Beauty is hidden in every corner of the Dominican Republic. One of these spots is called Socoa Falls, in the province of Monte Plata.
It is a waterfall surrounded by thick jungle, where you can feel many miles away from the stress caused by large crowds. But best of all, the place, although hidden, is easily accessible from cities like Santo Domingo or tourist centers like Punta Cana or La Romana. Let's get to know it!
Socoa Falls is a waterfall located in the middle of the Dominican rainforest. The waterfall is 20 meters high and is formed by the waters of the Socoa River. This river runs through the lands of the municipalities of Bayaguana and Sabana Grande de Boyá in its first kilometers, until it flows into the Boyá River.
The main attraction of this magical place is not only to admire the waterfall. It forms a natural pool in the form of a spa in the place where the water falls. The crystalline water forms this perfect pool for a relaxing bath in the middle of nowhere, where disconnection is mandatory. In addition, there are other small pools where we can also take a dip.
To reach it, you just have to walk a 20-minute journey. The access is facilitated by stairs built to reach this Natural Monument, although on the way we will also find some stones and dirt areas that we must cross with great care.
The best kept treasure of Socoa Falls is its flora and fauna. A subtropical rainforest, characteristic of the Dominican Republic, develops here, where we can appreciate different types of vegetation. Socoa Falls was declared a Natural Monument by the government of the country.
Socoa Falls and the river are framed within the Great Biodiversity Park of Hispaniola, so it is of great interest to the scientific community that studies these ecosystems.
Nature is present in the form of reptiles and amphibians, birds of multiple colors and large trees. The scenery inside the pool is breathtaking, making it a must-do experience if you visit the Dominican Republic.
Socoa Falls is located on the margin of a very well known road in the Dominican Republic, called Juan Pablo II.
This road is the gateway to one of the most important natural points of the country, the Haitises National Park.
In this tropical forest you can do a multitude of activities. You can see the Dominican jungle in all its splendor in the inland areas, or get close to the sea to see the famous "mogotes".
In addition, the park is full of caves of karst origin, in which there are petroglyphs and pictographs dating back to the first inhabitants of the island, the Tainos.
Therefore, if you want to visit Socoa Falls, we also recommend that you take a trip to the Haitises National Park during your visit to the Dominican Republic.
To visit Socoa Falls you need to be in the mood for a special adventure. However, we also recommend that you bring a few things with you:
In addition to all these items, another thing you have to bring to Socoa Falls, is an ecological mentality. And is that everything you take with you must come back, to be able to leave this natural monument as you found it.
Something that we had not mentioned before is that there is a fee to enter Socoa Falls. This is because the Natural Monument is located on private land.
The entrance fee to the monument is 50 Dominican pesos, which is equivalent to 0.94 US dollars (as of September 2022).
Locating Socoa Falls on the map of the Dominican Republic is simple, since it is located in the center of the country. It corresponds to the province of Monte Plata, exactly in the municipality of Sabana Grande de Boyá.
The location of this place is less than an hour from Santo Domingo and about two and a half hours from Punta Cana.
The best way to get to this place is by private transportation, which will pick you up at your hotel and bring you back without many complications.
