Salto del Limón, Sanamá

In the northeast region of the Dominican Republic is the Samaná Peninsula, an area full of natural and scenic beauty that attracts many of the tourists who visit the island.

It is precisely in this area, near the town of El Limón, where one of the most incredible gifts of nature is located, the waterfall known as “El Salto del Limón”. 

This waterfall, located about 300 metres above sea level, consists of 3 falls at a height of about 40 metres from which the water drops to form a natural pool at the bottom where you can go for a swim. The waterfall occurs at the point where the waters of the Arroyo Chico river descend to empty into the Limón River, resulting in a protected natural area covering 18 square kilometres, for the enjoyment of locals and visitors alike.

How to get here 

Visiting this place is one of the popular excursions from Punta Cana that can be done in one day. One of the most common starting points to reach this waterfall is El Limón, which can be reached by taking the Duarte motorway from Santo Domingo, crossing Nagua until reaching Samaná, from where you can access this town. Once in this town, we can already find an exuberant explosion of colours where the green of the incredible tropical vegetation that dominates this area takes centre stage. The journey to the waterfall from here is just over two kilometres and can easily be done on foot. The walk will be a real delight for the senses and will allow you to enjoy this hidden spot even more. Along the way, you can admire the coconut trees, cocoa and other fruit trees that you’ll find around every corner. If you prefer not to travel here on foot, the option of riding a horse or donkey can be another fun way of following this trail that will take you to one of the most beautiful waterfalls you’ll probably ever see.

Many of the outings that visit this enclave leave from the so-called “paradas”, which are placed around El Limón where people from the area, such as farmers, wait for visitors to guide them to the waterfall and who offer different prices depending on how you want to get there. These local residents may also offer visitors other tours, in addition to providing suggestions on where to have lunch or shops for buying souvenirs.

It is very common for these people to take visitors to El Salto del Limón through “El Café”, a trail with many places to stop and buy typical products and enjoy local food and drinks, such as coffee, cocoa and coconuts.

What to do 

Once you reach the waterfall, you can enjoy a refreshing swim that will likely be the best reward after the walk here. Don’t forget to really admire the impressiveness of the waterfall, which runs over the rocks down to the lowest part. Those who dare can jump off the highest part of the waterfall. An experience that may not be for everyone!

Around the waterfall is a number of caves that also offer different options for visitors, in addition to places for having lunch, such as the El Limón restaurant, or small stands where you can buy typical souvenirs from the area. If there is one thing that stands out in the area around Salto del Limón, it’s how full of life it is, an area that has grown and developed thanks to the tourists who travel here to explore the other side of the Dominican Republic. 

Vegetation

In addition the incredible waterfall, another wonderful part of this environment is the vegetation that grows here. From the coconut trees, that are so characteristic of the island, to other tropical plants such as flamboyants, a tree that blooms between spring and summer and paints the surrounding forests with its reddish flowers. In addition, the rain forests or the mangroves and their spectacular flowers are a true delight for visitors. It’ll be impossible to avoid the temptation of taking a photo whenever you look at the landscape, so that you won’t ever forget all of its beauty with a snapshot that’ll last forever.

Wildlife 

Bird lovers will greatly enjoy the wildlife found around Salto del Limón: pelicans, vultures, hawks, royal terns… These are just a few of the many birds that make this area a paradise for ornithological tourism, as it’s a destination for many migratory species.

As you can see, this area is much more than just a waterfall, it’s an incredible experience that will delight all five senses. You can set aside half a day to do this excursion from Punta Cana, although ideally you should take a whole day so that you can really enjoy everything that this place has to offer. In addition, around this waterfall you can find some of the best hiking trails near Punta Cana.