The Los Haitises National Park in the Dominican Republic

A trip to the Dominican Republic is always bound to leave you with everlasting memories of the place and its people. Filled with historical and cultural landmarks, vast photographic landscapes and various national parks, the country is a must visit for those who love to see nature at its best.

If you happen to visit Dominican Republic, make sure to visit the Los Haitises National Park. Aslo called as parquet Nacional Los Haitises in the local language, the park is a tropical rainforest that comprises of mangrove forests, small islands that are filled with dense vegetation and teeming with animal and plant life.

The park covers a total area of 1200 square kilometers and is located in a remote area in the city of Santo Domingo, that is rarely visited and has very few or no roads at places for transport. The sea surrounding the forest has numerous rock like formations called mogotes, that jut out of the water in addition to various caves that dot the coast, including the famous cave of Cueva del Angel.

Precautions: As is the case of visiting any rain forest, remember to take your vaccination shots before entering the forest. Better take along necessary medication and loads of sunscreen to battle the heat.

Significance of the forest: The forest is a well protected natural reserve and officials allows only limited number of tourists to enter the forest at any one time. Home to an abundant species of bird and animal life, the coastal regions surrounding the forest are also home to humpback whales from around the world that mate in these waters in the months of January and February.

Tours to the forest: The Los Haitises National Park can be reached via a boat ride from nearby Samana and tours usually last about 3 hours into the park and back. The boat ride is followed by a 45 minutes trek that leads to the entrance of the park. Various small canopies and huts dot the landscape at intervals and provide shelter for those who wish to rest a while before continuing.

Among the various attractions within the park, the first one to probably catch your eye is the Bird Island bird sanctuary. Located in a small island that has huge rocks jutting out from amidst dense foliage, the sanctuary is a haven for several species of birds that call it their perfect home. It is possible to spot among other birds, various turkey vultures circling the tops of the trees.

Another island nearby, though not accessible can be viewed from a convenient distance and is home to several pelicans which can be seen sitting on the tree tops or circling above them in groups.

There are plenty of caves in the park and the tours normally take you through two or more of these caves. Be careful where you put your foot as most of the caves are slippery and do not have railings or any other kind of support you can grab onto if you  slip or fall down.

Although dark and gloomy, these caves are a delight to explore and some of them contain drawings on the walls, apparently made by the first cave dwellers. Better take along a camera with a powerful flash if you want to grab some pictures of these drawings.

The park for the most part is filled with mangrove forests that surround shallow swamps and a boat ride into these forests is sure to make your senses tingle with excitement. With little sunlight that filters through the trees at intervals, it is a one of a kind experience as you cruise through the swamps and listen to the sounds of the wild including animal and bird calls, and rustling sounds made by the trees as they sway to the breeze. It’s like getting lost in a world inside another world, although both are extremely different from each other.

Walks are also arranged through the mangrove forests and if you prefer a trek through these woods, be forewarned to stay as close to your guide as possible. The forests may be misleading and you may get lost if you don’t stay close to the group. Even a simple act of stopping on the way to see something interesting while your group moves on may turn fatal if you are not experienced with rainforests and their ways.

Whale watching is a popular part of the excursions into the park and if you want to catch a glimpse of some of the largest creatures on earth, plan you visit accordingly in the months of January and February. Humpback whales from around the world stay in these waters for two whole months, play, mate and breed young ones before they move on to their respective homes again.

The tours end with a boat ride back to Samana Bay where more tourists wait for their turn to enter the park. A wonderful and adventurous experience coupled with fantastic photo opportunities, and the perfect chance for you to enjoy the great outdoors. Plan your trip to the Los Haitises National Park in the Dominican Republic today and enjoy a rewarding experience.