Laguna Gri-Gri

Gri-Gri is a freshwater lagoon that starts in the middle of the town of Río San Juan and runs out to the sea through a channel roofed over by mangrove, so the first stretch of the boat trip is a green tunnel with roots arching overhead, herons standing in the shallows and turtles dropping off branches. At the mouth the boats turn along the coast, calling at the Cueva de las Golondrinas, a sea cave where swallows nest, and at a sheltered cove for swimming. The trip is short, about an hour and a half, and the boats are simple wooden launches run by a local association from a jetty in the town square.

What you actually see

• The mangrove tunnel - the roofed channel at the start of the trip.
• Cueva de las Golondrinas - the sea cave with nesting swallows.
• The swimming cove - a sheltered stop along the coast.
• Herons and turtles - along the lagoon margins.

When to go

December to April is drier and the sea calm enough for the coastal section; in swell the boats stay inside the lagoon, which shortens the trip considerably. Mornings are best for birds and calmer water. The trip takes about ninety minutes.

Honest expectations

The lagoon has degraded over the years, with less wildlife than the trip promises and litter visible in places. The coastal section is cancelled whenever the sea is up, and operators do not always reduce the price accordingly. There is pressure to tip at every stop. It is a short trip sold as a half day.

Nearby

Playa Grande is ten minutes east; Cabarete is an hour west.