Since the late 1800's, Bayahibe has been a seaside village of industrious hard working fishermen and farmers. The Dominicans in Bayahibe work hard and play hard. They know how to live off the land and they have a definite vision for how they want their town to grow (and not grow).
The town of Bayahibe is the very definition of idyllic. It sits on two bays right on the Caribbean Sea with a long stretch of land between the two bays called "The Point" that pokes way out into the water affording anyone standing there with panoramic maritime views. Truly spectacular sunset colors fill the sky almost every evening. Even though Bayahibe is one of the most gorgeous places in the Dominican Republic, it remained a secret to almost all tourists except a few rare (and lucky) individuals for many decades even while other areas of the Dominican Republic became tourist meccas.
Since the mid to late 1990's, the word about how wonderful Bayahibe is has gotten out. It started with a few savvy independent travelers discovering this secret paradise and then the news spread mostly word of mouth, slowly at first but quite rapidly more recently. Serious scuba divers were among the first to come because there is some of the best diving in the Caribbean right off Bayahibe. Plus, there's a marina full of boats ready and willing to take them to other spots an easy day trip away. Another major factor to Bayahibe being discovered by tourists is the fact that most of the Saona Island excursions leave from the Bayahibe marina. Therefore, tourists from the Punta Cana and La Romana areas get a taste of Bayahibe when they go on Saona Island excursions. Some of them make a point of coming back.
So, as word leaked out about Bayahibe, more and more tourists began showing up in this self-reliant Dominican Republic town. The influx of tourist dollars was certainly a boon for the local economy but the locals, many of whom have family connections in Bayahibe that go back generations, are determined not to allow Bayahibe to become "another Punta Cana," i.e. an all-inclusive resort town. They are determined to make sure Bayahibe remains a unique Dominican town with a true sense of community and local pride which is not solely dependent on the tourism industry.
The fact that the local community wants to preserve the authentic Dominican way in their town has great appeal to tourists who are looking to experience the real thing. In fact, some tourists actively avoid the overly touristy scene of the all-inclusive resorts and go instead in search of areas where they can experience the real people and real culture. These tourists are often the ones that are looking for ecotourism opportunities too. They are eager to learn the real history and culture of a place and explore the natural wonders of the area without having a negative impact. Bayahibe is perhaps the best place to do this in the entire Dominican Republic.
Bayahibe was founded by Puerto Rican fishermen in 1874 but there is strong archaeological evidence that people inhabited this beautiful area as early as 2000 BC. In fact, present day Bayahibe is the oldest human civilization that has been discovered in the Caribbean. Consider this: 2000 BC is about 2400 years before the native Taino people arrived! Archeologists, historians, and others are still trying to solve the mysteries about the waves of earlier people that inhabited the area, their culture, how long they stayed, and why they left. It is also thought that Christopher Columbus dropped anchor in one of the protected Bayahibe Bays in Sept 14 - 15, 1494 and may have sent men ashore for supplies.
Bayahibe can be a really fun place to just hang out. There are outdoor cafes and bars where you can wile away the hours by the sparkling sea watching the boats come in and out and people watch of course. Most of the houses are wooden and painted in vibrant colors that really stand out in the tropical climate. If you walk around the town, you'll also notice conch shells and chickens in many of the yards. Besides being nestled on not one but two seaside bays, there are fresh water lagoons in the center of town that serve as social gathering places. Great place to mingle with the locals!
The Bayahibe harbor is a place with plenty of buzz and an experience all unto itself. You can watch the menagerie of boats parading in and out every day and what a diverse spectacle it is! You'll see everything from fishermen working with old traditional fishing boats, called jolas, with their paint peeling right along side modern fiberglass double hulled catamarans whisking tourists down to Saona and other offshore islands. You'll see some Dominicans using upgraded motor boats for fishing along side stately sailing boats. Some tourists to Bayahibe get a kick out of making a special point of watching all the boats leave in the morning and come back in the evening. While the Bayahibe harbor is a modern one, it is also common to see the jolas tied to the base of a palm tree!
Scuba diving and snorkeling are still very popular activities around Bayahibe. The water around Bayahibe is calmer than what you'll find on both the north coast and and east coast of the Dominican Republic. This is because Bayahibe sits on the Caribbean Sea whereas the Dominican north coast and east coast sits on the Atlantic Ocean. The Caribbean Sea is much calmer than the Atlantic Ocean and you'll also find the beaches to have finer whiter sand. Divers and those hoping to do some snorkeling will feel right at home in Bayahibe as there are at least 10 dive shops in the area and there are 3 major shipwrecks just offshore to explore. Many people love to treasure hunt in these areas since it is known that the ships that wrecked in the late 15th -17th centuries were often loaded with gold and other valuables.
Bayahibe is still over-shadowed by the massive Casa de Campo Resort in the La Romana area about 10 miles to the east and the all-inclusive resorts of the Puna Cana coast about 1-2 hours to the east. However, for those who are lucky enough to have discovered Bayahibe, they usually go away considering it their favorite place in the Dominican Republic.
For more information about Bayahibe, Saona Island, and other destinations along the Dominican Republic southeast coast, please visit Alexander's ecotourism website. The site is full of information and his excursions are ranked the highest in the country.
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