27 Waterfalls of Damajagua — Attraction in Imbert

Our experience at the Damajagua Waterfalls was far from what we had hoped for. While the hike uphill was undeniably beautiful, and we appreciated the lush scenery, the experience left much to be desired. The guides offered almost no naturalist information during the hike, which felt like a missed opportunity to enhance the experience. The hike was the highlight of the entire adventure.

The waterfalls themselves were absolutely terrifying. The water is freezing cold and extremely deep, something we weren’t adequately warned about. While we were told it was an adventurous activity, we were not informed there were walk-around options for those who might not want to slide or jump. Our group included a fit 60-year-old, a 40-year-old, and an active 8-year-old, and we all found the experience distressing. Even though we’re good swimmers, being jetted into freezing, deep waterholes repeatedly was unnerving.

Our 8-year-old, despite us doing our best to stay positive, described the experience as a nightmare. Things only improved when we finally realized ladders were available to bypass some of the slides, but by then, the fear had already taken hold. My husband used one of the ladders, and at the last waterfall, my son flat-out refused to slide again—something I fully understood.

Adding to our unease, the guide casually mentioned that just a month earlier, someone had broken both legs during the activity. Seeing a mule ambulance at the exit left us wondering how such an emergency would even be managed. It’s horrifying to think that an injured person might have to endure a bumpy ride back on that mule to get help.

Overall, this was not the fun, family-friendly adventure we were led to expect. If you’re considering this activity, think twice, especially if you’re with children or aren’t comfortable in deep water. The beauty of the area doesn’t outweigh the lack of safety, poor communication, and sheer terror...

Visiting the 27 waterfalls is the absolute best thing you can do at the northern coast of DR. First, I would like to present 3 facts in order not to be disappointed: Word "waterfall" is not that appropriate - it's rather a small falling stream - do not expect Niagara or something like that, It is unlikely you'll visit all 27 - they say there's not enough water - true or not I don't know, but even 7 we visited was quite enough, Do the tour on your own - you save a lot of money and do it when and as long you want which I explain further down. 27 falls are some 30-40 min drive southwest of Puerto Plata. Road is good, well signed (direction Santiago de los Caballeros) and only the last mile when you exit the main road is not paved. Parking on spot is free. Entry fee is around 20 $ pp, including life vest, helmet and guides. On tours from Puerto Plata you'll be charged 50$+ with numerous stopping at places selling souvenir stuff. Groups are around 15 people. There're lockers to rent (1-2 $) to store your belongings. Water shoes are extra, around 1-2 $, cannot remember exactly, but don't even think not taking them (except you have your own). We visited only 7 falls, but was enough for us - in total the tour lasts 2-2,5 hours. First 30-40 min is a forest climb uphill, easy to medium, after which the adventure starts. You can opt for jumping down in natural pools or descending via ladder if you're afraid. Only two are pretty high - 5 to 8 meters, others are small or there's a natural rock slide down. Water is cooler, but you get shortly used to it. CAMERA TIP: decline the official professional photo offer at the ticket booth as it is pricey. Instead, give your phone to your guide. All the guides are super friendly and funny, and they'll make great photos for you (waterproof camera pocket recommended) - see my pics. Of course, don't forget...

This was an awesome experience and I highly recommend it. If you are anywhere in the vicinity of Santiago, this is a must. We were in Santo Domingo and it was still worth the drive.

If you don't mind the hike (about 45 min in the jungle) you can get the full experience. The nice thing about the hike is that hardly anyone does it so you have the upper pools all to yourselves. Even with the full tour, it's only about $12 per person. If you want, you can pay for a guide to film your whole experience and give it to you on a DVD at the end. I recommend this because it's pretty cheap and that way you don't have to worry about figuring out how to capture the moments. And you'll want to remember this.

If you go in the dryer times of the year, the jumps are taller and the pools shallower. This means you might have to dive shallow in some places and be ready to cushion your landing on the bottom. If you go in the rainy seasons, the jumps are shorter, but the pools are deeper. I recommend the dryer times.

I should also point out that you don't even have to know how to swim to enjoy this experience. Life jackets are mandatory and will pull you out of the water without any problem. As long as you can hold your breath, you'll be fine even if - like me - you can't swim a lick.

Some advice. Wear Teva's or some other type of heel-strap sandal. WATER SHOES ARE NOT A GOOD IDEA. Your average water shoe does not have adequate padding or arch support and you'll be hiking over a lot of baseball-sized rocks (especially if the water is low). I couldn't walk right for a couple of days but my friends who wore Teva's were just fine. Also, wear a rashguard shirt if you have one (a t-shirt will suffice if you don't), but don't go shirtless (or in just a bikini) as the life jacket will chafe (thankfully my friend learned this one the hard way...