco de Arena de Catalinita – The Catalinita Sand Bank comes as a surprise. Out of nowhere, an island emerges from the sea. Boat trippers are taken there to enjoy the white sands and shallow waters in the middle of the Caribbean, to the beat of merengue and bachata. It formed after Hurricane Georges in 1998.

Caves

Cueva de las Maravillas – Known for its scenic beauty and intriguing petroglyphs. Imagine traveling to the center of the earth, Jules Verne-style, as walking to cool depths of 82 feet along the 800-foot trail. Or observe the effects as the lights turn on and off, like musical notes celebrating the majesty of the thousand year old stalagmites and stalactites.The secrets of the cave are revealed along the 800-foot path, almost 40 minutes of guided tour. 472 paintings on the walls, and 19 engravings on rocks have been counted. The cave is open for visits from Tuesday to Sunday, from 9am to