La Romana / Bayahibe Rock Climbing

This is a quiet and isolated limestone crag in the forest with more than 40 established sport routes up to 50 ft long. Less than 2 hours from Santo Domingo and 45 from Punta Cana, this is well worth the side trip if you are just visiting the DR and want to explore the country's climbing scene. The approach hike is less than 5 minutes from the access road. The crag has been developed by a local who lives nearby, and the crag is overall very clean and well maintained. Most bolts and anchors are stainless steel in good condition (as of this post in 2015), however be advised that this crag is very close to the sea and stress corrosion cracking (SCC) is always a consideration. There are also many permanent anchors consisting of slung voids. The route names and grades are painted at the start of each route, so no topos are necessary. Route grades range from 5b and to 7c, with a few ungraded projects at hard end of the scale. In general, climbs here may be perceived as being considerably easier than the given grade (i.e., "vacation grades"). This area contains a wide variety of route character, and the rock quality is variable ranging from pock marked faces of razor sharp coral to smooth limestone with beautiful pockets and tufas. It may be advisable to tape fingers if you are not used to the sharp holds.

The entire crag is north facing and in the forest so expect shade all day long.

Beware of abundant wasps - it may be advisable to bring a brush on a painters pole to scrub old relict wasp nests off the wall. Locals also make it a habit to keep a can of wasp spray in with their climbing gear. 

There is a small medical clinic on the main road back to the highway with ambulance service. 

The crag is a short drive to the public beach, so bring your swimsuit for a swim after your day of climbing. There are also nearby caves just a short hike away north of the access road worth exploring. Please respect this area by keeping it clean and carrying out all trash.