Miches

**Miches** is a town in the eastern Dominican Republic. It is one of two municipalites of the El Seibo Province. It is located on the northern coast of the province. The population was 20,813 at the 2010 census.

### Region

Yuma
El Seibo Province

### Distance to:

El Seibo: 41 km (*25 mi.*)Santo Domingo: 176 km (*109 mi.*)

## Etymolygy

In 1936 the community known until then *El Jovero* changed its name to Miches, in honor of the Dominican General Eugenio Miches.

## About

Miches is a small town with many smaller towns surrounding it. A fishing village located on the south side of Samana Bay, Miches was once known as the "International Airport," an illegal immigration stopping off point on the way to Puerto Rico. But today Miches is uniquely positioned to become the premier location of the Dominican Republic for boutique, eco-friendly tourism and adventure tour activities.

Miches is on the shores of Bahia de Samana, world renowned for whale watching, the Marine Mammals Sanctuary and numerous wrecks for diving. Miches also borders Los Haitises National Park to the north, with mountains and miles of never-to-be-developed forests and encompasses the Lagunas Redonda y Limon, designated as a national reserve, with its own ”floating island” sporting unique and interesting flora and fauna. Miches' landscapes range from miles of pristine beaches, surf, calm bays, and protected lagoons to mountains, caves, rivers, forests and waterfalls.

## History

Historically, it has its roots as a fishing town, deriving much of its income and protein from the surrounding waters. It was founded in 1808, and during the early 19th century it was known as *Costa de los Uberos* due to the large number of these trees in this area.

When it received the category of municipal district in 1883, its name changed to El Jovero.

In 1956 after being elevated to a municipality, the name was changed to Miches in honor of General Eugenio Miches (1822-1899) who fought in several battles of the War of Independence and later assumed the position of governor of the El Seibo province.

## Geography

Miches is located at 18.9834° N, 69.0449° W. According to the ONE, the municipality has a total land area of 443.80 square kilometers (171.40 square miles), spread across three municipal districts; **Miches, El Cedro, and La Gina.** It is bordered by the La Altagracia Province municipality of Higuey on the east, the city of El Seibo on the south, and the Hato Mayor Province town of Sabana del la Mar on the west. The municipality is located on the Atlantic coast of the northeast of the country. The community sits between the northern slope of the Eastern Cordillera and the southern shore of the Samaná Bay, in a secluded enclave of great natural beauty.

Given its geographical location, with the sea to the north and a mountain range to the south, Miches has historically lived in isolation, which has negatively contributed to its economic development. The improvements made in recent years in the highways that connect it with Punta Cana, Santa Cruz de El Seibo and Sabana de la Mar have opened a new communication route that favors the diversification of the economy and the development of tourism.

## Economy

Miches was originally a small coastal town, but the effects of overfishing forced its inhabitants to rely more on agriculture. Its main cultivated products include rice, cocoa, coconut and banana. In addition, the raising of cattle for the meat and milk trade is also very beneficial for this municipality.

### Tourism

Thanks to its beautiful beaches, Miches is widely recognized as the tourist area of ​​El Seibo, attracting thousands of national and international tourists each year.

Playa Arriba, located east of Miches, has a long shore ideal for walking after swimming in its cool waters. If you choose a beach with more privacy, there are Playa Costa Esmeralda, Playa Limón and Playa Hicaco.

For lovers of ecotourism tourism, you can take boat trips through Laguna Redonda and Laguna del Limón. Current eco-tourism activities already include whale watching, horseback riding, lagoon bird watching tours, scuba diving, sport fishing, kiteboarding, windsurfing, sailing, canoeing, hiking, camping and mountain climbing. But only on a small scale

Between the months of December to March, they can take boat trips to the Bay of Samaná to observe the humpback whales during their breeding season.

### Points of interest

Round Mountain.

Laguna Redonda (nature reserve, protected area).

Laguna Limón (nature reserve, protected area).

Bahía La Gina (habitat and species management area, protected).

El Seibo - Miches road (protected land landscape).

Costa Esmeralda (beach around Miches).

Playa Limón (beach around Miches).

Playa Arriba (beach in Miches).

Media Luna (natural saltwater pool).

## References

Miches [1]

Miches [2]

Miches [3]