Spanning across a whopping 1,288 kilometers (about 800 miles), the Dominican coastline is perhaps best known for its fine-sand beaches where tourists bask under the Caribbean sun all day long. However, alongside the island’s popular beachfronts are also coastal segments that feature craggy landscape rather than soft sand. In the Samaná Peninsula, an off-beat cluster of promontories boasts a series of awe-inspiring blowholes that earned the place a somewhat fiendish reputation.
By: Omri Westmark
Date: 20:45 13.09.24
Last Update: 20:47 13.09.24
Located on the northeastern coast of the Dominican Republic, the Samaná Peninsula is a rugged region defined by its lush forests, remote beaches, and distinctive geological features. Due to its relative isolation from major urban areas, the area remains off the radar for most visitors to the country.
A few kilometers from Las Galeras, along the peninsula’s southern coast, lies La Boca del Diablo (translated as “The Devil’s Mouth”), a geological oddity that truly lives up to its name. Here, waves crash against the rocky shore, and then funneled through subterranean caverns before bursting skyward in jets reaching up to 15 meters, concurrently accompanied by a loud roar. Suffice to say, but the higher the breakers, the more intense the display.
Despite its foreboding name, La Boca del Diablo inspires awe rather than fear. The jagged cliffs around the blowholes are dotted with naturally formed sculptures, including a massive boulder seemingly defying gravity as it balances on the rocky shore. When the sea is calm, the site takes on a more subdued atmosphere, with the wind rushing through the caverns below and producing a deep, almost eerie sound that gained it its devilish moniker.
Take note that reaching La Boca del Diablo takes some effort. This remote site is accessible solely via an unmarked dirt road that winds along the coast. With potholes and mud puddles along the way, driving can be challenging, making a guided tour on a quad bike a much smarter option.
Visitors are advised to come prepared, as the site is isolated, offering no facilities for refreshments or rest. However, this remoteness is also part of its appeal. Unlike the tourist-infested attractions throughout the country, La Boca del Diablo receives few to no visitors all year round, and therefore, those who do venture here may find they have the entire place all to themselves.
photography by: Omri Westmark
photography by: Omri Westmark
photography by: Omri Westmark
photography by: Omri Westmark
photography by: Omri Westmark
photography by: Omri Westmark
photography by: Omri Westmark
photography by: Omri Westmark
photography by: Omri Westmark
photography by: Omri Westmark
photography by: Omri Westmark
