Los Haitises National Park

Los Haitises National Park is one of the most fascinating ecosystems in the Caribbean, a labyrinth of lush karst mogotes rising from the sea in Samana Bay. This 1,600 km² park is home to mangroves teeming with tens of thousands of birds—including massive frigatebird and pelican colonies—and caves with invaluable Taíno paintings. Exploring Los Haitises by boat through mogote-covered waters and navigating caves is one of the Dominican Republic's most awe-inspiring experiences.

Haitises is a Taíno word meaning mountainous land, and this territory was sacred to the island's indigenous people. The park's caves contain Taíno petroglyphs and pictographs that have survived 500 years, documenting the cosmology and life of a people who disappeared with Spanish colonization. It was declared a National Park in 1976.