La Romana & Bayahíbe Travel Guide (2026): Getting There, Where to Stay, Best Time
How to plan a trip to the Dominican south-east coast: LRM or PUJ, village or resort, and when the sea is calmest
The south-east coast is the part of the Dominican Republic that people often see for one day, on a Saona Island tour from Punta Cana, and then wish they had stayed in. The water is calmer and clearer than on the Atlantic side, the reefs and islands of the Parque Nacional del Este are right offshore, and the area has two very different bases: the old fishing village of Bayahíbe with the resort strip of Dominicus next to it, and La Romana with the gated golf resort of Casa de Campo.
Here is how to plan it.
The short version: Fly into La Romana (LRM) if you can find a good flight, otherwise Punta Cana (PUJ) and transfer for about an hour. Stay in Bayahíbe for diving, island trips and village life, Dominicus for an all-inclusive on a long calm beach, or Casa de Campo for golf and villas. Go between December and April for the calmest seas.
Getting there
La Romana International Airport (LRM)
La Romana’s airport sits right beside Casa de Campo and is the closest airport to everything in this guide. Drive times are short:
- Casa de Campo and Altos de Chavón: about 5 to 10 minutes
- Bayahíbe village: about 20 to 25 minutes
- Dominicus resorts: about 25 minutes
The catch is the schedule. LRM is a small airport (about 146,000 passengers in 2023) with a limited and partly seasonal set of routes. Aggregator data for 2026 lists American Airlines service from Miami, Neos flights from Italy, and Condor and Discover from Germany, plus charters and many private jets. Routes change from season to season, so check what is flying when you plan to travel.
Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ)
Most visitors to the south-east fly into Punta Cana, the country’s busiest airport, with direct flights from much of North America and Europe. From PUJ, plan on:
- Bayahíbe and Dominicus: about 60 to 75 minutes
- Casa de Campo: about 1.5 hours
The route follows the modern Autopista del Coral, so it is an easy drive. Pre-book a private transfer or use the one included in your resort package; the airport taxi line costs more. Our Punta Cana arrival guide covers the eTicket, immigration and transfer tips, which apply the same way here.
Santo Domingo (SDQ)
Las Américas airport near Santo Domingo is about 1.5 hours from La Romana and roughly 1.5 to 2 hours from Bayahíbe. It makes sense if the fare is much cheaper or you want to spend time in the capital’s Zona Colonial before heading to the beach.
Where to stay
Bayahíbe: the village base
Bayahíbe is a former fishing village with small hotels, guesthouses and apartments, waterfront seafood restaurants such as Restaurante Típico La Bahía, and the pier where boats leave for Isla Saona and Isla Catalina. It is the best base for divers and independent travelers. Just north-west of the village, the former Hilton La Romana complex is now two Hyatt resorts: the adults-only Secrets La Romana and the family Dreams La Romana.
Dominicus: the all-inclusive strip
Dominicus is a few minutes south-east, built around Playa Dominicus, a long, calm beach with two decades of Blue Flag certifications. The main resorts are Iberostar Selection Hacienda Dominicus, the adults-only Catalonia Royal La Romana and its family sister Catalonia Bayahibe, Hyatt’s Sunscape Dominicus La Romana, and the two Viva Wyndham properties. Viva Dominicus Beach was damaged by a fire on 19 June 2026; about 200 rooms reopened in early July and most of the rest were due back within about 60 days, so check its status before booking.
La Romana and Casa de Campo
Casa de Campo is a 7,000-acre resort and villa community with three Pete Dye golf courses, including Teeth of the Dog, a marina and the calm Minitas Beach. It is the most expensive option in the region and suits golfers, families renting villas and wedding groups. La Romana city itself is a working town rather than a tourist area. See our La Romana area guide.
Which one should you pick?
| If you want… | Stay in |
|---|---|
| Diving, island trips, local restaurants | Bayahíbe |
| An all-inclusive on a long calm beach | Dominicus |
| Adults-only all-inclusive | Secrets La Romana or Catalonia Royal La Romana |
| A water park for the kids | Dreams La Romana |
| Golf, villas, polished resort life | Casa de Campo |
What to do
- Isla Saona day trip: the region’s signature excursion, with a stop at the natural pool sandbar. Tours from the Bayahíbe pier are cheapest. For fewer crowds, look for trips to Canto de la Playa.
