Sharks in the Dominican Republic, are there sharks in the Dominican Republic? Dominican Sharks - Should you be wary of sharks in the Dominican Republic? Sharks in the Andaman Sea.

When planning a vacation, you want to plan for everything down to the smallest detail, and the issue of safety is not the least important for many. So, let's figure out whether the Atlantic and Caribbean waters of the island of Haiti are dangerous, and are there sharks in the Dominican Republic?

So, good news is that the entire coast of the Dominican Republic is surrounded by a coral reef. This means that sharks are rare guests in coastal waters, since the reef is a natural barrier for them.

In addition, the shark is a predator that feeds mainly on large prey: seals, Navy SEALs, less often - dolphins, and just all kinds big fish. Of all the listed individuals, only dolphins are found near the Dominican coast, and even then very rarely.

By the way, human flesh is by no means included in the usual diet of a shark, so the risk of being harmed by a predator in the Dominican Republic is practically zero.

Moreover, there are those who are not only not afraid of meeting a shark, but even dream about it!
For example, in the Dominican dolphinarium Dolphin Explorer, the “Swimming with a Shark” program is very popular!

Are there sharks in Punta Cana?

As you know, the Dominican Republic is washed by Atlantic waters from the north, and Caribbean Sea- from South. Where is the chance of meeting a shark more likely? Ichthyologists do not have a consensus on this matter. In any case, sharks appear very rarely in Punta Cana.

But in Samana Bay the chance of meeting a shark is greater, especially during the mating season of Humpback Whales, which lasts from January to March every year.

Well, if you need statistics, here it is: over the last century, only three cases of shark attacks on humans have been recorded in the Dominican Republic, and in the Caribbean region - only 6.

Shark fishing

But what if you are a desperate and fearless fisherman who is ready to go out into the open sea and meet a predator face to face? Yes, shark fishing is possible in the Dominican Republic! In addition, there are also people who like to enjoy fatty and rich shark soup. Here, as they say, for your money - any whim!

Types of sharks

So what types of sharks can be found outside the reef?

• Whale shark - despite large sizes, this shark is completely harmless and feeds only on plankton
• Nurse shark - it is this type of shark that you can swim with in the dolphinarium without any fear for your life and health. This shark is not only peaceful, but it doesn’t even know how to bite.
• Largemouth shark - despite its huge mouth, it does not consume anything other than plankton
• Caribbean reef shark- Purely theoretically, such a shark can pose a danger to humans. Some individuals reach 3 meters in length. But this species is on the verge of extinction, so meeting such a shark is very rare
• Tiger shark. Although such a shark is quite dangerous, it is more often a victim of humans, and not vice versa.
• Blue shark - this predator does not appear in coastal waters, preferring the open sea. And although some experts talk about its potential danger to humans, not a single attack has been recorded so far.

Safety precautions

To protect yourself from a fatal encounter with a dangerous predator, adhere to the following rules:

• Don't swim at night
• Avoid swimming in areas where there are dolphins, whales or where there are a lot of fish in general
• Do not go into the water with wounds on your body
• Before swimming, remove all shiny objects and decorations
• Don't swim too far: don't cross the reef's boundaries

In general, we can safely say that sharks in the Dominican Republic are practically incapable of harming a person in any way. And in general, an encounter with a predator is unlikely. But if you still want to swim with a shark, contact us and we’ll organize it! Have a nice and relaxing holiday, friends!

More than 15 years have passed since Russian tourists discovered the pearl of the Caribbean - the Dominican Republic. This unique country is located between North and South America and has a pleasant tropical climate. Along the entire coast there are huge hotel complexes, operating mainly on an all-inclusive basis and offering guests truly comfortable stay on the country's snow-white beaches surrounded by coconut palms. Besides, natural resources This island nation delights millions of travelers every year on land, air and, of course, sea excursions.

Some facts about the Dominican Republic

Dominican Republic is a state in Latin America, located on the island of Haiti and occupying 2/3 of its area on the eastern side. The second part of the island belongs to the country of the same name, the standard of living in which is one of the lowest in the world, and it is completely unsuitable for tourists.

