Bahia de las Aguilas - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)
Bahia de las Aguilas
Bahia de las Aguilas
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5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles420 reviews
Excellent
365
Very good
46
Average
6
Poor
0
Terrible
3

Anne Grace
Niceville, FL12 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2019 • Couples
We drove from Santo Domingo. It was a very long drive. The roads are dirt when. You get close. We stayed the night by glamping in the suites on the property. We did the private boat tour and they dropped us off with a cooler, sodas, and chairs. We brought our own snorkeling equipment, but there wasn't much to see. The water was flat, clear, and beautiful. This was definitely a highlights of our trip to RD.
Written February 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

hotelator62
New York City, NY9 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2012 • Couples
At the very south of Dominican Republic, you will find probably the most beautiful and virgin beach of the whole country. It is worth the drive, and you can stay overnight in Pedernales, a little town close to this beach, which is totally safe, and we highly advise a cute small hotel called Doña Chava. (The guide Routard, or Trotamundos in Spanish, is very useful and recommendable!)
But be careful when you get to Bahia de las Aguilas: stay away from Santiago Rodriguez and his restaurant Cueva de las Aguilas and his boat service to the beach!
This guy is a charlatan whose philosophy is "take as much money from the tourist as you can" When you get to the parking, his mafia will approach you with mermaid songs and suddenly you are into his claws and it is too late. DON'T! Drive past the restaurant a few more yards and you will find the original fishermen from there, who cook real food, and have better prices to take you to the beach by boat. These men where the original inhabitants of the place, sweet people, real workers, who Santiago and his business has sunk with his lies and octopus methods: he came from nowhere a few years ago, talking of development WITH those people, and finally took over the whole business, leaving them with nothing. These people have a very basic education and cannot defend themselves, their situation touched our hearts deeply, specially when you quickly realize what kind of character this Santiago is. Hope this is helpful to all travelers: SKIP SANTIAGO AND GO STRAIGHT TO THE FISHERMEN! you will not repent.
Written February 19, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

carrom
Rome, Italy736 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2017 • Couples
From Barahona expect a 2.5 hour drive. The road is excellent and the scenery beautiful so go for it. Ideally you could camp in Las Cuevas - Cabo Rojo for a couple of nights to make the most of it. When you reach Las Cuevas - in theory a small fishing community - you get mobbed by organizers trying to set you up with lunch and a boat trip to the beach. This is a bit of a pain. Lunch is in a lively setting but a waste of time if you only have a day to spend at the beach. The boaters have formed a cartel so no fishing boats for 400 DR$ as suggested in some of the guides. They all want DR$2000 to take you across and there is no other choice as the drive is very bad. On the other hand 20 odd dollars are worth the trip because it is spectacular. Get them to slow down so you can really enjoy swerving in and out of the rocks. We ordered lunch and took it to the beach. Much better. The beach itself is amazing. Big so feels empty. No palms but some trees for shade. Amazing blues. Some iguanas. Just go before it gets spoiled!!
Written February 23, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Guy
Oaxaca, Mexico163 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2016 • Friends
This beach is not all that accessible, especially if you don't have private transport. Having just returned a great weekend there, I thought I'd let on to how we did it.

First you need to take an westward bound bus for the border town of Pedernales. From Barahona this takes about 3 hours and costs $250 pesos. From Pedernales take a motoconcho to Las Cuevas. This takes abut 30 mins and for two people on one motoconcho costs $600 pesos. (It is expensive, but there is no other public transport). From Las Cuevas a boat to Bahia de Las Aguilas costs $1800 pesos and takes fifteen minutes. Try to join up with others to make a considerable saving.

The beach is lovely but not nearly as nice as the set up they have at Eco Del Mar, a stones throw from Las Cuevas. It's a really pretty place I would recommend staying at. They have basic tents on the beach ($15 USD a night) a great restaurant and bar and wonderful views. You also have the beach to yourself and not full of folks as at Bahia De Las Aguilas. You could easily stay here a couple of nights and give yourself time to rest after all the effort in getting here!

