What is Cueva del Chicho?
Cueva del Chicho is one of dozens of limestone caves inside Cotubanama National Park, a protected wilderness south of Bayahibe. It is small but has a clear freshwater pool inside where visitors can swim. The cave was used by the indigenous Taino people centuries ago and you can still see some carvings and pictograms.
How to get there
Most visitors join an organized guided tour from Bayahibe or La Romana. The transfer takes about 30 minutes plus a 15 minute walk through the jungle to the cave entrance. Independent visitors can drive to the park entrance and hire a guide on the spot.
What to bring
- Water shoes, the cave floor is uneven and slippery
- Quick-dry towel, you will be wet for the rest of the tour
- Head torch or strong phone light, the cave is dark
- Insect repellent, the jungle approach has mosquitoes
- Cash for your guide tip, $5 per person is standard
Combine with
Pair Cueva del Chicho with the nearby Cenote Padre Nuestro (also inside Cotubanama) for a full half-day. Or add it to a Saona Island catamaran day trip on a separate day so you have one beach day and one nature day.
Ready to swim Cueva del Chicho?
Browse cave and cenote tours from Bayahibe with free cancellation.
Frequently asked questions
Cueva del Chicho is inside Cotubanama National Park (formerly East National Park), near Bayahibe in the southeast Dominican Republic. The cave entrance is reached by a short jungle walk from the access road.
Yes. The cave has a clear freshwater pool inside that you can swim in with a guide. Wear a life jacket if you are not a confident swimmer. The pool is roughly 5 to 8 ft deep.
Guided tours range from $40 to $75 per adult including round-trip transport from Bayahibe or La Romana. Independent visitors pay a small national park entrance plus a guide fee, generally cheaper but harder to organize.
