WHERE IT’S FROM, HOW WE GOT IT & WHY IT MATTERS

This is a story about PINK DOMINICAN SEA SALT, REINDEER MOSS SEA SALT or SAL ROSA. It’s a PINK GHOST! Nothing can be found on the web about it. The only place in the world it can be found is a tiny market in Samana, Dominican Republic. I went there and then smuggled 25 pounds of it back to Charleston for YOU!

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Kevin Joseph & The Salt Man, Eduardo, in Samana, Dominican Republic, March 2025

SAL ROSA

By Kevin Joseph, May 2025

In early 2023 a guest at RAW LAB told us about a salt they had found in Dominican Republic. He had lived there and bought some in the market in Samana. I asked him to bring me some. He did, and my love affair with Sea Salt took flight that day.

It was BRIGHT PINK and my new friend Andrew called it Reindeer Salt because that’s what they called in DR. Here’s the rest of what we have learned about it since and how we got our hands on 25 pounds of it.

When you google Reindeer Sea Salt Dominican Republic you get nothing leading you to anything helpful. “Pink Salt” gets you all kinds of bad leads to Himalayan Sea Salt. So, essentially, there’s no info on it anywhere and no way to buy it anywhere. Until now.

This pink salt set me off on a journey of learning about Sea Salt. What I have learned has been amazing, including what I have learned about THIS salt. That came, mostly, from a surf trip to DR in March 2025. I went to surf and find this salt. That is all. I needed a break and I was on a mission. I’d never been to DR so this was a perfect reason and timing. Not being in great surf shape I knew that after a few days of waves I’d need a rest day. I was right. The weather was looking favorable for a road trip. The time was now.

All that I knew was that this pink salt was discoverd (by my friend) in a market in Samana. But I had no idea that if I took this trip…I’d actually find it. Seemed like a long shot. I was willing to take a chance. I dug into the logistics of getting to Samana with some European and Canadian expat local kite surfers and it seemed like the best way was to hire a driver. Driving in DR was not recommended and for once I agreed that a little less adventure in the expedition would make it more enjoyable. So, I picked the day and hired the driver.

My driver spoke little English and I hadn't been in country long enough to get my limited Spanish into 3rd gear. Right away there were problems. The route I wanted to take was rejected by the owner of the car service. In hindsight, that was a blessing. So, we went the most direct route there and back, saving 5 hours or so.

My intended route from Cabarete to Samana and back.

We left at 9am from Cabarete. We zigged and zagged through the NE coast through towns like Gaspar, Rio San Juan, Cabrera, Nagua and finally Samana. We stopped to snap a photo or two here or there. Took about 4 hours to get there. Another 4 to get back after a quick lunch in town.

When we arrived in Samana I found the market easily. And in a few minutes of walking around, I was pointed to the salt & spice guy, Eduardo. JACKPOT!. There it was…a big bag of the stuff! I bought 5 pounds. Walked around and came back. I bought 10 more pounds. Did another lap. Bought 10 more pounds because, well, when was I getting back to Samana?

In speaking with Eduardo, as much as I could, I asked him where he got the salt. He would not say. I asked him where it came from. He would not say. The guy was a steel trap. I offered something like $50 for the information and he STILL would not tell me. I figured, well, I’ll never really know. And then it occurred to me…there’s other guys here who may know. So I did another lap.

Eduardo, The Spice & Salt guy in Samana, DR

I came upon a couple of blokes doing what most of the folks in this market in Samana seemed to mostly be doing…sitting and talking. I asked them about the salt. BINGO! They told me it comes from the mountains, an odd place for a Sea Salt, I thought. But then I remembered, many ancient salts from extinct oceans come from mountains or inland areas. But this story was awesome.

Jorge & Alejandro spin the yarn of the Ancient Pink Salt.

They claimed that this place in the mountains was once a place on the coast…millions of years ago. Locals found the vein of pink salt while mining for gold some years ago. As much as I could tell they were saying that a layer of salt was formed from a massive deposit of seaweed that had washed ashore, decayed, got buried and turned to pink salt and as the mountain rose from the sea or the sea level fell. This vein of salt laid hidden for eons. Alejandro (right, above) claimed to be from the area where it is mined…somewhere in the proximity of San Francisco De Macoris. Seemed legit.

Until I go there and see all of this with my own eyes, I wont really know for sure. But, if this is true, and I suspect it is then we really have something special here. Something, singular. An ancient salt from a LIVING ocean, The Caribbean. The island of Hispanola has most certainly changed dramatically over the past few hundred million years so it is quite possible that this place in the mountains was once a place on the ocean. DR has the highest mountain in the Caribbean, actually. Pico Duarte is 10,714’, something I didn't know until recently.

Anyway, I can say with some significant confidence that I possess more of this salt than any Gringo on earth. Which is nice. And it’s available for purchase ONLY to those who book seats at RAW LAB.

I packed it all into one backpack and checked it at the airport. No questions asked. I cant wait to go back and get to where they mine it, meet the people and see the place. I hope to also research it’s origins with geologist or hydrologist who knows the region. I just really want to know the truth about this salt and be able to verify and document it. One day!

Cost of Car & Driver: $300

Cost of Salt: $100

Giving it all way to my guests at RAW LAB & LTLE FISH: Price$$