La Romana · La Altagracia · the Dominican Republic

La Romana and Bayahibe

The southern coast of eastern Dominican Republic: Altos de Chavón above the river, the Cueva de las Maravillas, the fishing village of Bayahibe and the boats to Isla Saona and Isla Catalina.

Costa Leste: Punta Cana e La Romana

In the photo: Chavón River

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

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Get to know the place

A region to enjoy
at your own pace.

La Romana and Bayahibe sit on the southern coast of eastern Dominican Republic, facing the Caribbean Sea, between Santo Domingo and Punta Cana. La Romana is a sugar-mill town and cruise port; next to it, the large Casa de Campo development brings together golf courses, a marina and Altos de Chavón, a Mediterranean-style village built on a bluff above the Chavón River.

Bayahibe, about 20 km to the east, began as a fishing village and became the departure point for boats to Parque Nacional Cotubanamá, the protected area that includes Isla Saona, Isla Catalinita and the dry-forest coast and caves between Bayahibe and the island’s southeastern tip. The sea is calm and clear, with reefs that make the region one of the country’s best diving areas.

The main attraction is Isla Saona: white-sand beaches and coconut palms, the village of Mano Juan and, on the way, a natural pool out at sea — a sandbank where the water reaches waist-deep. Isla Catalina, opposite La Romana, is another boat trip, with diving along a coral wall. On land, the Cueva de las Maravillas displays paintings of the Taíno, the island’s former inhabitants.

The destination appeals to visitors who want calm beaches without Punta Cana’s scale, diving and boat tours; it has its own airport, La Romana, and Santo Domingo is a little over an hour and a half by road.

This destination brings together 3 cities: La Romana, Bayahibe, Isla Saona (Mano Juan).

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One destination, many paths

The cities on this trip

Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.

Where La Romana and Bayahibe is

Limites: Oficina Nacional de Estadística / OCHA-HDX / geoBoundaries (CC BY 3.0 IGO). Adaptação do Cidade Turismo.

How to get there: La Romana and Bayahibe

✈ Aeropuerto Internacional de La Romana (LRM) · 10 km to La Romana

Check before booking. Aeropuerto de La Romana (LRM) is a few kilometers from the town and Casa de Campo. Punta Cana (PUJ), about an hour away, and Las Américas (SDQ), about an hour and a half away, have more flights; from there, transfers, taxis or buses follow the highway.

Suggested arrival point: La Romana

La Romana · La Romana and Bayahibe Capital Suggested arrival point

La Romana

La Romana is the capital of the province of the same name, a sugar-mill town and cruise port on the south coast. To the east is Casa de Campo, with Altos de Chavón, the stone village above the Chavón River; to the west, the Cueva de las Maravillas, with Taíno paintings; and in front of the port, Isla Catalina, with a beach and diving.

La Romana · La Romana and Bayahibe

Bayahibe

Bayahibe is a fishing village founded at the end of the 19th century that became the departure point for boats to Isla Saona and the diving center of the southern coast. It has a calm beach, small inns, seafood restaurants and the pier in the village center. Nearby are Playa Dominicus, with a blue flag, and the trails and caves of Parque Nacional Cotubanamá.

La Altagracia · La Romana and Bayahibe

Isla Saona (Mano Juan)

Mano Juan is the fishing village of Isla Saona, the country’s largest island, inside Parque Nacional Cotubanamá. It has small colorful wooden houses, a long white-sand beach with coconut palms, and a sea turtle protection center. It’s the quietest part of the island, for those who want to stay beyond the day trip and see the natural pool out at sea.

The local experience

Things to do in La Romana and Bayahibe

La Romana · La Romana · Village

Altos de Chavón

A stone village in a 16th-century Mediterranean style, built in the 1970s and 1980s on a cliff above the Chavón River, with a church, amphitheater, studios and a viewpoint.

Isla Saona (Mano Juan) · La Altagracia · Beach

Playa de Mano Juan

The beach of Isla Saona’s fishing village: white sand, coconut palms leaning over the sea and small colorful wooden houses, in one of the calmest stretches of the island.

Bayahibe · La Romana · Beach

Playa Dominicus

A long white-sand beach with calm, clear water next to Bayahibe, with a blue flag, reefs near the shore and beach hotels.

La Romana · La Romana · Cave

Cueva de las Maravillas

A limestone cave with hundreds of Taíno paintings and engravings, stalactites and illuminated walkways, between San Pedro de Macorís and La Romana.

See 3 more places in La Romana and Bayahibe

Bayahibe · La Romana · Park

Parque Nacional Cotubanamá

The large protected area on the southeast tip, with dry forest, trails, caves with Taíno paintings, reefs and the islands Saona and Catalinita, accessible from Bayahibe.

Isla Saona (Mano Juan) · La Altagracia · Natural pool

Piscina Natural de Isla Saona

A sandbank out at sea between Bayahibe and Isla Saona, where the shallow, clear water reaches waist depth and starfish rest on the bottom.

La Romana · La Romana · Island

Isla Catalina

A small protected island off La Romana, with a white-sand beach and calm water on one side and, on the other, a coral wall known among divers.

Before you go

Practical information

A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.

When to go

From December to April it usually rains less and the sea is calmer for boat trips; this is high season. June to November is hurricane season, with heavier showers more frequent from August to October, but the Caribbean Sea is often fine for diving except on stormy days.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

How many days to stay

Three to four days: one for Isla Saona, one for Altos de Chavón and the Cueva de las Maravillas, one for Isla Catalina or a dive, plus time for Bayahibe beach. A week works well if you want more beach days or a trip to Santo Domingo.

Which city to stay in

Bayahibe is the nicest place to stay: the village has inns and seafront restaurants, and the boat pier is in the center. Dominicus, next door, hosts the all-inclusive beach hotels. Casa de Campo, in La Romana, is the upscale development with villas, golf and a marina. The city of La Romana has shops and basic hotels, but little beach.

Respect the place

Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.

Get your questions answered

Frequently asked questions about La Romana and Bayahibe

What is the difference between La Romana and Bayahibe?

La Romana is a commercial town, port and sugar-mill center, with Casa de Campo and Altos de Chavón nearby. Bayahibe is a fishing village about 20 km away, with a calm beach, small inns and the boat pier for Isla Saona.

Where do the tours to Isla Saona depart from?

From Bayahibe’s pier, where catamarans and speedboats take about an hour to reach the island. Tours sold in Punta Cana also depart from Bayahibe after roughly an hour’s drive.

How many days to stay in La Romana and Bayahibe?

Three or four days are enough for Isla Saona, Altos de Chavón, the Cueva de las Maravillas and a day for the beach or diving.

Is Bayahibe good for diving?

Yes, it is one of the country’s main diving spots, with reefs, walls and wrecks near the coast and the islands of Parque Nacional Cotubanamá.

Do I need a car in La Romana and Bayahibe?

Not indispensable: there are taxis, local buses between La Romana and Bayahibe and transfers for tours. A car helps if you want to combine Altos de Chavón, the Cueva de las Maravillas and Higüey in one day.

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