National Park of the East

An idyllic paradise with long stretches of beaches, underwater wonders and an “off the beaten track” village.

The National Park of the East is an extensive expanse of virgin environments, offering visitors an opportunity to see dolphins, turtles, Mano Juan is a quaint fishing village with houses in pastel colors, beautiful white sand beaches and crystal blue-green waters surrounded by thousands of coconut palms trees. It is a paradise to visit.

The construction of the village was in 1944, when dictator Trujillo moved fourteen families to the area to develop the coconut farming commerce. Nowadays all locals are descendants of these families; the village was also used to exiling political dissidents of Trujillo’s regime. Today the village has 350 inhabitants, a school, gift shops, a restaurant, and individual boarding houses with rooms designated for tourist’s accommodation for the more adventurous.

Also you may explore Anamanai cave, where you can find traces left behind by the Taino Indians and enjoy their natural springs, Fuente de la Gaviota.

The conservation of the hawksbill turtle coordinated by the Grupo Jaragua, which carries on permanent beach patrol in the quest to rescue the turtle’s eggs for further incubation and eventually the release of hatchlings. Sea turtles typically nest starting the month of June, and since 2009 with the support from The Nature Conservancy, through the Dominican Alliance for Sustainable Tourism, a house was remodeled, which today serves as visitor center showing the importance of turtles and the efforts to preserve them.

Gift shops have the peculiarity that all products are natural and organic. You cannot miss a visit to Mano Juan’s restaurant, where fish is prevalent in the local cuisine.

Visit Mano Juan, a paradise that would not want not stop exploring.