Cabo Rojo
Country: Dominican Republic · Region: Southern Caribbean · Area: Pedernales · Arrival: pier · Currency: Dominican Peso
Cabo Rojo is the Dominican Republic's newest cruise call, a purpose-built port in Pedernales province on the island's far south-west coast that welcomed its first ship in January 2024 and is now a regular Royal Caribbean stop. Ships dock at the pier, the terminal is a resort in itself with pools, a lazy river, fairground rides, bars and restaurants, and the coast beyond it holds Bahia de las Aguilas, often called the finest beach in the Caribbean, inside Jaragua National Park.
Top sights
Bahia de las Aguilas, Laguna de Oviedo and its flamingos, Hoyo de Pelempito lookout, Sierra de Bahoruco National Park, Pedernales town, Baby Beach, the port's pools and lazy river
Forecast for Cabo Rojo
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Weather in Cabo Rojo by month
Averages from 2015 to 2024, not a forecast. Within about two weeks of a date, the live forecast above is the one to trust.
| Month | Average high | Average low | Rainfall | Wet days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 87°F | 72°F | 0.5 in | 4 |
| February | 88°F | 72°F | 0.9 in | 5 |
| March | 88°F | 73°F | 1.4 in | 9 |
| April | 89°F | 75°F | 1.5 in | 12 |
| May | 92°F | 77°F | 1.4 in | 7 |
| June | 94°F | 78°F | 0.7 in | 5 |
| July | 95°F | 79°F | 0.9 in | 6 |
| August | 94°F | 79°F | 2.8 in | 8 |
| September | 92°F | 78°F | 2.6 in | 13 |
| October | 90°F | 77°F | 3.5 in | 16 |
| November | 88°F | 75°F | 2.4 in | 11 |
| December | 88°F | 73°F | 0.6 in | 5 |
Getting around
Ships dock at the pier, no tender. Free tuk-tuks run between the ship and the port entrance. A free shuttle to Pedernales town, about 20 minutes east on Highway 44, leaves every half hour from 9 am to 1 pm and returns from 10 am to 4 pm. Taxis wait at the port exit by the Old Cape Mine zone; agree a round-trip fare before you leave and keep the driver's number. Uber does not operate here. Bahia de las Aguilas is a 25-minute drive to La Cueva and then a 30-minute boat ride; Laguna de Oviedo is 45 to 60 minutes away; Hoyo de Pelempito is 75 to 120 minutes through four forest zones. Cell coverage disappears in the mountains, so download offline maps before you walk off.
What to eat
Inside the port, the Blue Parrot runs entrees at $15 to $25 and the pool bars charge $4 to $12 a drink, all in US dollars. In Pedernales, Rancho Tipico Cueva de las Aguilas is the local institution for Bahiafongo, a mofongo loaded with seafood, at $7 to $13, and Restaurante Jalicar does family-style plates for about RD$1,000. Look for pescado frito, lambi (conch) and cangrejo con tostones; street empanadas and yaniqueques cost a dollar or two.
Budget notes
Inside the terminal everything is in US dollars and takes cards; the one ATM is unreliable, so bring small bills. Pedernales and La Cueva want pesos and cash. Bahia de las Aguilas: $79 to $149 with the line or $35 to $60 a boat from La Cueva.
Tips
Book Bahia de las Aguilas early and expect only one to three hours on the sand on a half-day tour. Independent operators meet guests at the port exit with name signs, but they all use the same unmarked white vans, so carry your operator's number and know that small groups can be cancelled the night before. Water shoes for the rocky shore at Eco del Mar. This is the hottest, driest corner of the country: reef-safe SPF 50, a hat and two litres of water. Skip the larimar sold at the port and buy from artisan workshops in town. Free Wi-Fi at the terminal; Spanish only outside it. Dry season December to April is the best time and peak flamingo season; July to October is hot and inside the hurricane window.
Best for
Beaches, eco-tours, flamingos, a resort-style port day without leaving the pier
More ports in Southern Caribbean
Amber Cove · Aruba · Barbados · Bonaire · Curacao · Dominica · Grenada · Guadeloupe · La Romana · Labadee · Martinique · St. Lucia · St. Vincent