At the entrance to Los Tres Ojos National Park, you see a smiling security guard and a garden of weird sculptures. Probably, these are depictions of ancient gods. You can look at them on the way back. We come here not because of them.
“Los Tres Ojos” in Spanish means “Three Eyes”. These are three huge lakes in the wild jungle of the Dominican Republic. Yes, after making a park, parking, stairs, and a restaurant the jungle has not looked wild anymore. But wait for coming to the lakes.
These are three huge deepening. The palm trees, ferns, and other species of the tropical rainforest flora surround them. Dense wisps of lianas hang from the cliffs and touch the water. It seems that you get into the wild world. The lakes look like oases in the rainforest. The loud sounds enhance this effect.
Once, there were some abysses in the Earth’s crust. And after millions of years, the lakes became underground caves. Looking at them, it is hard to imagine how huge these grottoes were! When the water level was declining, the caves were rising. Then, the upper part collapsed and formed three beautiful lakes.
You can examine them endlessly, open-mouthed. It is so beautiful there! The shade of the water in the lakes is so impressive. Turquoise is very saturated in the middle, and a slight hint on the sides. Due to the underwater flow, the water can change colors. The lakes are connected with a system of underground rivers, so the water is pretty cool.
But do not think that the lakes are the only feature of Los Tres Ojos National Park. The fauna is various and fascinating – try to find turtles, bats, and, of course, fish.
Descending the winding stairs, take a rest in the caves on the way to the lakes. Pay attention to the walls. They are covered with petroglyphs. These are not “greetings” from numerous tourists, but the evidence that people used to live there. They used these places for different rituals.
The caves around the lakes were the dwellings and worship sites. It is proved by cave paintings, many clay shards, and other items found by archaeologists.
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