Dominican Republic Map

The country is located predominantly in tropical zone, and rest is possible here all year round, however, the best time to travel is the Russian winter, from late November to mid-March. The rest of the time, the rainy seasons, monsoons and typhoons alternate here, bringing a lot of discomfort to the people permanently living here.

Additional Information! The island of Haiti itself is part of the Caribbean archipelago, which stretches from west to east across the entire Caribbean and consists of states such as Cuba, Puerto Rico, Jamaica and other island countries.

What is the Dominican Republic washed by?

What sea does the Dominican Republic wash? Despite the fact that the Dominican Republic is an island state, it shares its territory with the Republic of Haiti, which is located in the east. Thus, the country is washed by seas with three sides, and its coast is adjacent to the following water expanses:

• Dominican Republic, what ocean? Dominican Republic (Caribbean) the entire northern part is washed by the Atlantic Ocean, along the coast there are the most expensive and popular resorts among tourists, such as Punta Cana, Samana, Cabarete, Sosua, etc.;
• what kind of sea is in the Dominican Republic? From the southern part of the country stretches the Caribbean Sea, which covers the coasts of no less famous resorts - La Romana, Boca Chica, Juan Dolio;
• The conventional border between sea and ocean is located in the very east of the country, just not far from the outskirts of Punta Cana. IN good weather you can see how water of different salinity and temperature converges into a single mixture and forms beautiful arrow, stretching far to the horizon.

Important! Regardless of what waters the shores of the Dominican Republic wash, paradise holidays in the country are available almost all year round, but each coast has its own climatic and natural characteristics.

Punta Cana

The nuances of a holiday on the Atlantic coast

What washes the Dominican Republic? Before going on a trip to the Dominican Republic, on the Atlantic coast, tourists should remember the following features of holidays in these places:

• a colder wind blows on the Atlantic coast, making the climate slightly cooler than in the southern part of the country;
• the ocean itself can be stormy in some months; at high tide, water floods most of the beach, and swimming in it is somewhat more dangerous than in the sea, since the waves can exceed 2 m in height, especially during the rainy season;
• Due to the abundance of underwater flora and fauna, diving and snorkeling are very popular on the ocean coast. Special excursions to coral reefs are organized for tourists, where the beauty of the depths amazes the imagination of vacationers;
• “All inclusive” hotels are very common along the ocean coast, occupying huge areas, sometimes hundreds of hectares, and among tourists, as a rule, evening recreation in the city is not popular, since each hotel itself is a small settlement of up to 10 ,0 thousand people;
• what kind of ocean is in the Dominican Republic? From Atlantic coast it is much easier to get to the main natural attractions of the country - impenetrable jungle, mountainous areas, tropical gardens, fresh lakes with waterfalls and, of course, the famous Samana peninsula with waters inhabited by thousands of humpback whales;
• finally, few people know, but the coast of the Dominican Republic along the Atlantic Ocean is rich in amber deposits, and it can be found everywhere. Local residents offer beautiful jewelry from this natural material.

Important! Despite all the delights of the northern coast of the country, for those tourists who dream of a warm sea and a tropical paradise in the middle of the Russian winter, the Dominican Republic is not fully suitable for the ocean, and it is better to give preference to the south of the country.

Boca Chica

Pros and cons of the Caribbean coast of the Dominican Republic

Dominican Republic, Caribbean Sea - if a traveler chooses the Caribbean side of the island, he must understand that local resorts also have their advantages and disadvantages, here are some of them:

• the climate here is undoubtedly several degrees warmer than on the ocean coast;
• there are practically no waves at sea, the wind is much weaker than on the ocean, which makes the water completely transparent and its temperature rises to +28 degrees;
• the shore, as well as the entry into the water, is much flatter than on the Atlantic side, which makes holidays with small children much safer than on the northern part of the island;
• diving here, in turn, is not as interesting as on the Atlantic and sea ​​life leaner;
• the capital of the state, Santa Domingo, is located on the Caribbean side, and many tourists are happy to book excursions to admire the architectural beauty in the colonial style;
• the tourist flow is significantly higher than on the northern part of the island, which makes the local population more adapted to tourists;
• but at the same time, scattered along the coast a large number of inexpensive hotels, which somewhat reduce the prestige of these places, in contrast to the pretentious Atlantic.

