The Barahona Coast Road

South of Barahona the Bahoruco mountains come down to the water and the road runs on a narrow shelf between the two for around a hundred kilometres, with the Caribbean directly below on one side and cliffs and forest above on the other. The beaches along it are pebble and coarse sand rather than powder, and what makes them unusual is the fresh water: cold rivers come straight out of the mountains and run across the beach into the sea, so at San Rafael and Los Patos the rivers have been dammed into natural pools where people swim in cold fresh water metres from warm salt. Fish shacks operate at both. Larimar is mined in the hills above.

What you actually see

• San Rafael - a cold river pool on the beach, with fish shacks alongside.
• Los Patos - a very short river running from spring to sea across the sand.
• The coast road - a hundred kilometres between mountain and Caribbean.
• Playa El Quemaíto and Bahoruco - quieter stretches along the way.

When to go

November to April is drier and the road most reliable. The river pools run all year but are fullest after rain. Weekends and Dominican holidays fill San Rafael and Los Patos completely; midweek they are calm.

Honest expectations

These are pebble beaches with steep entries and strong shore break, not calm resort sand; swimming in the sea here is often not advisable and the river pools are the safer option. The road has landslide sections and is unlit at night. Facilities are basic and litter around the popular pools is a problem at weekends.

Nearby

Barahona is the base; Bahía de las Águilas is at the far end of the road.