If you love eco adventures to watch wildlife but also prefer relaxing in a jacuzzi instead of a tent at the end of the day, I have a great suggestion for you. A vacation in Punta Cana on the east coast of the Dominican Republic might be right up your alley. In Punta Cana, you can stay in a nice resort with all the luxury amenities while at the same time having easy access to some of the most amazing wildlife on Earth less than an hour away. The best way to have an exciting experience with wildlife in the Dominican Republic is to take Punta Cana excursions, that is, day trips, with a respected eco-tour operator.<\/p>\n
The rock stars of the Dominican Republic’s animal world are the four species of large sea turtles (hawksbill turtles, green turtles, leatherback turtles, and loggerhead turtles), giant stingrays, West Indian manatees (sea cows), and bottlenose dolphins. Visitors to the area are also impressed by the extensive colonies of frigatebirds, boobies and brown pelicans that roost and live in the mangroves near Sauna Island.<\/p>\n
Of course, if you’re into snorkeling or scuba diving, the extensive coral reef ecosystem along the coast of the Dominican Republic will take center stage. The Dominican Republic’s coral reefs host thousands of tropical fish and invertebrate creatures so bizarre that you might mistake them for plants at first. Regardless of whether or not you can spot all the creatures you see on a coral reef, the vivid colors and patterns will dazzle you.<\/p>\n
There are many other amazing animals that you can visit in the Dominican Republic as well. These include the very large rhinoceros iguana, the agouta (solenodon) that looks a bit like an anteater, and the fuzzy little hutia that looks like a cross between a guinea pig and a mouse. Then there’s the hairy tarantula Cacata (also known as the Dominican tarantula) and its shiny, whip-scorpion cousin. If you’re a bat enthusiast, you should definitely take the time to go on some caving excursions in Parque Nacional del Este, the largest natural park in the country and less than an hour from Punta Cana. There are many interesting bat species that live in the caves of the Dominican Republic.<\/p>\n
While people are usually more curious about seeing exotic animals than plants, there is one type of plant in the Dominican Republic that is a true star and a “must see.” The plant I am referring to is the mangrove forest that makes up the dense mangrove forest. The mangrove forests off the southeastern coast of the Dominican Republic can be easily reached from Punta Cana by taking Punta Cana excursions. Mangrove forests also serve as a vital habitat for thousands of other species. They serve as critical spawning grounds for fish and invertebrates and protect young fish and sea turtles from predators. This is why conservationists around the world and many Dominicans are so interested in preserving it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
If you love eco adventures to watch wildlife but also prefer relaxing in a jacuzzi instead of a tent at the end of the day, I have a great suggestion for you. A vacation in Punta Cana on the east coast of the Dominican Republic might be right up your alley. In Punta Cana, you …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":64,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-61","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guinea-rat"],"yoast_head":"\n