SANTO DOMINGO. – The Romana-Bayahibe coast keeps its beaches free of sargassum, thanks to a combination of privileged geography and a natural barrier that few areas of the Caribbean coast can boast: Saona Island.
Andrés Fernández, president of the Association of Hotels of this Tourist Hub (AHRB), explained the reason for this exceptionality during the presentation of the organization's 2026 strategic agenda.
"One of the great strengths of La Romana-Bayahibe is that it is not affected by the sargassum phenomenon, which greatly affects all the islands of the Caribbean," he noted.
Sargassum is a type of seaweed that, since the second decade of the 21st century, has massively invaded the coasts of the tropical Atlantic and the Caribbean, generating losses of millions of dollars in tourist destinations throughout the region by marring the beaches, creating odors, and discouraging visitors.
Bayahibe has a twofold advantage: its geographic location and the protective role of Saona Island. According to Fernández, the sargassum seaweed that arrives via the Mona Passage collides with Saona and is diverted towards San Pedro de Macorís, Juan Dolio, and the western part of the island, leaving the beaches of Bayahibe and its surroundings untouched.
“In La Romana-Bayahibe, we don't need to implement plans to combat sargassum because, as of today, we are not affected by that problem,” he stated. The result, according to the executive, is that the destination has not registered any economic losses associated with this phenomenon.
The association also works on the protection of the coral reef in the area with the support of Fundemar (Foundation for Marine Studies), and under the standards of the international Blue Flag program of the European Union.
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