
These are the best times for adventure tourism. Experts say physical distancing reduces the risk of catching Covid-19. Domestic travel is the way to go, and now many National Parks are ready to receive your visit.
There are now 48 protected areas that can be visited Monday to Friday from 8am to 4pm and Saturdays and Sundays from 8am to 3pm.
The Ministry of the Environment announced this week it had added 11 protected areas to the open to the public list. Strict health protocols apply, nevertheless. Overnighting is not allowed in the new areas, and children under 14 years need to be accompanied by their parents. Permanent use of masks is mandatory, except when walking on medium or high difficulty trails. Physical distancing of 1.5 meters is required at all times.
The new areas open to the public are:
La Caleta National Underwater Park
Jose Armando Bermúdez National Park (Pico Duarte)
Sierra de Bahoruco National Park
Loma Quitaespuela Scientific Reserve
Pico Diego de Ocampo natural monument Salto de Jimenoa natural monument
Laguna Mallen wildlife refuge,
Río Higuamo wildlife refuge
Río Soco wildlife refuge,
Redonda wildlife refuge
Limón lagoon wildlife refuge
La Gran Laguna or Perucho wildlife refuge
In addition to the National Parks listed above, others that are open are: Cotubanamá (National Park of the East), Jaragua, Monte Cristi Underwater Park, Los Haitíses, Enriquillo Lake and Cabritos Island, Ozama Wetlands, Valle Nuevo (no overnight stays), El Morro, Estero Balsa, Cabo Cabrón and Francisco Caamaño.
Also open to visitors are the marine mammal sanctuaries of Estero Hondo, Bancos de la Plata and Navidad (only Cayo Levantado and Cayo Farola) and the scientific reserve Ébano Verde.
Also on the list are the natural monuments Cueva de los Tres Ojos, Cabo Francés Viejo, Loma Isabel de Torres, Las Dunas de las Calderas, Isla Catalina, Cabarete and Goleta Lagoons, Saltos de la Damajagua, Cuevas Las Maravillas, Salto del Limón and the Anthropological Reserve Cuevas de Borbón o del Pomier, Natural Monument Laguna Gri-Grí and Cabo Samaná.
Visits are also allowed to Gran Estero, Gran Parque de las Américas, the lagoons Aurelio, Don Gregorio, El Toro, Las Caobas, Las Malvinas, Manantiales del Cachón de la Rubia and Mirador del Oeste (Engombe).
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Hoy
22 September 2020