LOS HAITISES national park Dominican Republic
Parque Nacional Los Haitises National Park
The Dominican Republic is blessed to have a great deal of ecodiversity for such a small country, and the Parque Nacional Los Haitises (Land of the Mountains National Park) is one of the most distinctive of its national reserves, comprising nearly 160 kilometers of mangroves, estuaries, coves, and bays that together embrace the southwestern curve of the Bahía de Samaná.
Over 700 species of flora (17 are endemic to the area) thrive in the subhumid tropical forest due to its great amount of annual rainfall. Roughly 110 species of birds nest here, including the blue heron, the great white egret, the brown pelican, the roseate tern, and the rare Hispaniolan parakeet. The park’s fauna includes scores of bats, tortoises, and manatees, which reside in the mangrove systems along the coast and various caves throughout.
The extensive limestone cave system is a major attraction for its examples of stalactites, stalagmites, and Taíno pictographs and petroglyphs depicting animals, rituals, faces, and divine beings.
Considering the rugged topography and its remoteness, the park is best conquered by boat excursions. They will take you through mangrove rivers, islets, and caves along the coast.
Coming from Highway 103 or 104, you’ll see a park service sign in the south end of Sabana de la Mar. Excursions for the Parque Nacional Los Haitises are best done through various companies in Sabana de la Mar, Samaná, and Sánchez.