Dominican Republic: Marine Life and Coastal Restoration

Arrive at Miami International Airport (MIA) where you’ll meet your Rustic Pathways Flight Leader, who will help get you checked in and through security before traveling with your group to the Dominican Republic. Get acquainted with fellow Rustic travelers before boarding your flight.

Arrive at Santo Domingo Airport (SDQ) and meet your Program Leaders who will be with you for the duration of the program. Head to the hotel and settle in, relaxing after your long flight. Join the group for an orientation discussion about the week ahead, expectations for your adventure, and an introduction to the local culture.

After breakfast, get ready to head out to your new home in the small beach town of Bayahibe. Get settled in, but don’t take too long – you have a bay to explore! Stroll around this gorgeous paradise so you and your team can become familiar with the area. Formerly a small fishing village, this area is now internationally known for its crystalline waters and stunning sunsets. The afternoon will be dedicated to an orientation led by the Dominican Foundation for Marine Studies (FUNDEMAR), where you’ll receive an introduction to the marine ecosystems of the Dominican Republic and the conservation efforts in the region. You’ll learn about the threats facing coral reefs and marine mammals, setting the foundation for your work in the coming days.
Finish the day with a Dominican dance class to the rhythm of traditional merengue and bachata music.

Settle into your base for the next seven nights. Students will stay in shared rooms, separated by gender; private bathrooms with Western-style toilets and intermittent hot water.

On day three you will dive into coral restoration work. After breakfast, you’ll participate in a presentation by FUNDEMAR that covers coral reef ecology, the ecosystem services they provide, and the significant threats they face from climate change and human activity. Following this, you’ll get hands-on experience with coral restoration techniques, such as constructing coral reef structures and learning about coral nurseries.
In the afternoon, you’ll snorkel at La Coralina reef to practice coral identification and conduct a parrotfish census, both essential tasks for understanding the health of marine ecosystems. In the evening, relax as you watch the critically acclaimed documentary Chasing Coral, which highlights the global coral bleaching crisis. A group discussion will follow, allowing you to reflect on what you’ve learned and its relevance to your conservation work.

The morning of day four will be spent at sea, monitoring marine mammals off the coast of Saona Island. You’ll learn to identify different species of marine mammals, such as manatees and dolphins and collect data on their behavior and habitat. As you observe these magnificent creatures, you’ll also note any environmental threats they face, such as boat traffic or pollution. Upon returning to shore, the group will discuss the findings, emphasizing the importance of marine mammal conservation. In the afternoon, head to Magallanes Beach, where you’ll participate in a coral fossil identification session. Here, you’ll explore ancient corals and learn how their presence provides clues to past marine environments. The day concludes with a beach break, where you can reflect on the day’s activities.

On the fifth day, you’ll further your coral restoration efforts by working directly with FUNDEMAR’s coral nursery program. In the morning, you’ll assist with building substrates and transplanting coral fragments, learning the intricate process of restoring degraded reefs. This work is crucial for enhancing marine biodiversity and improving the health of local coral ecosystems. Work alongside marine scientists to construct buoys for coral gardens. Large buoys mark protected areas, while smaller ones help support coral nurseries by keeping coral afloat, allowing it to grow efficiently. Build and install both types of buoys while learning how these efforts protect the coral from human impact and promote healthy growth. In the evening, the group will gather to watch the documentary A Plastic Ocean, which explores the devastating effects of plastic pollution on the world’s oceans. A group discussion will follow, connecting the documentary to your work earlier in the day.

This morning, hike out of Bayahibe on the beautiful Padre Nuestro trail. Work to help local environmental groups maintain and reforest the preserved area. Have a picnic lunch before taking some time to hike the trail yourself and enjoy some swimming. You will pass tropical plants, cacti, crabs, and climb down into an underwater cave to explore and swim alongside your group.

Get back to work with Fundemar by creating large grid structures that will be submerged along the coast to help rebuild the damaged coral reefs. As you know by now, the reefs are habitats for marine fauna and are important in helping increase populations of indigenous sea life, from baby fish to giant manatees. This project is very important for the region and goes hand in hand with your previous efforts in creating buoys to keep boats out of the delicate reef systems. Organizations like Fundemar operate on a holistic scale, restoring species across the ecosystem, repairing damage, and working to prevent these damaging incidents from occurring in the future.

