Description of the attraction
In the province of La Romana, there is the amazing Del Este Nature Reserve. It was founded in 1975 and occupies 792 square kilometers. The national park consists of the mainland and the small island of Saona, also called Bounty Island. The island, discovered by Columbus in 1494, can be reached by a pleasure boat. Since this is a protected area, large-scale construction is prohibited here. An exception was made only for residents of the island village of Mano Juan, who sell souvenirs and thereby earn their living. Now Saona is many-meter white beaches, mangrove and relict forests, where more than fifty different plant species grow. The islet is also famous for its caves, which in the 16th century served as a refuge for the Indians who were hiding from the Spaniards. A sightseeing tour of the city is conducted for tourists, then they can relax on one of the beaches of the island. The sea off the coast of Saona is ideal for diving.
The mainland part of the reserve is no less interesting than the island one. It consists mainly of deciduous forests. The Taino Indians used to live in the local dry subtropical forest. Now, only the landscaped beaches in the western part of the park remind of human activities in these places. 112 species of birds live on the territory of the reserve. To see at least some of them, you need to go deeper into the jungle. Lovers of boat trips can watch turtles, bottlenose dolphins and manatees. Yachts with tourists usually ply along the coast, from where the mangroves are clearly visible.
