Salto de la Jalda

La Jalda drops around a hundred and twenty metres off the eastern flank of the Cordillera Oriental, which by most reckonings makes it the highest waterfall in the Caribbean. Getting there is the whole day: a walk of roughly eight kilometres each way from the village of Magua, crossing the river more than a dozen times, through cocoa and coffee smallholdings and then into forest, with horses available for those who want them. The community that manages the trail provides the guides, which is compulsory and also the point, since the fee stays locally. At the end the fall drops into a cold pool in a bowl of rock deep enough to swim in.

What you actually see

• The fall - around 120 metres, the highest in the Caribbean.
• The pool - cold, deep and swimmable at the base.
• The river crossings - more than a dozen on the way in.
• The smallholdings - cocoa and coffee farms along the trail.

When to go

November to April is drier and the river crossings easier; after heavy rain the river rises and the trail closes. Start early, since the round trip takes most of the day. Horses can be arranged in the village for those who would rather ride than walk.

Honest expectations

It is a full day of walking, sixteen kilometres return with repeated river crossings, and people underestimate it badly; sturdy shoes that can get wet are essential. The trail closes when the river is high. Guides are compulsory and speak little English. There are no facilities beyond the village at the start.

Nearby

Miches and the Montaña Redonda are nearby; Punta Cana is two and a half hours east.