Best Ecological Sites to Visit

Solo

New member
Dec 10, 2003
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Hi,

I will be in DR (Puerto Plata) from Jan 17th till Jan 24th and was wondering which are the best sites/attractions to visit as I wont have enough time to see everything. As an avid photographer I am particularly interested in waterfalls/anciet ruins.

Your help is much appreciated,

Solo
 

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
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Ruins - none from the pre-Columbian days unless you count the Caritas Indias (indigenous rock carvings) near Lago Enriquillo in the SW, or Taino cave paintings in places like Cueva de las Maravillas near San Pedro, where photography is not allowed.

Post Columbian ruins:

- early Spanish settlement which was later abandoned, La Isabela on the north west coast;

- early Spanish settlement destroyed by an earthquake, La Vega Real in the centre of the country, near the modern city of La Vega;

- early sugar mill, Ingenio de Nigua, to the west of the capital.

In the capital itself the Colonial Zone boasts several ruins: Hospital San Nicolas de Bari, Convento de San Francizco and Fortaleza Ozama.

Waterfalls:

- Salto el Limon in the NE near Samana.

- Damajagua (aka Siete Aguas) near Imbert in the north.

- Aguas Blancas near Constanza

- Salto Jimenoa near Jarabacoa.

(To name just a few...)

Sites of general ecological interest:

- Lago Enriquillo in the SW, semi arid region with interesting wildlife and desert scenery.

- Parque Nacional Los Haitises in the NE.

- Samana Bay for whale watching - you will be here at just about the right time.

All the above score pretty high on the photogenic scale, but you have to be lucky as well as skillful to snap those whales!

Chiri
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
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Just one more

The caves in Los Hait?ses have indiginous carvings...There just off Samana Bay..

Puerto Plata is not really the place to go if you are looking for that sort of stuff...

HB
 

Solo

New member
Dec 10, 2003
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Thanks a lot for the info.

I figured that if I want to see those special places I would have to journey, and I will.

The samana bay sounds great.

Take it easy,

Solo