El Choco National Park

El Choco covers around seventy-seven square kilometres of karst hills, forest and lagoon directly behind the beach town of Cabarete, and the reason to go in is underground. A system of caves runs beneath the limestone, several of them holding still freshwater pools clear enough to see the bottom, reached by ladders and lit by torch, where guides let visitors swim in water that stays around twenty-four degrees. Above ground, trails run through secondary forest and past the Cabarete lagoon, with birdlife and a good deal of birdsong. Local guides from the surrounding community run the cave visits, which take about ninety minutes.

The landscape

• The cave pools - clear freshwater lagoons underground, swimmable.
• The cave passages - ladders, formations and bats between chambers.
• The karst forest trails - walking and cycling above ground.
• Cabarete lagoon - birdwatching at the park's northern edge.

When to go

December to April is drier and the tracks easier; heavy rain raises the water in the caves and can close them. Mornings are cooler. Tours run through the day from the park entrance a few minutes from Cabarete.

Things to know

The caves involve ladders, low ceilings and slippery rock, and are not suitable for anyone uneasy in confined spaces. Lighting is by handheld torch only. Guiding standards vary and some operators rush the visit. The above-ground forest is secondary growth and unremarkable compared with the mountain parks.

Nearby

Cabarete is five minutes; Sosúa is fifteen minutes west.

Key facts