Discover Independencia

The province of Independencia is located in the Enriquillo region and covers 1,952.29 km². It borders Elías Piña Province to the north, Bahoruco and Barahona provinces to the east, Pedernales Province to the south, and Haiti to the west. When planning your trip, it helps to distinguish this larger administrative area from individual destinations: the swimming area and boat trips are associated with La Descubierta, while Sierra de Bahoruco National Park extends across several provinces.

Swimming and nature watching near La Descubierta

At the Las Barías swimming area in La Descubierta, visitors can swim in cold water, with large trees surrounding the site. Boat trips on Lago Enriquillo and to Isla Cabritos are also offered from La Descubierta. These trips offer the chance to observe the island’s native and endemic flora and fauna. This gives you two distinct options for your trip: swimming at the site or observing nature on a boat trip. Before traveling, check locally whether the trips will be running when you visit.

A few kilometers from La Descubierta are the office and main entrance to Lago Enriquillo e Isla Cabritos National Park. The visitor center has an exhibition about the national park and a viewpoint. The exhibition focuses on the park, while the viewpoint offers a view from the visitor center. If you plan to visit, check in advance whether the center will be open during your stay.

Landscapes across provincial borders

Sierra de Bahoruco National Park covers a different geographic scale. It extends across Independencia, Pedernales, and Barahona, encompasses a large part of the Sierra de Bahoruco, and covers more than 1,000 km². Its landscapes include mountains, plains, and dry forests; its highest point is more than 2,000 meters above sea level. The park is therefore a natural area that extends beyond Independencia Province. When comparing individual destinations in the province with the national park, it is helpful to distinguish between the province and the protected area.

In the wider area around Lago Enriquillo, dry forest is the typical vegetation; mangroves grow in some places. This description complements the mountain and plain landscapes of the Sierra with a distinct connection to the lake surroundings.

Rock art and natural monuments

At Las Caritas, a series of wooden steps leads to a wooden platform directly in front of the open rock chambers. Las Caritas de Los Indios features numerous petroglyphs carved into rock walls, suggesting a Taíno presence thousands of years ago. Here, descriptions of the rock chambers and the cultural significance of the carvings come together. If you plan to visit Las Caritas, check current access conditions in advance.

Natural monuments in Independencia include Las Caobas, Los Cacheos, and Manantiales de las Barías. Their combined area is given as approximately 161.98 km². This area figure applies to the group as a whole, not to any one of the three sites.

Patron saint festival in La Descubierta

The patron saint festival in honor of San Juan Bautista is associated with June 24 in La Descubierta. If the date is important for your trip, check the current program in advance.

More destinations

Discover more destinations: Las Salinas, Puerto Escondido, Peravia, La Vega, Monte Cristi, Sanchez Ramirez, Pedernales, Samaná

Go to the main travel overview: Dominican Republic.