Haiti & Dominican Republic - Barahona to Santo Domingo
Haiti and the Dominican Republic are countries filled with mesmerizing history, culture, and natural beauty. The Dominican Republic is located on the eastern portion Hispaniola, an island that lies where the northeastern Caribbean Sea meets the North Atlantic Ocean. Cuba lies to the island’s west and Puerto Rico to its east. Hispaniola is the second largest of the Greater Antilles archipelago (after Cuba) and the second largest of the West Indies, of which the Greater Antilles is a part. Haiti, the Dominican Republic’s neighbor, occupies the western portion of Hispaniola.
The Dominican Republic is the second largest nation in the Caribbean. It measures just over 240 miles from its easternmost point, Cape Engaño, to its westernmost point, its border with Haiti near the village of Las Lajas. The country is 176 miles wide, as measured from its northernmost point, Cabo Isabela, to its southernmost point, Alto Velo Island. Haiti is the third largest country in the Caribbean and it spans 180 miles east-to-west and 130 miles north-to-south. Haiti is a little more than half the size of the Dominican Republic in area.
Hispaniola boasts an incredibly diverse range of landscapes for an island of its size. It has world-renowned white-sand beaches, four distinct mountain ranges, lush stands of forests, and even some arid regions. It boasts the highest point in the Caribbean, Pico Duarte, and the lowest point in the Caribbean, Lake Enriquillo.
Haiti and the Dominican Republic experience a wide range of climates due to their varied terrain. They have a tropical climate at their lower elevations, with consistently warm temperatures year-round. Microclimates exist throughout interior mountains and valleys; these include rainforest, hot semi-arid, tropical savanna, and in some locations, subtropical highland climates.
The Taíno, indigenous Caribbean people, are the earliest known human inhabitants of the island of Hispaniola and what would become the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Christopher Columbus, the first European to visit Hispaniola, arrived on Christmas Eve, 1492. He named the island “Española” (Little Spain), a name which eventually evolved into “Hispaniola.” Columbus established the first permanent European presence in the New World, a fort called La Navidad, at a location at what is today northeast Haiti, close to the border with the Dominican Republic.
The ensuing centuries following the arrival of Columbus witnessed tremendous changes and turmoil. The Spanish and French established colonies to exploit the island’s natural riches and its strategic position in the New World. Indigenous people were enslaved, slaves from Central and West Africa were brought to Hispaniola, and independence movements erupted. The island was eventually divided into two countries, Haiti on the west, and the Dominican Republic on the east.
Haiti and the Dominican Republic are two of the most wonderfully diverse nations on the planet, both in terms of cultural heritage and natural splendor. This bush trip celebrates the very best of the Dominican Republic and Haiti through a circumnavigation route of Hispaniola, visiting coasts, mountains, valleys, cities, and towns of both countries.
Total Legs: 6 Total Distance: 490 Total Time(125kts): 3 hours 55 minutes
Leg 1
Maria Montez Intl to Toussaint Louverture Airport
Leg Distance: 70.42 Approximate time at 125kts: 34 minutes.
Maria Montez Intl(MDBH) to Rincón Lagoon(POI1)
Distance: 6.7NM Bearing: 295° 3 minutes
After lifting off from María Montez International Airport, set a course to the west-northwest and parallel highway RD-46, staying to its north. Gain a visual on Rincón Lagoon (Laguna Rincón), a large lagoon. Pass to the north of the town of Cabral and fly over the lagoon. Rincón Lagoon, also called Cabral Lagoon (Laguna de Cabral), is the largest freshwater lagoon in the Dominican Republic and was designated as a reserve due to its rich plant and animal life. Species that live in the lagoon include herons, ducks, iguanas, freshwater turtles, flamingos, and pelicans.
Rincón Lagoon(POI1) to La Colonia(POI2)
Distance: 13.51NM Bearing: 305° 6 minutes
Continue on course from Rincón Lagoon, passing over the village of Cristóbal, located on the lagoon’s western shore. Parallel highway RD-46 toward the small village of La Colonia. Pass over La Gran Sabana National Park, which protects vast stretches of cactus forest, dry forest, and salt wetlands. Pass over the village of La Colonia, which lies directly on highway RD-46.
La Colonia(POI2) to Lake Enriquillo(POI3)
Distance: 9.83NM Bearing: 298° 5 minutes
From La Colonia, continue on course, paralleling highway RD-46, staying just to its north. Pass just north of Duvergé, the most populous city in the country’s province of Independencia, and gain a visual on Lake Enriquillo (Lago Enriquillo). Continue on course and pass over the southeastern corner of the lake. Lake Enriquillo is the largest lake in both the Dominican Republic and the Island of Hispaniola. At 151 feet below sea level, it is the lowest point in the Dominican Republic, the lowest on the island of Hispaniola, the lowest point in the Caribbean, and the lowest point of any island country on the planet. It is home to a variety of animal species, including the American flamingo, two endangered iguana species, and the Caribbean’s largest population of American crocodile.