What to do
Relax on Dominicus beach, snorkel or dive the reef inside Cotubanamá National Park, and eat fresh fish in the village. Boats to Saona and Catalina leave from here.
From Santo Domingo
About 2 hours by the Autovía del Este. A day trip with transport is the easiest way to go.
A fishing village turned boat harbour
Bayahibe, on the south-east coast of La Altagracia province, is still a small village of wooden houses and fishing boats — and the main departure point for trips to Saona and Catalina islands. Next door, Dominicus beach has fine sand and some of the clearest water on the south coast.
Things to do
Snorkel straight from the beach at Dominicus, dive the reefs and shipwrecks of the Parque Nacional del Este (including the underwater museum of the Guadalupe wreck), walk the short Padre Nuestro trail to a freshwater cave pool, or simply watch the fishing boats come in at sunset.
Best time of day
Mornings are busiest at the harbour as island boats leave. The village beach is quietest in the afternoon, and sunsets over the bay are among the best in the country.
Where to eat
Small restaurants along the harbour serve lobster, grilled fish and seafood rice, often caught that day. Prices vary by season — ask before ordering lobster.
Getting there from Santo Domingo
Bayahibe is roughly 2 hours east of Santo Domingo via the Autovía del Este toll road, and about 30 minutes from La Romana. Round-trip private transport is the easiest option; if you fly into SDQ, arrange an airport transfer straight to the coast. Plan Santo Domingo and a separate beach stay as one connected trip.