- Catalina snorkel trip: shorter and calmer, with the region’s best snorkeling at The Wall.
- Scuba diving: the St. George wreck, reef walls and underwater archaeological sites.
- Altos de Chavón: the stone village above the Chavón River.
- Cueva de las Maravillas: Taíno rock art in a lit cave west of La Romana, closed Mondays.
Best time to visit
December to April is the dry season and peak season. Days are sunny and warm rather than hot, the sea is usually calmest for boat trips, and the resorts and Casa de Campo are at their busiest and most expensive. Book Saona trips and golf tee times early.
May, June and November are the sweet spot for many travelers: lower prices, fewer people, and generally good weather, with more chance of short afternoon showers.
July to October is the hottest and most humid stretch, and hurricane season, which runs from June to November, peaks from August to October. Most days are still fine for the beach, but storms can cancel boat trips, so leave flexibility in your plans and consider travel insurance. Casa de Campo’s golf courses also close for maintenance for a few weeks in summer and early autumn.
Sargassum
The south-east coast faces the Caribbean Sea, so it catches much less sargassum than Punta Cana’s east-facing Atlantic beaches. In heavy years, some seaweed still arrives between late spring and early autumn, mostly on exposed shores; the resort beaches at Bayahíbe and Dominicus are usually cleaned each morning, and sheltered spots like Minitas rarely see much. Our sargassum guide explains the seasons in more detail.
Practical tips
- Money: carry some Dominican pesos for colmados, motoconchos, tips and park fees; resorts and most restaurants take cards.
- Getting around: Bayahíbe is walkable. Taxis and motoconchos cover short hops; agree the fare first. Rent a car only if you plan your own day trips.
- National park rules: Saona, Catalina, Catalinita and the coast east of Dominicus are protected. Park fees are usually included in tour prices. Do not lift starfish out of the water, do not touch coral, and use reef-safe sunscreen.
- Combining with Punta Cana: a week split between Bávaro Beach and Bayahíbe works well, with about 1 to 1.5 hours of driving between them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which airport is closest to Bayahíbe?
La Romana International Airport (LRM) is the closest, about 20 to 25 minutes by car from Bayahíbe and Dominicus and a few minutes from Casa de Campo. It has fewer flights than Punta Cana, so many travelers fly into Punta Cana International (PUJ) instead, which is roughly an hour to an hour and a quarter from Bayahíbe.
Is Bayahíbe better than Punta Cana?
It depends on what you want. Bayahíbe and Dominicus have calmer, clearer Caribbean water, less sargassum, smaller resorts and the best diving and island trips in the east. Punta Cana has far more resorts, restaurants, nightlife and flights, and longer white-sand beaches. Many people stay in Punta Cana and visit Saona on a day trip; if the island trips and snorkeling are your priority, stay in Bayahíbe.
Can I visit Saona Island from Punta Cana?
Yes. Most Saona tours sold in Punta Cana include a bus transfer of 1.5 to 2 hours each way to Bayahíbe or another pier on the coast, then the same boat trip. Expect a 10-hour day and a higher price than tours that start at the Bayahíbe pier, which are listed around $65 to $80 per adult in 2026.
When is the best time to visit La Romana and Bayahíbe?
December to April is the driest and most comfortable period, with the calmest seas for boat trips, but it is also the busiest and most expensive. May, June and November are good shoulder months. Hurricane season runs from June to November, with the highest risk from August to October.
Does Bayahíbe get sargassum?
Less than Punta Cana. The south-east coast faces the Caribbean rather than the open Atlantic, so seaweed arrives less often, but heavy years can still bring some between late spring and early autumn. Resorts on Playa Dominicus and Bayahíbe usually clear their beaches each morning.
Do I need a car in Bayahíbe?
Not usually. Bayahíbe village is walkable, tours pick up at hotels, and taxis and motoconchos (motorbike taxis) cover short trips to Dominicus. A car is useful if you want to explore Altos de Chavón, the Cueva de las Maravillas or Santo Domingo on your own schedule.