The former fishing village of BAYAHIBE was once the most beautiful and remote spot along the entire coast, but due to over-building by the big all-inclusive hoteliers, the place has been ruined and retains little intrinsic beauty or interest. The only reason to stop here is to use it as base camp from which to visit PARQUE NACIONAL DEL ESTE , a park just east of Bayahibe on a peninsula jutting south into the Caribbean. The national park maintains a maze of forests, trails, caves and cliffs, home to an impressive array of birdlife and signs of early Taíno activity. Not much of the park, however, is conveniently accessible; no roads lead directly into its interior, and the best method of approach is to hire boats from Bayahibe to hit specific points along the rim.

The most popular part of the park - and rightfully so - is Isla Saona , an island off the southern coast lined with alternating stretches of idyllic, coconut tree-backed beachfront and mangrove swamp, unpopulated except for two tiny fishing villages. The larger ships stop off at Mano Juan , a strip of pastel shacks with a hiking trail that leads inland, an expensive restaurant and a couple of modest beachfront eateries; or Piscina Natural , a sand bar with a clear lagoon behind it good for swimming.

Another good option is to hike into the interior of the park to the Cuevas José María, a set of stunningly beautiful caves 10km from Bayahibe. Inside them is a treasure-trove of Taíno rock art, including 1200 pictographs depicting the major events of Taíno mythology and some historical events, including a 1501 peace treaty that the Taínos established with the Spaniards.