This is interesting! It is on the Caribbean coast that the largest dolphinariums of the Dominican Republic are located, as well as the island of Saona, along the coast of which hundreds of pirate ships of bygone times rest at the bottom, since these waters have a sad history as a transit point for sea robbers.

Cabarete

Whales and sharks in the Dominican Republic

Certainly, hot climate and warm waters washing the island of Haiti - an ideal habitat for sea ​​predators, although you can rarely see them near the shore. Sharks prefer to hunt at some distance from the shore and often chase large ships, as they drop from time to time food waste in water. Among the sharks in the waters of the Dominican Republic you can find the following species:

• the whale shark is an absolutely harmless creature that feeds exclusively on small plankton, despite its impressive size;
• largemouth shark - the structure of the mouthparts is very similar to the tiger shark, and its diet consists of small crustaceans, fish, algae and plankton;
• Caribbean reef shark - hunts small fish near coral deposits, is not afraid of humans and is extremely curious. It poses a theoretical danger, as it can mistake the limbs of swimmers for fish and other sea inhabitants;
• The blue shark is an extremely dangerous predatory animal for humans, staying very far from the shore, on great depths;
• tiger shark - poses a danger to humans, but is extremely rare in local waters;
• The nurse shark is an absolutely safe species of shark, and in many cases marine parks The Dominican Republic offers swimming in a pool infested with nurse sharks, since during the entire period of studying their behavior there was not a single case of attack on people.

As for the whales of the Dominican Republic, these huge mammals prefer to live and get food exclusively in the open sea and at great depths. However, as mentioned above, in the bay near the Samana Peninsula, from January to March you can find a huge number of humpback whales, which have been coming here for mating and courtship for many years.

So, at the time of birth, a whale calf is very weak and does not know how to fend for itself, so parental control is possible only in those waters where a predator cannot swim.

Note! Best time to monitor these harmless giants for tourists - this is the month of February, when they accumulate in the water area maximum amount individuals.

Recommendations for tourists planning to visit the Dominican Republic

All tourists going on holiday this year exotic country You should familiarize yourself with the following recommendations, without which your vacation may be overshadowed by various factors:

• It is advisable to go from November to April, since in other months the weather does not allow you to fully enjoy relaxation and swimming in the ocean or sea. From June to August there are heavy rains;
• before choosing a hotel, you should check the cleanliness of the beach, as sometimes there are areas where entering the water is clouded by the presence of sharp stones and algae;
• when flying to winter time You should take summer clothes with you into the plane cabin and try to change clothes before boarding, as winter clothes it’s not suitable for staying in it for several hours before the hotel in 30-degree heat;
• The main currency in the Dominican Republic is the local peso, but almost everywhere locals gladly accept US dollars, and they don’t often have change from a 100-dollar bill, so you should take care of small money in advance, as you will need it at the airport of arrival when applying for a visa;
• upon arrival, it is better to buy a SIM card from local cellular operators at the airport, since accessing the Internet on the beach using it can be much cheaper and easier than using hotel Wi-Fi; it will be simply irreplaceable on long-distance excursions;
• Always and everywhere you need to take bottled water with you, as an excessively hot climate can lead to dehydration. It is highly not recommended to drink tap water in this country;
• when leaving the hotel in the evening, you should not take with you large sums money, since attacks on tourists by migrants from poor Haiti are not uncommon in the country;
• never and under no circumstances should you accept parcels for relatives from Russians permanently residing in the country, since cases of smuggling of narcotic substances are frequent;

Santa Domingo

• When communicating with locals, it is advisable to know several key phrases in Spanish and understand at least a basic set of words, but the easiest way is to download an electronic translator to your smartphone;
• It is imperative to use sunscreen with the maximum level of protection, since the sun in the tropics is very aggressive even behind thick clouds, which forces tourists to protect their sides from excessive tanning;
• if the hotel guide offers excursions from a tour operator, you should inquire about the price at local street agencies, since the same trips will be much cheaper;
• It is preferable to choose hotels with their own beach, since there is a lot of garbage on the city coasts;
• You shouldn’t be afraid to rent a car, but when signing the contract, it is advisable to record all visible damage on paper in order to avoid claims from the owner later;
• In almost any private shop offering fruit, coffee or souvenirs, you need to bargain, as tourists have the opportunity to reduce the price by 50% - 80%.

