Bayahibe holidays

Holidays to Bayahibe are your ticket to paradise. They line up long white beaches, tropical waters teeming with fish, and bars that vibrate to the rhythm of merengue.

A snapshot of Bayahibe

Bayahibe is a tropical paradise on the southeast coast of the Dominican Republic. With its pinch-me-I’m-dreaming sands and crystal-clear waters filled with coral reefs, it ticks off everything on your Caribbean wish list. And whether you stay in the go-slow fishing village or the luxury resort just five minutes’ drive south, you’ll quickly adjust to the zen-like pace of life.

The beaches

The toughest decision you’ll have to make is which of Bayahibe’s two beaches to use. Just north of the village is Bayahibe Beach, a strip of sherbet-soft white sand washed by the Caribbean Sea, with a vibrant coral reef hiding just below the water’s surface. Heading south, you’ll arrive at Dominicus Beach. It’s a ribbon of immaculate white sand that shelves gently into the water, making it safe paddling territory. It’s backed by a row of luxury hotels. Where these end, the National Park of the East begins. Here, the sands are virtually footprint-free.

Scuba diving

With an abundance of Technicolor reefs, it’s no surprise that scuba diving is a major attraction. There are a dozen or so scuba centres in the village that will bring you face-to-face with the manta rays and barracudas that swim around the corals. There are wrecks, too, like the St George. It sits on the seabed at a depth of 144 feet. And if you’re new to diving, you can get trained up in a few days with a PADI course.

Saona Island

If you’ve ever wondered where the Bounty adverts were filmed, make sure you take the 90-minute boat ride from Bayahibe Beach to Saona Island, part of the National Park of the East, to see it for real. All there is to do here is eat lobster, snooze in a hammock, and pick starfish off the seabed.