Visiting the Waterfalls at El Limón
The waterfalls at El Limón may seem a bit complicated to reach, but in this guide I’m here to help you out!
I spent around 2 week backpacking in the Dominican Republic, and one of my favorite sights was the waterfall at El Limón!
Where is the waterfall at El Limón?
The closest city to the El limón waterfall is Las Terrenas, a lovely little beach town with an international community. Las Terrenas is on the north side of the island, on a peninsula called La Samana.
How to get to the waterfall
The easiest way to the waterfall is by car of course, or renting an ATV in the city center. If neither of those are an option, you can also take a guagua, which in Dominican Spanish is a small vehicle for public transport.
I took a guagua to El Limon and then paid a motoconcho (motorbike taxi) to take me to the entrance for the park. The ride should cost you 50 pesos, but they may ask tourists for 100. It’s really not much of a difference so take whatever price you’re comfortable with bargaining for1
At the “entrance” to the park, you will have a little shop with a guy trying to sell you on taking a guide. Pay a guide if you wish, but you really don’t need it! He will also probably try to convince you to pay for a horseback ride to the waterfalls. While it’s much easier for you, I felt a bit bad for the horses and decided to opt out.
To enter the park, turn left when facing the gate and start walking downhill. You should reach the ACTUAL entrance after about a 10 minute walk. Taxis and motoconchos don’t come here so the only option is walking or by horseback.
Hike to the waterfall
To be honest, I wasn’t expecting a hike. I thought there would be maybe 10 or 15 minutes of walking to the waterfall. It was actually 45 and a bit uphill. Which, you know, isn’t bad if you were actually expecting it! Be sure to wear comfortable shoes and something that can get wet because at one point you will be wading through the water. Water shoes are definitely your best option and you can get them here.
Once you’ve spent the majority of the hike in the shade of the jungle, you’ll come out on top of this hill with an amazing birds’ eye view of the jungle and ocean on the other side. Continue on the path until you reach a type of hut/building that sells some snacks, and then make your way down the path to the waterfall.
As you near the big waterfall, you’ll first see a smaller one that is also nice to see. Climb up a small hill and you’ll finally reach the Cascada del Limón.
Is the waterfall worth it?
It is a very nice waterfall! The walk through nature was amazing, and now you’ve finally reached the grand sight. I wouldn’t necessarily say that it’s the best waterfall I’ve seen, but if you’re in the area I think it’s worth checking out, provided that the trek isn’t too much for you.
My advice would be to go a bit early, because about 20 minutes after I arrived, huge groups started to arrive and it was difficult to enjoy the waterfall with all the crowds. Once you’ve played in the water and enjoyed the views, you can start to head back and take a snack on the way.
What a day! Check out more Dominican Republic content
