Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ded hotel 9km west of town and 1km past the park entrance, and offers good tours inside
Parque Los Haitises as well. Boat excursions range between RD$1250 and RD$4400 for
groups of two to four depending on the extent of the tour, and hiking trips (RD$500 per
guide) through the park's
bosque humedo
(humid forest) also can be arranged. During the
humpback season, Paraíso organizes whale-watching tours (US$56 per person) in the wa-
ters near Samaná.
The
local guide association
has whale-watching tours in season (per person US$120), trips
to Los Haitises (per person US$60) and Cayo Levantado (per person US$90). There are
four or so that speak basic English. You'll find them in the small blue 'Tourist Informa-
tion' office near the pier; or at the
Parque Nacional Los Haitises office
one block west of the
town plaza. Both are on Calle Elupina Cordero, which parallels the seafront.
At the entrance to Los Haitises,
boatmen Joel
( 809-225-0517)
and
Tin
( 809-225-0535)
also offer to take visitors on tours of the park (RD$500 per person for groups of three to
10, RD$400 for 10 to 25). Groups of less than three people will pay RD$1500 for the
boat. While the excursions are similar to those offered by the tour operators, background
information on the sights is often less detailed and English is scarce.
Sleeping & Eating
The turnoff to Caño Hondo and Parque Nacional Los Haitises is a short distance north of
the Miches intersection - look for a Brugal rum sign saying 'Caño Hondo'. There's a
Texaco gas station at the entrance to town on the road to Hato Mayor as well as a La Isla
2km south.
Paraíso Caño Hondo
( 809-248-5995;
www.paraisocanohondo.com
; s/d/tr incl breakfast RD$2040/3212/4437; )
Noth-
ing good comes easy and this quirky and rustic retreat, one of the more special places to
stay anywhere in the DR and the antithesis of the all-inclusives for which the country is
famous, won't persuade you otherwise. Coming upon Paraíso Caño Hondo so far out of
the way after a long and rough road feels like an epiphany.
The Río Jivales, which runs through the 28-room property, has been channeled into 10
magical waterfall-fed pools, perfect for a soak any time of the day. Rooms are large and
rustic, made mostly of wood, though extremely comfortable. Bathroom ceilings are made
of aged dried palm fronds and energy-saving light fixtures are used throughout, giving the
HOTEL
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