Cachote

From the coast road at Paraíso a track climbs steeply into the Bahoruco range and, in about an hour of rough driving, arrives at Cachote, a small community sitting in cloud forest at around eleven hundred metres. The transition is abrupt: from cactus and hot pebble beach to a forest where the trees are furred with moss, tree ferns crowd the path, orchids and bromeliads grow on every branch, and cloud sits in the canopy for most of the day. Endemic birds are abundant and the frogs are loud at night. A community-run ecolodge with basic cabins is the only accommodation, and the association also provides guides for the trails.

What you actually see

• The moss forest - trees furred with moss, tree ferns and bromeliads.
• Endemic birds - Hispaniolan trogon and others along the trails.
• The community lodge - basic cabins run by the village association.
• The climate change - beach to cloud forest in an hour's drive.

When to go

November to April is drier, though this is cloud forest and it rains or drips most days regardless. It is cold at night by Caribbean standards, often below fifteen degrees, so bring warm layers. Birding is best at first light, which means staying overnight.

Honest expectations

The access track is rough and steep and needs four-wheel drive or a local vehicle. The lodge is genuinely basic, with cold water and limited electricity. It rains constantly and the trails are muddy. Guides speak Spanish only. Anyone wanting comfort should stay on the coast and come up for the day.

Nearby

Paraíso and the coast road are below; Sierra de Bahoruco continues inland.