# Bayahíbe

Bayahíbe is a town in the Dominican Republic, located about 10 miles (16 km) east of La Romana on the shore of the Caribbean Sea with 5,618 inhabitants (2022). Founded as a fishing village in 1874 by Juan Brito and his family, who came from Puerto Rico, the town is now a tourist destination.

## Etymology

Bayahíbe is an indigenous word. Its meaning is not known for sure, but there are many names that include the Tainos word "Baya." "Baya" is the name given to a bivalve mollusk, like clams that are glued to the rocks or roots of mangrove trees. "Jib" (or "hib") is the name of a sieve manufactured from sticks used to sift cassava flour.

## Tourism

Bayahíbe Beach, a public beach, is located less than a mile from the town center, and Dominicus Beach is in about three miles' distance. Bayahíbe serves as an embarkation point for boat trips to Saona Island, a thinly inhabited island with extensive beaches located in a national park. Numerous large resorts are located in the vicinity of Bayahíbe. The town has an Albergo Diffuso named Bayahibe Village, founded by Fabrizio Annunzi.
Scuba diving is practiced in Bayahíbe—Bayahíbe. There are three shipwrecks in the area including the Atlantic Princess, St George and Coco.

## The natural caves

Chicho's cave, an exceptionally impressive cavern, may be accessed at Bayahibe by following the Padre Nuestro trail. Cueva del Chicho is a cave in the Cotubanamá National Park, that has Taino petroglyphs. The park's location, with its deep and immaculate blue oceans, attracts a significant influx of tourists annually. Moreover, it contains a wealth of petroglyphs that provide as evidence of the enduring existence of the Tainos people.
Padre Nuestro, which used to be inhabited by only 180 families, was converted into a reserve in 2003 following their compulsory relocation to the outskirts of the park. Visitors can currently explore caves and springs embellished with petroglyphs and Tainos art along a 2-kilometer walk that meanders through the forest.

## The Bayahibe rose

Pereskia quisqueyana is a species of plant endemic to Bayahíbe. It has a pink flower and is known as the "Bayahíbe rose." Tropical or subtropical dry woodlands are home to Bayahibe Rose. The forests are located on the southeastern coast of La Española, near the settlement of Bayahibe, named after its tree. Environmental devastation puts it at risk. French botanist Henri Alain Liogier discovered the species in 1977. He named it quisqueyana in honor of the Dominican Republic, also called Quisqueya. As it becomes threatened, Act 146-11 made the Bayahibe Rose the Dominican Republic's national flower and protected it. Leuenbergeria quisqueyana, a dioic cactus, looks like a shrub and can grow to six meters. Clustered thorns around the tree stem. The round, succulent leaves of this plant are bright green. Bayahibe Rose flowers are pink and grow at the plant's branch tips. Yellow fruits with black seeds are produced by this shrub.

## The heart of Bayahibe

A beautiful natural jacuzzi nestled among rocks on the outskirts of Bayahibe town center is the "Corazón de Bayahibe," or "heart of Bayahibe" in Spanish. Nature has bestowed it to us. Wearing tennis shoes or other shoes with strong rubber soles will let you reach it more easily. The reason behind this is the abundance of rocks, which may make walking rather unpleasant.

## Death of Audrey Mestre

On October 12, 2002, Audrey Mestre, French world record-setting free-diver, died while attempting to free-dive to a depth of 171 metres (561 ft) off the coast of Bayahíbe.