I hope this helps.
Written February 21, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

grand c
95 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2017 • Couples
I've been around... You won't beat this.
This is my second time making the super long drive to Bahia de las águilas. Both times I stayed at 'Villas de Mar' (hotel in pedernales) which is very cheap and pretty nice (gave it 4 stars, will definitely return)
I'm here this time because my buddy from Hawaii is in town and I needed to show off our island!

So here's how it works... from the hotel I stayed at you can ask for a driver, who will take you exactly where you want to go. Or here's how I do it: In Google maps download the entire area as an offline map, then make a map to 'cabo rojo'. At best you'll have edge (1g phone internet). Yes, a lot of this drive is off-road, but my car had no problems with it. If you see people, feel free to ask for 'cueva de las pescadores' if you're unsure of where you're headed. If you're staying at the beach all day you will have to return at 6pm. There's a restaurant in front of where you catch the boat named 'casa chiquita', if you know when you're headed back to can place your order in advance and arrive to your meal. But if you get picked up at 6, order your food for 6:30.

I've been to every continent twice... and I have never seen a more beautiful beach.
Written March 8, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ariel M
Highland Park, NJ10 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2013 • Couples
I recently traveled to the dominican republic with the specific goal of visiting Bahia de las Aguilas.
I was really surprise by the rough beauty of the place, its remoteness, and the absence of development around it.

The beach is in the Juragua Park, which is a protected area and for that reason development is absent. From the entrance of the park to the beach is probably between 3 and 5 km using a dirt road pretty much impassable to vehicles even 4x4. It would be a nice hike though if you are prepared.

Another way to access the beach is by boat. Once you arrive to the park, the first thing you encounter is a restaurant were besides food they also offer trips to the beach. I did not like this place because it seems touristic and the guys quite digressive.

Less than 100 meters ahead of the restaurant, right at the entrance of the park, you will find a gazebo where you will find the local fishermen. They can also take you to the beach and even bring you lunch at the time you specify for a very reasonable price. We hired Bienvo (Bienvenido Urbay, 829 262 2605), a very humble and knowledgeable local fisherman that went the extra mile to accommodate us. Charo Rosario Sanchez (829 557 9838) prepared a an amazing typical lunch of fry fish, rice and beans, salad, and planatins that Bienvo brought to the beach. It was unforgettable.
Written June 6, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Cassy A
New York City, NY41 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2015 • Family
Bahia de las Aguilas is a true paradise. We drove there from Santiago which took almost 10 hours despite making 3 short 15min stops along the way. After crossing Barahona we drove along the coastline for 2-3 hours. Watch out for the random cows and horses inadvertently crossing the street.There aren't any luxury hotels after leaving Barahona. We stayed at Hotel Costa Marina in Pedernales for $26US a night (2 full beds, wifi, basic necessities). The owners were sweethearts and served our whole family fresh coffee the next morning. Before leaving town, remember to stock up on snacks and cooler items. After a good night's rest we drove to the Haitian border, scoped the area, then to Cabo Rojo where we'd rent a boat for $2,700RD pesos taking us to Bahia de las Aguilas. We were 9 people but I'm sure we could've haggled a better deal. Also rented snorkels for $400 a piece. You also have the option of hiking or driving a bumpy road in case you don't want the boat. Cabo Rojo has the only business/ restaurant in all the area. It's your last chance to grab a bite. The boat ride to the bay was 15min of breathtaking views. Majestic rock formations were eagles nest. The locals know where they take you on the boat. Luckily there was barely anyone around when we arrived but they like to deposit everyone in one particular area and charge extra for a secluded "VIP" area. Since all the beach is the same thing, try to avoid peak hours so you enjoy the paradise on your own.
Written July 28, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

globetrotwanderlust
Brooklyn, NY20 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2015 • Couples
Unbelievable gorgeous white sandy beach. Crystal clear water. So beautiful and enchanting that it feels sacred.

