Estero Hondo Manatee Sanctuary

Estero Hondo protects a mangrove estuary and the shallow bay outside it on the north coast, and it holds one of the more significant Antillean manatee populations in the country, watched from a raised platform overlooking the water and from small boats worked through the mangrove channels. A visitor centre explains the animal and the threats to it. Sightings are unreliable, which is the honest position everywhere manatees are concerned.

What you actually see

• The manatees - one of the country's more significant populations of the animal.
• The observation platform - the raised viewpoint over the estuary water.
• The mangrove channels - the waterways worked by small boat.
• The visitor centre - the interpretation of the species and its threats.

When to go

December to April is drier and calmer. Early morning is the best chance for sightings. Manatees are present year round but rarely visible.

Honest expectations

Manatee sightings are genuinely uncommon and most visits see nothing more than a ripple. The centre keeps limited hours. Boat trips depend on staff being available.

Nearby

Luperón is east, and Cayos Siete Hermanos are west.