Americas

[Visited: July 2007]

Catching a ride from Las Terrenas was easy enough, and after a drive along the coast we arrived at Limón. Here, several guys just jumped in our pick-up truck, while others followed us on their motorbike, trying to convince us that we definitely needed a guide to get to the waterfall, that we would need to rent horses to get there, and that it was too far to walk. An almost universal story wherever there is a tourist sight nearby. We had looked forward very much to walking in the forest, and we had to dismiss several more offers on the dirt road towards the waterfall. After we paid our entrance, only one guide was still following us, and we convinced him we just wanted to go alone.
The beginning of the path after the booth was muddy because of the river we soon had to cross twice. Ice cold, clear water streaming through the hot and humid forest was a welcome treat to our feet, but we had to inevitably walk uphill after our last crossing. It was not always easy to avoid stepping on the loads of horseshit, left by the countless tourists going to the waterfall on horseback. When we reached the top of a hill, the forest around us opened up, and before our feet a landscape of undulating hills covered in tropical forest unfolded. Moreover, we heard a faint noise of falling water, and knew we were getting close. It was funny to see how even those who came on horseback had to leave their horses here and walk the last, most treacherous stretch down to the Limon waterfall.
When we reached the basin of the waterfall, we were delighted to cool off in the basin. Looking up, the continuous stream of falling water impressed us: the drop here is around 40 metres. The water is launched from above, and crushes on the rocks below before hitting the basin below. It was fantastic to swim around, to swim against the strong current towards the waterfall and look up at the gigantic shower, and to finally swim through the waterfall and arrive behind the curtain of water. Some local guys were showing off by climbing the very slippery rocks, and jumping down. The basin appeared to be so deep that it took a long time for some to emerge. While large groups of tourists come here, they never stay very long, and in between we sometimes had the waterfall and its basin to ourselves. A great place to retreat in nature, to relax, and to get completely soaked. The walk back was a pleasure.

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Limón waterfall (Dominican Republic)

Limón waterfall > Dominican Republic > Americas

[Visited: July 2007]

Around the World in 80 Clicks