Important! If you do not neglect the rules listed above and the advice of transfer and hotel guides, a holiday in this country will seem like a real paradise on earth and positive impressions and a rich photo archive will last a lifetime.

Whales in the Dominican Republic

In conclusion, it should be said that a holiday in the Dominican Caribbean, regardless of which coast the traveler chooses, offers high-quality service and beautiful beaches. The residents themselves are very friendly, and always live to the rhythm of the dance. Thus, the best thing a tourist who has a large supply of vital energy can do is to spend half of a two-week vacation on the beaches of the majestic Atlantic and finally relax for a few more days, swimming in the gentle warm waters of the Caribbean Sea of ​​the Dominican Republic.

When going on vacation, where there is a warm sea or ocean, you involuntarily think about what danger might lie in wait in the water and are there sharks there? The Dominican Republic is washed on one side by the Atlantic Ocean, and on the other by the Caribbean Sea, and it would seem that there should be plenty of danger in the water.

The eastern part of the island, where tourism is most developed, is surrounded by coral reef and this is a natural barrier for sharks. Of course, you shouldn’t think that there are no sharks in the waters of the Dominican Republic.

As one quite experienced diving instructor said: “a shark has a certain diet, which fortunately you and I do not include.” The favorite delicacy of predators dangerous to humans are fur seals, walruses, seals and dolphins. Of all the above, only dolphins are found in the coastal waters of the Dominican Republic, and there are very small numbers of them. And in general, the Atlantic and Caribbean in the coastal waters of the Dominican Republic cannot boast of an abundance of marine life and therefore nothing attracts sharks to these places.

The shark itself will never attack a person, except when it is in danger from him or sees him as a rival.

The problems with sharks that exist in Egypt are caused by man himself. Thrill-seekers who want to swim with predators begin to feed them, which is strictly prohibited!

There is a whole range of various types sharks But, as a rule, these are varieties that do not pose a danger to humans.

One of them is the largest shark in the world - the whale shark, its size reaches an average of fourteen meters. It feeds on plankton and small fish. In addition to the whalefish, there is another one off the coast rare view sharks are large-mouthed, they are also plankton lovers and are not dangerous.

Nurse sharks are very common, they lead night image life. Their diet includes: octopuses, shellfish, crabs, as well as small fish. The size of these slow and inactive sharks does not exceed three meters. They are not dangerous to humans, which makes them attractive to scuba diving enthusiasts.

The possibility of encountering sharks near the Dominican coast is very small, but do not neglect basic safety measures, do not swim behind reefs, swim at night, or enter the water with an open wound, because. even a drop of blood in the water attracts a predator from hundreds of meters away.

Behind last years tourism in the Dominican Republic gained high speed, including the development of diving. To date, not a single instructor can boast of meeting a representative of the shark family, which can pose a danger to humans.

A little about others sea ​​creatures this heavenly place. Fortunately poisonous fish and there are practically no snakes here, as in the Red Sea, which makes your vacation more comfortable. There is a high probability of meeting stingrays, but believe me, they are more afraid of us than we are of them. At depth, you can find moray eel, stone fish or lionfish, but only divers can become these lucky ones.

As you already know, there are a lot of coral reefs here, and people like to hide in them sea ​​urchins Of course, nothing serious will happen if you step on them, but it won’t be very pleasant either, so be careful.

In general, you are unlikely to encounter a shark in the Dominican Republic, but you should never let your guard down!

February 24th, 2011 , 01:31 pm

Dominican Republic, Punta Cana, February 2011

One of the entertainments in the Dominican Republic besides beach holiday in huge reservation hotels there are zoos where you can look at tigers, parrots, iguanas, and also swim in natural environment habitats with dolphins, fur seals, nurse sharks and stingrays.

While relaxing in the resort of Punta Cana, you can go to Manati Park http://www.manatipark.com/ or to the Dolphin Explorer http://www.dolphinexplorer.com.do/.