Spend the morning learning about coastal ecosystems and working on coastal cleanup. After a well-deserved lunch break, you’ll return to Magallanes Beach for an afternoon of coral identification. Here, you’ll apply the skills you’ve learned throughout the week to identify various live coral species and understand their roles within the broader ecosystem.
Today we will take a moment to reflect on the work we have done with FUNDEMAR and how we can continue the work in our everyday lives. After dinner, unwind and have fun with a group karaoke night.

Take a boat ride to the beautiful Saona Island where a group of community members have joined forces to protect the sea turtles that breed on the island. Hear directly from them how you can take initiative at any level, and how communities contribute to large-scale projects through local initiatives. Enjoy dinner with ocean views before heading on a short hike to a salt lagoon. Here you can enjoy a beautiful sunset over the lagoon before resting up for your turtle walk in the morning.

Tonight, stay on the beach at a small rustic hotel on Isla Saona. Rooms separated by gender. Basic bathrooms with flushing toilets.

Participate in a beach walk to look for turtle nests and help preserve the eggs mama turtles lay, and hopefully catch a glimpse of a turtle laying her eggs! Sleep in and spend your morning enjoying Isla Saona’s pristine, picturesque beaches before heading back to Bayahibe, stopping to swim in the shallow natural pools filled with sea stars and gorgeous views of the nature preserve back on land. Join your group for a post-service debrief in the evening, discussing what you experienced and learned in the past week.

Return to into your base for the next three nights. Students will stay in shared rooms, separated by gender; private bathrooms with Western-style toilets and intermittent hot water.

Enjoy an hour-long bus ride out to Punta Cana. In the morning, spend time enjoying Hoyo Claro. Cool off in this beautiful natural lagoon and take in all the sites around you. In the afternoon, head back to Bayahibe and spend all afternoon relaxing on the beach.

Today, you’ll lead an engaging kids camp for the children of the Benerito community in Bayahibe. Your day will be filled with fun and educational activities designed to inspire and entertain the kids. In the morning, facilitate interactive games that promote learning and creativity, encouraging teamwork and problem-solving. As the afternoon unfolds, continue with more hands-on activities, ensuring every child is engaged and enjoying the experience. To wrap up the day, head outside for a lively game of soccer, where you’ll bond with the kids through friendly competition and shared enthusiasm, leaving everyone with lasting memories of the day.

After breakfast, head out to Sabana de La Mar where you will stay at an eco-hotel nestled on the borders of the park. Take in the sights of Los Haitises National Park, one of the jewels of the Dominican Republic and home to a high percentage of the biodiversity and fauna indigenous to the country. Enjoy an afternoon hike and once you return, take a dip in the natural pools at your eco-lodge!

The next two nights will be spent at a unique ecolodge for two nights. Rooms separated by gender, private bathrooms with Western-style toilets, hot water. Various natural pools and common areas for unwinding.

Work alongside park rangers, Green Brigade volunteers and other environmental groups in Los Haitises National Park. Contribute to the restoration of mangrove eco-systems and the marine life that rely on them, including local dolphin populations that feed in the Samaná Bay. Practice your Spanish with local volunteers and get your hands (and everything else) dirty on this project. In the afternoon, complete your final coastal clean-up.

Head back to the capital for a tour of the Colonial Zone of Santo Domingo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to the first university, cathedral, and hospital in the Americas. Take a tour of the walled city and learn about the deep history of the first European settlement in the Americas. After touring the Colonial Zone, head over to a special dinner and dance show at a typical Dominican restaurant.

At the end of each program, students reflect on their experiences and the issues they engaged with, and talk about how to apply this new understanding to their own worlds. During or after their closing discussion, groups participate in Rustic Ties, a unique and powerful activity that allows students to capture the memories and learning moments of their program to process and share with their communities back home.

Spend your final night in a hotel with shared rooms with private bathrooms.

Your Program Leaders will take you to the airport for your flight home or to your next Rustic program as you say goodbyes and reflect on your adventure.

If you’re staying in the Dominican Republic, your Program Leaders will take you to your next accommodation to meet your new group. If you’re continuing on to another Rustic Pathways destination, you’ll board a connecting flight to that country.