Los Haitises National Park, National park in Hato Mayor Province, Dominican Republic.
Los Haitises lies in Hato Mayor and Samaná provinces and includes coastal waters, mangrove forests, and limestone karst formations spread over a wide stretch of land. The terrain shows cone-shaped hills, grottoes, and waterways that connect both coastal zones and forested interior areas.
The government declared the area a protected zone in 1976 and expanded it two decades later to protect more land. The expansion served to preserve ecosystems and guard against logging and agriculture.
The caves throughout the region still carry wall paintings and carved symbols from the time when the Taíno lived here before European arrival. Visitors can see these remnants during guided walks and understand how earlier communities used the coastal area and the karst hills.
Visitors usually travel by boat from small harbor towns into mangrove areas and to the caves, as large parts of the terrain are difficult to reach by land. Sturdy footwear and sun protection make outings easier when moving both on foot and by water.
Many bird species nest in the mangroves and on the forested hills, including species found only on Hispaniola. Early morning or at dusk the calls can be heard more clearly as flocks move through the trees.
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