Montaña Redonda

Montaña Redonda is a solitary rounded hill of about three hundred metres rising from flat country near Miches, and because there is nothing else that height nearby the view from the top takes in the Atlantic coast on one side, the Redonda and Limón lagoons below, and the Cordillera Oriental behind. A local family began running trucks up the rough track and put swings, hammocks and a wooden platform on the summit; the swings out over the drop have made the hill a fixture on Dominican social media and now draw a steady stream of visitors. It is a simple place, and the appeal is genuinely the view rather than the props.

The landscape

• The summit view - Atlantic coast, lagoons and mountains in one sweep.
• The swings - hung out over the slope, the reason most people come.
• The lagoons - Redonda and Limón spread out below.
• The truck ride - the rough track up from the road.

When to go

November to April is drier and the track more reliable. Early morning is clearest and quietest; by mid-morning the trucks are running steadily. Sunrise trips are possible by arrangement. Cloud and haze build through the day.

Before you go

The track is rough enough that you take the local truck rather than drive up, which is a charge on top of entry. The summit is small and gets crowded, with queues for the swings at busy times. It is a viewpoint with photo props rather than a hike or a nature site, which is worth knowing before the drive.

Nearby

Miches and the Limón lagoon are below; Salto de la Jalda is nearby.