Pedernales Travel Guide

Pedernales town

Pedernales town functions as the administrative and commercial hub of the province, and it is the nearest significant town to the Cabo Rojo airport site. As with much of the province, its character today is shaped by relative remoteness from the rest of the country rather than by a tourism industry built around a resort strip.

Its position on the border with Haiti also makes it a crossing point, and the town's daily life reflects that cross-border relationship in ways that towns on the country's more tourism-oriented coasts generally do not.

For travellers, Pedernales town is typically a base rather than a destination in itself — the place you stay while visiting Cabo Rojo, Bahía de las Águilas or the inland parks, rather than a place built primarily around sightseeing.

The province's defining landscapes

To the south of Pedernales town lies Cabo Rojo, the coastal area with its historic port and the site identified for the future airport. Beyond Cabo Rojo, the coastline continues into Jaragua National Park and the protected sands of Bahía de las Águilas.

Inland and to the north, the Sierra de Bahoruco rises sharply, home to a cloud forest reserve and to Hoyo de Pelempito, a dramatic sinkhole-like valley with viewpoints looking down into it. Further north-west, Lago Enriquillo forms a large saline lake basin, accessible via Duvergé.

This combination — coastline, protected beach, mountains and an inland saline lake — inside a single province is unusual in the Dominican Republic, and it is a large part of why the south-west is often described as offering a different kind of trip from the country's better-known beach resorts.

What CBJ is expected to mean for Pedernales town

As the nearest town to the airport site, Pedernales stands to see the most direct effect once CBJ opens, in terms of both increased visitor traffic passing through and, potentially, further development tied to the airport's operations. None of the specifics of that development have been confirmed publicly.

For now, the town's role for travellers is unchanged from what it has been: a base for exploring Cabo Rojo, Bahía de las Águilas and the inland landscapes, reached overland via the existing coastal highway from Barahona.

Practical notes for visiting today

Because Pedernales sits at the end of a long overland route rather than beside a major airport, travellers visiting today typically plan for a full day of travel to arrive, whether coming from Santo Domingo or Barahona, and build their itinerary around a multi-night stay rather than a short visit.

Given the province's protected landscapes, much of what there is to do around Pedernales — the national parks, the lake, the mountains — benefits from a guide familiar with local access rules, particularly for Jaragua National Park and the Sierra de Bahoruco reserve.

Places within reach of Pedernales town

Confirmed geography — see each page for what is known today and what is planned for CBJ transfers.

CBJ is planned to open in February 2027. Transfer prices will be published once the airport's opening and terminal access are officially confirmed — until then we take advance requests and send your quote the moment rates are set.

Pricing

Questions we get on this

Is Pedernales a town or a province?

Both. Pedernales is the name of both the province occupying the Dominican Republic's south-western tip and its capital town.

Is Pedernales close to the planned CBJ airport?

Yes. Pedernales town is the nearest significant town to the Cabo Rojo airport site, within the same province.

What is there to do around Pedernales?

Cabo Rojo's coast, Bahía de las Águilas beach, Jaragua National Park, the Sierra de Bahoruco reserve and Lago Enriquillo are all within the wider province.