Los Aitises is called the territory of a thousand islands and high mountains, and the word itites itself is translated from the language of the Taino Indians, the indigenous inhabitants of the island, high mountains. In fact, there are a great many of them and they formed about two million years ago due to the movement of tectonic plates. Previously, the entire territory of the park was under water and rose above it, so on the territory of the islands and in caves you can find traces of prehistoric marine inhabitants.
In the Dominican Republic national park, we can see not only uninhabited islands, but also visit caves, temples of Taino Indians, see unique drawings and inscriptions of those times. With the help of natural dyes obtained from juice and seeds of plants, as well as fat from manatees and bat droppings, tainos left their instructions on the walls for future generations and sketching their own predictions.
You will also be surprised by the beautiful wild flora and fauna of the park: rare birds, animals, wild thickets and mangroves. About 110 different species of birds live here, and 13 of them are endemic representatives of the unique fauna of the Dominican Republic. They can not be found anywhere else in the world! Along the white and red mangrove trees, about 700 plant species grow in the reserve.
When traveling by boat in the park, you feel like the hero of the film “Jurassic Park” Tropical thickets, mountain landscape, sounds of unusual birds – all this is the untouched nature of the wild Aitises park, which is the pearl of the Dominican Republic.
Two caves are open for visiting on the territory of the park – Cueva Arena and Cueva de la Linea, located on different islands. Scientists have proven that the Taino Indians highly esteemed these places, so they did not settle inside the caves, but only performed various rites and sacraments.
You will not find hotels, bars and restaurants in Los Aitises National Park, since construction in the conservation area is prohibited by law. This is the uniqueness of the park, since we have the opportunity to see the park as it was during the pioneers.
Islands and caves were once an ideal shelter for ships of sea robbers. Pirates hid in these places from the Royal Navy ships chasing them. Some lived here for many years, hiding from law enforcement. Pirates also hid their treasures on these islands!
