Info and photos of the best parts of Monte Cristi

Monte Cristi, known as San Fernando de Monte Cristi, is located in the most northwestern part of the Dominican Republic – on the border with Haiti and about 3 hours drive from Puerto Plata and 2 hours from Santiago. It is rich with the unique view of emerald green open beaches, natural deep pools surrounded by mangroves, lively wilderness, deserted islands (reefs), and arid deserts that are no less than beautiful high mountains, guarding the path. The name Monte Cristi was given by no other than Christopher Columbus or Cristóbal Colón in Spanish. Apparently in the 1500s he was sailing and came across this beautiful part of Española, which was the name of the Dominican Republic back in the day and saw a “mount” and decided to called it Mount Cristi, Cristi being Christ.

Monte Cristi’s border offers a wild and attractive landscape, ready for an inaccessible adventure. Rice fields, banana plantation, goats, and giant cacti stand on a path leading to a saltwater pond and towards the limestone cliffs surrounded by the stormy Atlantic Ocean, penetrating your soul with nothing but calmness. Around the desert and some Mediterranean landscapes, thick mangroves lead to fresh lagoons, and the Caesars on the shore is full of migratory birds and offer secluded white sand beaches discovering and drifting under your feet.

The Iconic View of Monte Cristi:
One search on google can crowd3 your screen with iconic representation images of Monte Cristi. And trust me, the place only meets and exceeds the expectations of the photos you see on the Internet. El Morro Beach, best known for its high limestone cliffs, which surround the golden coast and radiates it through the night. You can walk on the soothing sand of the beach hand-in-hand with the special one, and never get tired of enjoying the beautiful view. In the evening, you can enjoy spectacular views of the night sky, which gives an excellent spot to photographers.

Sunset makes the city small and cozy. Still, it is beautiful with its pleasant promenade and beaches, surrounding hotels and restaurants serving traditional spicy dishes – to spark your taste buds. From your beach table, you can enjoy uninterrupted views of El Morro, Isla Cabra, and Marine Manatee Sanctuary and more jaw-dropping places to visit in the city. Table Mountain is hanging on the Monte Cristi’s signed bench, a magnificent blond beach at the bottom of the hill. Those coming from the shore to the Atlantic can fly where they want to, or go underwater to explore El Morro and reach the stretches of Punta Rusia. It is the largest and healthiest coral reef in the disaster recovery area. Faraway across the gulf of Monte Cristi, the best snorkeling and diving adventure in the country, consisting of seven cayes doubling and becoming the primary home for migratory birds, is next to the Cayo Siete Hermanos, attracting tourist for all over. Although this place has a bit of everything and gorgeous views, especially from above, it tends to be one of the least visited places in the Dominican Republic. When I was there in January 2019, I was a little stunned at the lack of tourism, considering the beaches and things you can do there. What I did notice was tours leaving from Santo Domingo, weekend tours and you camp on the island called Goat’s Island or Isla Cabra and then visit the nearby reefs. This photo I took with a drone was 2.5km from the small mounts just past the island.

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