27 Charcos de Damajagua: a river through limestone pools
Published on 09/24/2026 at 01:28 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
27 Charcos de Damajagua is a chain of waterfalls and natural pools in the Damajagua River near Imbert, in Puerto Plata province, Dominican Republic. Its defining feature is a river route through limestone, where cascades, rock walls and deep pools follow one another through a forested canyon.
The site is both a landscape and a sequence of water-shaped chambers. The name refers to the 27 charcos, or pools, associated with the waterfall system, while the river remains the continuous thread between them.
27 Charcos de Damajagua and the Damajagua River
The waterfall system lies in the foothills of the Cordillera Septentrional, the mountain range running along the north of the Dominican Republic. The protected area is located in the municipality of Imbert and shares part of its territory with Altamira.
The river occupies a limestone canyon containing cascades, pools, channels and rocky passages. Water gathers in basins beneath the falls, then continues through the gorge before reaching the lower sections. The landscape is tropical, with forest on the canyon slopes and vegetation beside the river.
The river basin forms part of the protected natural monument designated under Dominican law. The protected area covers the Damajagua watershed and includes the waterfall landscape rather than a single isolated cascade.
Twenty-seven pools in a limestone canyon
Each section of the route has its own combination of falling water, exposed rock and a pool below. Some cascades form narrow chutes through the limestone, while others drop into broader basins enclosed by canyon walls.
The stone gives the river corridor its character. Water has cut channels and hollows through pale rock, producing ledges, walls and smooth surfaces along the stream. Forest vegetation appears above the canyon and around the watercourse, contrasting with the bare limestone at the falls.
The sequence is not a row of separate lakes. It is a connected river landscape, with the pools linked by flowing water and rocky passages. This relationship between moving water and still basins explains the visual rhythm of 27 Charcos de Damajagua.
The site is also known as the 27 Charcos waterfall system. The name appears in local tourism descriptions alongside the wider identity of Puerto Plata’s northern coast.
From protected watershed to canyon route
Salto de la Damajagua entered the Dominican Republic’s national protected-area system through Law 202-04 on 30 June 2004. Its category is Natural Monument, a designation for a defined natural feature or landscape with conservation value.
The formal designation covers the river basin and the surrounding natural setting. It also places the waterfalls within the environmental geography of Puerto Plata, alongside forests, mountain foothills and other protected landscapes of the province.
Visitors encounter the place as an active river route rather than as a viewpoint beside a single fall. The landscape combines walking beside the water with passages through pools and cascades, creating a physical connection between the upper and lower sections.
The access road is the Puerto Plata–Santiago highway, near the Llanos de Pérez area. Imbert provides the closest named municipality, while Puerto Plata is the main regional reference point.
Visiting 27 Charcos de Damajagua: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- 27 Charcos de Damajagua lies near Imbert in Puerto Plata province. The approach uses the Puerto Plata–Santiago highway through the Llanos de Pérez area.
- The route follows a river through limestone. It includes forest walking, uneven rock, pools and waterfall sections.
- The principal landscape is a protected watershed. The Natural Monument includes the Damajagua River basin and surrounding forest.
- The official language is Spanish and the currency is the Dominican peso.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
Searching for 27 Charcos de Damajagua on social platforms
These links open searches for 27 Charcos de Damajagua on each platform.Frequently asked questions about 27 Charcos de Damajagua
Where is 27 Charcos de Damajagua?
It is in the municipality of Imbert, within Puerto Plata province in the Dominican Republic. The waterfalls lie in the foothills of the Cordillera Septentrional.
What does a visit involve?
The landscape is experienced along the Damajagua River. Walking, uneven limestone, pools and cascades form the physical setting.
What makes the place distinctive?
Its defining feature is the connected sequence of 27 waterfall pools inside a limestone canyon. The river, forest and protected watershed form one continuous landscape.
