Southwestern Dominican Republic

Everyone has visited historic Santo Domingo, and who doesn’t love the beaches in Punta Cana or the Samaná Peninsula. And Puerto Plata, along the northern coast, and Jarabacoa, in the central mountains, are two great destinations that also draw many visitors each year. But to witness the most remote, untouched and wild side of the Dominican Republic, you must travel southwest, all the way to Barahona, Pedernales, Lake Enriquillo and more. Breathtaking landscapes, small fishing villages and the nation’s most important protected nature reserves make up this incredible world of sea and mountains, waiting to be discovered.

Leave the capital behind and begin to discover treasures such as the Borbón Caves Anthropology Reserve or the Pomier Reserve, home to more than 4,000 precolonial petroglyphs and pictographs. Next, travel along the western coast of Santo Domingo and visit places like Baní and its bright Carnival, interesting museums (such as the Perelló Cultural Center and the César Celado Historic Archive), and lovely cathedral of Our Lady of Regla. Nearby, Las Calderas Bay and its impressive dunes await, along with the salt mines at Punta Salinas. These are just some of the must-see landmarks in the region.

Continue on your way and cross the Ocoa and Neiba Bays to reach Barahona, the capital of the region with the same name, known as the “Pearl of the South.” Enjoy the city’s architecture and delicious food, and as you explore the Caribbean coast, take in the incredible beaches and cliffs, which are listed as some of the most beautiful in the Dominican Republic. Head inland and delve into the lush nature at places such as Rincón Lagoon, Sierra de Bahoruco National Park (home to 180 orchid species, of which 32 are endemic), and the Miguel Domingo Fuertes Natural Monument. Nature in its purest form.

Continue westward to Pedernales, a small city right on the border with Haiti and surrounded by impressive dry landscapes with giant cacti and twisted bushes. But first, travel to the southern tip of the province to Jaragua National Park, which has numerous caves decorated with pictographs made by the ancient Tainos; and Oviedo Lagoon, the second largest in the country—and three times saltier than seawater—and a priceless natural habitat where colonies of white herons, pelicans and flamingos live. You should also visit the untouched beaches between Cabo Rojo and the Bay of Águilas; or Playa Blanca and Trudillé, areas a little further south that are as remote as they are stunningly beautiful.

Head north and discover a landscape from another planet: Lake Enriquillo. The shore and hypersaline water of this enormous lake—the largest in the Antilles—are more than 100 feet below sea level and home to iguanas, crocodiles, flamingos and other bird species. Classified as a national park, this unique setting forms part of the La Selle-Jaragua-Bahoruco-Enriquillo Transboundary Biosphere Reserve, an exceptionally valuable ecosystem protected by UNESCO. Boat tours depart from La Azufrada on the northern shore to explore the lake and visit Cabritos Island. Be sure to bring a good hat and sunscreen because the sun here is strong!