Day 3-035
10 hrs, 5 kms

Since I'm pretty sure this will be my last visit to Dominican Republic, I want to be sure I don't miss anything really important . So I did a little research on TripAdvisor.com ahead of time. "Damajagua Falls" caught my attention. It looks like some sort of river canyon that you climb/hike/swim/slide through... and it's easily accessible by public transportation.

Looks like I'd better put it on my DR bucket list.

So next I head up to Puerto Plata, check into a cheap hotel beside the main highway. The hotel manager just happens to be from the town near the falls and reassures me that, yes, it's easy to get there and I should have to to explore it today.

So after figuring out which of my valuables I'll take an which I'll leave in the hotel, off to Damajagua I go. I get off in the town of Umbert and, to not waste any time, hop on a motorcycle taxi to the falls a few kilometers away.

It's clearly a very touristy place... not a problem--I want to enjoy a least a couple of touristy places on this trip . The entrance fee is a reasonable 13 $ and includes a mandatory guide (who I'm expected to tip as well) Don't like having a guide--but since people have died exploring the canyon on their own, I can understand.

The canyon hike is also called "27 Charcos" because there are 27 pools that you have to swim or wade through, but I'm told that the top half of them don't have enough water due to lack of rain (there's been a a drought lately in northwest DR). We walk through the countryside, stopping along the way to hunt for mangoes (no luck), and finally reach the beginning of the canyon swim-hike.

Even though the hike includes sliding/plunging into deep water, my guide promises he can keep my camera guide. Sounds good... my other swim-hikes like Akchour, Morocco sadly went unphotographed.

Immediately as we enter the first charco, I know this is going to be my favorite adventure in Dominican Republic . I remember so many times gazing down into a winding slit of a canyon and think... "wow, it sure would be cool to explore that from the bottom..."

Well, today it's going to happen. Sure it's a bit touristy, I have to have a guide and wear a helmet and life vest, but sliding down a cliff into a a gorge with natural art decorating the cliff as you swim never knowing what you'll find around the next bend... a magical experience to be sure. And I guess I should consider myself lucky to be a alone with my guide. He says sometime groups as big as a hundred come through. And he does keep his promise of keeping my camera dry.

Finally we really the bottom pool with a long, natural slide and a drop into the waters below... with cavelike formations all around... here we pause for a bit... take a couple trips down the slide... then head on back to the entrance to where there's a reasonably priced all you can eat Dominican buffet...

I must say, I've enjoyed being a real "tourist" for a day.

The question I'm have though, will Damajagua replace Akchour, Morocco (summer 2012) as my favorite swim hike? I give it some thought. I would say the rock and cliff formations are more beautiful here, and I really enjoy the claustrophoubic feel of the gorge.

But Akchour has an amazing natural bridge and a much more impressive waterfall... and you can take your time and enjoy it at you own pace without needing a guide--in fact, you don't have to spend a dime.

So... I guess Akchour is still the winner. But Damajagua comes in second...