Los Tres Ojos Lakes: Natural beauty carved by time
Los Tres Ojos Lakes: These bodies of water hidden in subway caves are what you need for a weekend getaway in Santo Domingo.
The Dominican Republic has emblematic sites, full of magic that turn them into natural wonders, such as Los Tres Ojos, a place that every traveler who loves adventure and nature must visit.
Just eight kilometers from Santa Domingo, we find Los Tres Ojos National Park, a few meters from Parque del Este, within the city.
Surrounded by flora and fauna, there are three subway caves connected to each other that once served as a refuge or ritual place for the Tainos. To reach them it is necessary to descend a stairway and cross undulating paths to the turquoise water masses known as "ojos" (eyes).
Initially it was a single lake, but after the collapse of a portion of the cave, formed by limestone rock, it was divided into three:
- Aguas Azufradas Lake: with about four meters of its depth, in its bottom you will appreciate a white color. At first it was thought to be sulfur, hence its name, but it was discovered that it was calcium and other minerals that give it its particular color to the bottom.
- La Nevera: It is the second deepest lake, a little more than 5 meters and, as its name indicates, it is the coldest, with temperatures between 15 and 21 degrees. No sunlight reaches here.
Lake of the Ladies: It is the shallowest, although it is located in the deepest area. Its name is due to the fact that it used to be a lake for women and children.
Currently Los Tres Ojos has a fourth freshwater lake, turquoise, named "Zaramagullones" and can only be accessed aboard a small boat. Just over 6 meters deep, the lake is bordered by rock formations and lush vegetation. It is the only lake in the open air.
It is possible to tour each of the water eyes inside the caves, discovered in 1916, in a boat, where you can admire Taino petroglyphs and even vestiges of ancient vessels.
The park where Los Tres Ojos is located has boats for visitors to discover each of the caves, although there is also the option of touring them on foot, although you will still need a boat to go from one to another.
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