The road that leads into town ends at a car park crowded with tour buses that shuttle package-resort patrons to the larger catamarans docked a few metres further on. If you're on your own, you can sign on for a trip to Saona at Scubafun (tel 809/301-6999; US$75), a local tour operator located right in the village centre.

Budget accommodation in Bayahibe is plentiful but somewhat dreary. The most pleasant of the dozen local cabañas are Trip Town , Malecón (tel 809/707-3640; up to US$25) and Nina , Calle Segunda (tel 809/224-5431; up to US$25, US$25-50 with breakfast), both on the waterfront. Of the all-inclusives , Club Dominicus is best (tel 809/686-5658, fax 687-8583; US$130-160), a lavish compound frequented mostly by Italian tourists that offers good food, a great beach, numerous watersports, tennis, aerobics and a dive centre. You can choose between a standard A/C hotel room and a more primitive but private bungalow.

For lunch go to the small unmarked comedor across from the police station, which has good fresh fish dishes daily. At night you can try Kettly Berard on Calle Segundo, a small Haitian-run establishment with good Creole cuisine - though you'll be subjected to a bit of harassment from the family salesman trying to sell you cheap souvenirs.