Lago Enriquillo: Crocodiles & Iguanas

Lago Enriquillo is one of the strangest landscapes in the Caribbean. It is a hypersaline lake (saltier than the sea) of roughly 375 km², sitting about 46 meters below sea level in the dry valley between the Sierra de Neiba and the Sierra de Bahoruco. That makes it the lowest point of any island country, and the heat and desert scrub around it feel more like the American south-west than the Caribbean. It is also home to the largest population of American crocodiles in the Caribbean, two endangered iguanas (the rhinoceros iguana and Ricord's iguana), and flocks of flamingos.

Most visits start at the Parque Nacional Lago Enriquillo e Isla Cabritos visitor area near the town of La Descubierta on the lake's north shore. Park entry is around RD$150 per person in 2026. Rhinoceros iguanas are common on Isla Cabritos and used to people, which makes them easy to photograph; do not feed them. Boat trips with a park guide go out on the lake to look for crocodiles basking on the shore and to Isla Cabritos, the island in the middle of the lake. The boat is hired separately, and one recent guide gives hours of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. with the last boats around 2 p.m. Boat availability depends on lake conditions, so ask at the visitor center before you plan around it.

The lake has also changed dramatically. It roughly doubled in area between 2004 and 2011, drowning farmland and two of its three islands, and some shoreline roads and sites have shifted as a result. Nearby, Las Caritas is a rock outcrop with ancient petroglyphs of faces and a wide view over the water.

Practical tips: go early. Crocodiles are easiest to see in the morning, and by midday the heat can pass 40 °C (104 °F). Bring at least three liters of water per person, a hat and sunscreen; there is very little shade and nothing for sale on the island. Keep a respectful distance from crocodiles and follow the guide.

Getting there: from Barahona it is a long day trip west, roughly 2 hours each way via Cabral and Duvergé. Combine it with the Polo Magnético outside Cabral on the way. It is not realistic from Pedernales in one day without a very early start.

Best for: wildlife lovers, photographers and families with kids who like animals. Not for: anyone who wilts in heat. Base yourself in Barahona.