Bayahíbe

Bayahíbe is a laid-back former fishing village on the southeast coast, its little bay dotted with brightly painted wooden boats and bordered by an easy-going, palm-shaded beach. It's the launch port for the Saona, Catalina and Cotubanamá National Park day trips, so almost everyone passes through — but its colourful harbour, pastel streets and calm turquoise water make it a charming photo subject in its own right. Mornings are mirror-flat and quiet before the excursion boats fill the dock; late afternoon bathes the returning fleet in warm golden light. Our photographers capture the painted boats, the village character and the relaxed gateway energy, beautiful year-round and at its calmest in the December-to-April dry season.