Look out for manatees at the Marine Mammal Sanctuary in nearby Estero Hondo, an hour east of Montecristi, where a couple of hiking trails lead you towards a protected lagoon, home to the largest number of endangered herbivore West Indian Manatees in the DR. The Estero Hondo Marine Mammal Sanctuary also doubles as a protected habitat for birds–climb the lookout tower to spot manatees and birds in one fell swoop.
Cayo Arena offers schools of tropical fish that can also easily be seen in shallow turquoise waters, making this spot a paradise for snorkeling fans; the area boasts some of the most abundant marine life in the DR, with corals and sponges, and schools of tropical fish swimming around your feet.
Formed by coral sands, they offer a world of underwater exploration and wildlife. Around the cayes’ shores, you’ll spot cacti, iguanas, and crabs. Underwater, submerged forests, sandy bottoms, and large rocky walls make this area a one-stop site for snorkeling, day or night diving.
El Morro rises 242 meters (794 feet) above sea level, gracing Montecristi’s coastal scenery with one of the most striking, unique views in DR. The dry, subtropical forest landscape around El Morro is surrounded by extensive stands of mangroves that can be seen up close on foot, or by boat.
Estero Hondo Marine Mammal Sanctuary
Look out for manatees at the Marine Mammal Sanctuary, where a couple of hiking trails lead you towards a protected lagoon, home to the largest number of endangered herbivore West Indian Manatees in DR.
This small white sand caye lies across the corner from El Morro, just a couple of minutes off the coast of Montecristi, easily accessible by boat for a day out enjoying soft sand, calm turquoise seas, and seclusion near town.
Montecristi Underwater National Park
The Montecristi Underwater National Park boasts a rich coral barrier. It is the most untouched and vibrant reef in the country, and yet the least visited. You’ll spot gorgeous hard and soft coral gardens at various depths, including large moose horn corals, and schools of small tropical fish.
Playa Buen Hombre, located in a fishing village, is well known amid avid kitesurfers for its white sand stretch, and its on-site kite school teaching you how to ride the intense waves along this wild Atlantic shoreline.
Boasting one of the most breathtaking sceneries in the Dominican Republic, the golden shores of Playa El Morro are hugged by towering limestone cliffs–including El Morro–with gorgeous blue Atlantic waves. You will hike down a series of boulders to reach the beach.
Playa Juan de Bolaños conveniently lines the seafront boulevard, offering views of the iconic El Morro cliff. Residents flock to this white sand beach and its turquoise waters on weekdays to watch the sun setting right before its shores.
Punta Rucia boasts a brilliant white sand beach and calm turquoise sea, flanked by soaring mountain views. The main jumping-off point to Cayo Arena, thousands of visitors come here daily to reach the caye and snorkel off the large coral reef just offshore.
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