We bought tickets for the last one. A bus picks you up from this park; at the entrance to the park, depending on who you decide to swim with (with dolphins/seals/sharks), you put on different bracelets, and then you are divided into groups.

2. Before swimming, all tourists are required to be shown this tiger.

3. He is fed meat and milk for the amusement of the public. Americans are keenly interested in whether this is a Siberian tiger. The staff casually replies that the tiger is Bengal, and Siberian tigers much larger.
After such a statement, Russian tourists who understand English immediately have a proud expression on their faces.

7. This multi-colored handsome man made faces in front of my “soap box” the most. Apparently, he wanted me to capture him in different poses. What did he do?

8. Even spread his wings

9. The antics ended in tears. He slipped from his branch and fell. I had to call for help to save the bird.

In the photo there is a handsome man in almost free flight).

10. After the tiger and parrots, you get to the beach, where you are divided into groups, you hand over unnecessary things to the storage room and put on life jackets.

The vast majority of tourists come to swim with dolphins. Only 2 tourists came to swim with fur seals and, as you guessed, another 2 (me and my husband) came to swim with sharks and stingrays.

After you put on your vests, you can take a walk before swimming and look at the deserted Dominican beach - the complete opposite of what you will see in any packed hotel.

11. Here I realized that somewhere in the Dominican Republic there is paradise. But it’s definitely not on hotel beaches, where for every square meter there are 2, or even 3 American-Canadian bodies.

19. This photo shows the pier that you have to walk along to get to the natural swimming pools.

24. The swimming area is blocked by a grill like this.

26. In one of the first pools, the inscription “Sharks” immediately catches your eye.

28. This pool is for swimming with dolphins. Tourists are divided into groups of 10 people, each with 1 dolphin, with whom everyone takes turns swimming, dancing and exchanging affection.

34. Swimming programs with dolphins are different and cost different money. From 110 to 250 dollars per person. Duration 30-40 minutes. Of the designated money, $35 costs entry into the park itself.

36. We didn’t want to go to this park at all, because Russian guides only talk about the opportunity to swim with dolphins. This is no longer relevant for us, since we did it in Turkey, which I talked about

Quite by chance we saw an information brochure about the possibilities of the Punta Cana resort, which featured photos of tourists swimming with sharks. We decided to ask the guide about it and inquire about the cost.

In response, they heard that you can swim with sharks and it costs (ATTENTION!) 10 (ten!) dollars!

We were surprised; thoughts began to creep into our heads that 10 dollars was somehow completely frivolous and, most likely, this idea was unsafe. We were assured that everything would go well (and it did!) and the price was due to the lack of demand and the lack of need to train sharks and rays, because it is useless.

37. So, after paying 10 bucks each in addition to the entrance fees to the park ($35), we swam for 15 minutes with 3 sharks and 2 stingrays, fed them fish, held them in our hands and stroked them. There was no one except us! It turned out individually! Incomparable sensations!

There are 2 instructors with you at all times, who explain what to do and what not to do at all, so that the little shark, who has powerful jaws, you didn’t cut off half of your arm).

First you swim towards the masked sharks, looking at them underwater. Then you stand on the shallows, where the water is waist-deep, and stroke them, hold them in your hands and feed them.

41.
She's a beauty!

42. After swimming, tourists are offered an entertaining show with fur seals. Very cute and funny).

To conclude the story, I will outline some nuances:

You are not allowed to take photographs while swimming; all cameras are forcibly asked to be returned from the storage room.

If one of you does not swim, then the other will not be allowed to take photos or videos, since you will deprive local photographers of bread. In front of me, one American was yelling using all possible phrases with the word “FUCK” in his speech because he, who only paid $65 for entry (it turns out that American operators are even more annoying to tourists), is not allowed to photograph his wife swimming with dolphins .

One photo on paper costs $15, the more you take, the cheaper the price, BUT they do not record the photo on disk under any circumstances.

Those who swim with fur seals and sharks (and, as a rule, there are at most 2 people!) are not noticed by extortionists from the photo industry and I freely took pictures, as you understand, as much as I want! Numerous dolphin lovers are prohibited from taking photographs.

Take these points into account when visiting the park so as not to spoil your mood and get vivid shots from your vacation.

Happy travels!