On another note: there are restaurants at the entrance of Bahia Aguilas, in Las Cueva. DO NOT eat at Rancho Tipico...it's a tourist trap. Patron the small comedors instead. They have much better, freshly prepared food at lower prices.
Written March 19, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Dominican_Abroad
Marlton, NJ30 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2012 • Friends
This natural beach reserve (National Park) is about as far as you can go from the resorts, hustle and bustle of the city, and from the typical Dominican beach.

The car ride from Santo Domingo is approximately 5-6 hours. La Romana 7-8. Punta Cana and Puerto Plata 9-10. You can get to the place in a Prius if you want (false rumors say you need an SUV). Of course, its not the autobahn. You arrive to a dock where you will find a fairly decent open air restaurant by the docks. The food is decent but a bit pricey by Dominican Standards (about $20US for a meal when it is all said and done).

From there, you are a relatively inexpensive boat ride away ($10US) - though I hear you can hike or drive if you have a rugged enough SUV. I recommend the boat ride as it is fun and the boats are sturdy. The place is run by a cooperative of Dominicans which keeps it from being a tourist trap.

When you get to the beach, you notice that the sand is perfectly white, there are no hotels in sight, no vendors to bug you, it is perfectly peaceful, the view is beautiful and goes on for ever, the place is quiet, and despite the fact that you are a tourist - there are very few other tourists to ruin your day. There are no facilities at the beach so you are on your own until your boat picks you up again. You are literally on your own. To me, that is a good thing. I commandeered one of the wooden towers by the beach and the view was spectacular.

Why not five stars? Because there was a ton of litter. Bottles, plastic bags, containers, etc. in the brush. It is not enough to make you want to call the health inspector, but it is not as pristine as advertised. Because there is an entrance fee to the park (around $5US if I remember correctly), you would think that they would have someone go around and clean up the place - not to mention that you would think tourists would clean up after themselves. In either case. The place loses a star on that account.

Also, you would think that a pristine place would have great snorkeling. Nope. I went pretty far out and I could only find very small white fish.

Lastly, it was worth the trip and I am glad I went.
Written January 4, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Robert D
265 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2017 • Couples
Bahia de las Aguilas is a great spot, and really not your average beach. First of all, it’s very secluded and sparsely visited, so that’s great. Second, the natural environment is striking: shrubby, beautiful rock formations frame the crystal clear waters perfectly. Depending on the light and clouds, the water changes color spanning all different hues and shades of green and blue. On the route in, if driving down from Barahona, you’ll see lots of iguanas peering at our you from the road, as you circle inland from the coast out of Barahona province. Once you make your way into the park area off the main road in, avoid the guys who chase you down to get you to come in to their tourism operations (more expensive) and park near the park entrance to explore your options. All the restaurants we visited were great and cheap, with fresh fish and langosteen available along with standard fare of fried plantains and yucca. We always asked to see the fish/lobster before ordering, to make sure it was fresh. Our favorite place, and coincidentally the cheapest, was Restaurante De Bahia Dona Charo. Near the park entrance, there are lots of boats and guides available on demand - they all sort of hang out and charged less than the tourist complexes. We were taken out for $50, all day, not including tip for your guide. Not sure if that’s a good price, but our guy was great. It can get hot and sunny, so pack some cover and sunscreen. Obviously bring water and snacks. Snorkeling is unbelievable! We brought our own equipment and were happy we did. Giant starfish, octopi, all sorts of fish, lobster, urchins, giant seashells...all sorts of interesting stuff a short dive from shore. The place is really beautiful and was definitely the nicest beach we encountered in the Dominican. So, stay overnight in the area if you can, enjoy the local seafood fare, make sure to snorkel and enjoy your stay!
Written March 18, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Bahia de las Aguilas - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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