Bayahibe: the charming fishing village on the Caribbean coast

The seaside resort of Bayahibe is the starting point for unmissable excursions to the islands of Saona and Catalina. As an added bonus, you'll be able to make contact with the local population. Divers will have the privilege of exploring three beautiful wrecks, including that of a famous Caribbean pirate, in veritable underwater museums!

If diving isn't your thing, head for Cotubanamá National Park, which lies at the end of the paradisiacal Playa Dominicus beach, a stretch of luxury resorts stretching for several kilometres. The programme includes hiking through the cactus forest in search of the famous Bayahibe rose, the country's emblem, bathing in the natural springs and exploring the caves in search of traces of the passage of the Taino Indians.

Lined with palm trees, the main beach of this small fishing village is a crescent of sand stretching for more than 2 kilometres. A marvel, with its colourful boats and pastel-coloured wooden houses (blue, green, pink), not forgetting its green-painted wooden church, built in 1954.

In the heart of the tropical dry forest region, where cactus grows, this beach has not been spared the tourist hustle and bustle. Its turquoise waters are now used as a departure point for excursions, notably to the island of Saona in the morning, but also to Catalina.

The merengue music brings you into contact with the local population. There are many fishing boats and pleasure craft anchored in the bay. As for swimmers, watch out for the stingrays that like to frequent this area, but which will delight divers.

From the village of Bayahibe, it's a ten-minute walk to the Hilton La Romana's large supervised beach, one of the most beautiful in the Dominican Republic: turquoise blue lagoon, fine white sand, coconut palms, tropical vegetation... and above all, it has been awarded the Blue Label, a guarantee of quality and cleanliness.

At the far end of the beach are wooden huts selling souvenirs of all kinds. Walking in the opposite direction, you come to Playa Dominicus, home to most of Bayahibe's hotels.

Playa Dominicus is one of the most beautiful in the Dominican Republic. It is huge and has showers, plastic deckchairs and palm leaf parasols. It is home to several water sports centres offering a wide range of activities, including parasailing.

In the distance, you can make out the Catalina and Saona islands and the verdant Cotubanamá National Park (formerly Este Park), with its many caves. Watch out for mosquitoes (the park isn't that far away)! We prefer pelicans, which can be seen twirling around. Located on the level of the Iberostar Hacienda Dominicus, its emblematic black and white striped lighthouse gives it a certain charm, a real corner of Brittany!

Cotubanamá National Park, known as Este National Park until 2014, includes the island of Saona, 1? hours by boat from Bayahibe, which is a must-see excursion. However, few people know about the park, which can be explored on foot just a few kilometres from Bayahibe. The park can also be explored on horseback.

Trails criss-cross a forest inhabited by endemic owls and hidden caves, some of which contain Taino rock art. Others contain freshwater springs, veritable cenotes where you can bathe in the dark in the company of bats! And why Cotubanamá? Quite simply to pay tribute to the name of the first family to live on the island of Saona.

It's an Indiana Jones-style adventure and a pure, risk-free pleasure to swim in the clear, fresh drinking water of a mysterious 200-metre-long underground river fed by rainwater. If you feel someone tickling you, don't panic, it's the local fish, Guabina, which swims in this river. It doesn't look like it, but it's 8 metres deep!

There are also pictograms left by the Taino Indians who lived in this forest before the arrival of the Spanish. Twenty-six petroglyphs depicting faces have been found, as well as pottery. To get to these caves, you also have to walk on coral rocks, proof that the sea used to reach here before retreating a long time ago.

If you look hard enough, you're bound to spot the exotic Bayahibe rose, which actually belongs to the cactus family. Endemic to the Bayahibe region, this endangered flower is represented on Dominican banknotes.

👉 Don't forget your swimming costume if you want to take a dip in the natural springs! And a torch won't be superfluous for finding your way around in the dark of the caves...

Captain William Kidd's Merchant Cara off Catalina Island

Here's a new kind of museum: the underwater museum! Less than 3 metres from the surface and 20 metres from the shore off Catalina Island, divers can admire the wreck of a pirate ship sunk in 1699, and not just any ship: the Merchant Cara, built by the famous Captain William Kidd! This legendary character has influenced literature with Edgar Allan Poe's The Golden Scarab and Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island. His booty is still hidden somewhere...

The wreck site was discovered in 2008 by Professor Charles Beeker, a researcher and archaeologist from Indiana University. It's worth pointing out that you have to be a diver to have the chance to discover this underwater museum. The exhibits are accompanied by panels to guide divers and help them identify relics and rare species of coral.

The wreck of the St-George in Bayahibe

Experienced divers can descend to depths of over 30 metres to reach the wreck of the St-George, which sank in 1998 off the coast of Bayahibe, where there is an abundance of marine life. This 73-metre vessel was built in Scotland in 1962 to transport wheat and barley from Europe to the Caribbean. Located 800 metres off Playa Dominicus, the wreck of the St George is home to barracuda, Moray's needles, king mackerel and groupers.

The wreck of the Atlantic Princess

This small cruise ship ran aground on the beach during Tropical Storm Fay in 2008. The plan was to sink the boat and create a beautiful underwater environment and artificial reef for visitors to enjoy. However, the Atlantic Princess sank of its own accord on 6 May 2009 and now lies at a depth of just 12 metres. To this day, it remains a superb diving spot for all thanks to its abundance of marine life in shallow waters.

⭐ The Iberostar Selection Hacienda Dominicus 5*

Ideally located on the superb Playa Dominicus, the Iberostar Selection Hacienda Dominicus offers a superb colonial setting. With ponds populated by pink flamingos, flower-filled patios, fountains and tropical vegetation, the charm is everywhere, right up to the superb lighthouse on the beach, which houses a bar. There's a spa, four pools to suit all tastes and several restaurants that combine quality food, diversity and sumptuous surroundings. The mini-club is splendid. In short, a complete top-of-the-range resort for all the family, with a 24-hour all-inclusive package.