Located
a three hour's drive west of Santo Domingo, was founded
by French-Haitian General, Toussaint L'Overture. He
believed Barahona's location was the perfect spot to
build an alternate port to Santo Domingo's. The town
itself is not really why people visit this area. There
are a few small hotels and resorts in this region, but
it's the surrounding landscape that is the real draw.
The incredible natural environment includes mountains,
lakes, interesting vegetation, and gorgeous coastline.
The remote and hidden beaches are the prettiest you'll
see in the Dominican Republic. A bigger attraction are
the three national parks. The largest protected area
in the country, Parque National Jaraqua, contains
Laguna Oviedo, which is home to home to over
60 bird species, including the countries largest population
of flamingos. Parque National Isla Cabritos,
contains Lago Enriquillo, the largest salt water
lake in the Antilles, located 45 meters below sea level,
home of the American Crocodile. Parque Nacional Sierra
de Baoruco is a mountainous park with rainforest
vegetation. It is within this park that you can also
visit the Larimar mines, which are located 40 km south
of Barahona.
The Barahona & Pedernales region is the secret paradise
of the Dominican Republic. The main reason any tourist
goes to Barahona is for the beaches and the sun. But
this region is real, and real people live here.
You'll find so much more there: more mangos than you
can eat, crayon-colored wood houses, tiled city parks,
open verandas with rocking chairs, roosters at dawn,
Caribbean breeze, platano, hand painted advertising
on city walls and outside stores, avocado trees, sirens
signaling the advent of morning, noon and evening, the
azure waters of the Caribbean just beyond the town's
horizon...
The Enriquillo Lake provides a habitat for flamingos
and iguanas and contains the largest reserve in the
wild of American crocodiles. Stay quiet and enjoy the
ambience.
History
of Barahona
Columbus
discovered the island of Hispaniola (which he called
La Hispaniola ) in 1492 and established it as his main
base for the further exploration of the region. In 1697,
the western part of the island came under French control,
with the east remaining under Spanish control. In 1795,
the city of Santo Domingo – the oldest city in the Americas,
founded by Columbus’ brother, in 1496 – was ceded to
the French, followed by the rest of the island of Hispaniola
later the same year. The battle of Palo hincado, in
1808, in which Dominican General Ramirez inflicted an
important defeat on the French, heralded the collapse
of French rule in the eastern part of the island. The
colony reverted to Spanish sovereignty in 1809, and
in 1821, the colonial treasurer, José Nunez de Cáceres,
proclaimed Santo Domingo’s independence. This independence
was short-lived – in 1822, the Haitians invaded the
colony and occupied it for 22 years, until, on 27 February
1844, the territory of Santo Domingo recovered its sovereignty
and declared independence once again, this time permanently,
as the Dominican Republic.
Magnetic
Pole
Polo Magnétic is located on the tiny highway between
Cabral and Polo, to the West of Barahona, off highway
46 that goes from Barahona to Cabral.
According
to Eugenio Urbáez, a tiny 94 year old man, full of facts
about the strange place, who was recently interviewed
by El Caribe newspaper (2003), the movement is caused
by two mines that are below the surface. One is petroleum
and the other is sulfur. While this is hardly true,
the fact remains that objects move uphill at this location,
be they bottles or balls or cars or trucks.
However, except for a tiny sign put up by the Brugal
Company, there is nothing to indicate the truly interesting
spot. Oh there was a big circle painted on the highway
with a yellow dot in the middle, but that has been worn
away and now the adventurous tourist just has to find
Eugenio Urbáez. Don Eugenio lives nearby, on a hill
called La Cueva (The Cave). One of his important instruments
is a full bottle of water that he places on the spot
and with no help from anyone, slowly begins to ascend
the incline.
