Cabarete
Choose Cabarete if you love windsurfing. Cabarete is famous for having
excellent conditions for the
sport. Everything revolves around the six kilometers of Cabarete Beach.
On a two kilometer stretch
(Cabarete Bay) businesses of all types have sprung up, many run by
foreigners who first came as
tourists and then came back to stay.
The restaurants, bars, surf shops and occasional hotel are located just far
enough from the beach to
add to the destination, not detract from the enjoyment of the beach. Many
feel the attractiveness of
Cabarete is in the people, the mingling of tourists who enjoy the intimacy
of the smaller non inclusive
hotels that encourage their guests to venture out and discover Cabarete.
In the evening, the
restaurants place their tables on the beach to serve dinner. While most are
plastic tables, don't be
fooled. The quality of some of the restaurants is first class. The whole
evening experience of strolling
on the beach under the stars from one place to the other to pick the
restaurant for the evening is
special. Many tourists even dress up for a fun people-watching evening.
See and be seen.
While Cabarete caters to a young sports-minded crowd, it is also perfect for
those who just want the
leisure of sitting in the shade or taking sun on the beach, and for parents
with little children.
What else is nearby
Cabarete is also a great day trip for those staying in Playa Dorada, Playa Grande or Sosua hotels.
Located 14 kilometers to the East of Sosua, Cabarete is about a 40 minute drive from Playa Dorada to
the west or from Playa Grande to the east.
Attractions:
Beach walking
Few people realize that Cabarete beach is one of the longest stretches of uninterrupted sand beach in
the DR. The bay of Cabarete is two kilometers long. You can walk west to Sosua until Perla Marina, probably 6 kms. Going east, it is 7 kms to the Yasica River which you can cross walking usually only waist-deep pending on rain in the mountains the night before. Before crossing, you might have lunch in the Dominican bar overlooking the lagoon that serves fresh fish with an incredible view. Then you can walk another 30 kilometers on a totally deserted palm trees lined beach. That's 6+2+ 7 +30= 45 kms. So close to civilization, such a long beach.
Windsurfing
With a wide beach and soft white sand, the coral reef-protected bay has ideal conditions for windsurfing. Windsurfers revel in progressive winds that pick up around noon with waves breaking from three to six feet high and only light currents.
As a world class windsurfing destination, Cabarete was discovered in 1985 by Canadian Jean Laporte who spread the world. In less than three years, he had organized the first Professional Windsurfing Associaton World Cup in 1988. The World Cup event came to Cabarete again in June of 1989, 1990, 1991 and 1997. The big names of professional world class windsurfing have competed here, including Robby Naish, Bjorn Dunkerbeck, Anders Bringdal, Robert Teriitehau and many others.
While the cost of the World Cup has lately been too high to find sponsors in the DR, the Cabarete windsurf community organizes an annual international amateur event, the Cabarete Race Week, that attracts some of the leading amateur competitors of the world for a week of windsurfing days and partying nights. Competitions are organized in the Open Class, Masters, Grand Masters, Women, Juniors and Sports Class categories. This year the event took place 18-23 June 2001.
Windsurfers say the best months for the sport are the summer months (June through August) when you can expect good flat water. Trade winds and thermal winds create perfect conditions for world class sailing, with winds averaging 15 to 25 miles per hour (24-40 kph). The best waves occur from January to March. The worst months are May, October and November. But, if you can't make it in the summer don't worry.
Wind conditions vary all year and it is more than likely there will be many good surfing days regardless of when you travel.
For those of you bringing your own equipment, there is no duty or deposit required upon entry through the airport. But for those who don't want to bring their gear, quality equipment and instruction are available at the resorts here.
Surfing
Cabarete is a good choice if you want to go surfing. Playa Encuentro, just five minutes from Cabarete, has a reputation among local surfers as the best spot. You can bring your own surf board or rent one in Cabarete. Some businesses will offer lessons and shuttle buses to North Coast surf spots.
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