Cabarete is widely known as one of the best kitesurfing destinations in the world, and is the perfect kiting location regardless if you are a wave rider, freestyler, foiler, or simply want to work on your basic kiting skills. Thanks to its consistent year-round conditions (peak wind season is typically between May to August) and large range of kite spots, Cabarete provides options for everyone and every level.
If you need more information about kitesurfing in Cabarete, feel free to email us or use the contact form.
The Cabarete area is a long stretch of many individual beaches, all of which are kiting-friendly depending on level and desired conditions. The most western point starts at Playa Encuentro (the main surf spot of the area in the mornings) and ends at the flat-water spot of La Boca, the major river mouth east of Cabarete. There are many more locations all along the North Coast of the Dominican Republic, but we only recommend to visit these with local guides who know how to get there and are familiar with the surroundings/any potential water hazards. Please don’t hesitate to ask us any water safety questions you may have for the locations listed below, we know them very well and can help orientate you.
Here is a general overview of all the spots in the Cabarete area, if you are a beginner or not yet independent kiter we recommend kiting at either Kite Beach or Cabarete Bay/Bozo Beach.
Kite Beach is located just before Cabarete itself (5 minute drive from Hooked) and links with Cabarete Bay, the other primary kiting spot. A world-famous kiting location with a number of schools, Kite Beach is very popular for both freestylers and wave-riders due to its reef arrangement, and is also an excellent launching point for a downwinder to Encuentro. Foiling is also a great option here.
Cabarete Bay (known locally as Bozo Beach) is located immediately after Kite Beach and spans the length of Cabarete itself. Many schools and restaurant options are based here, including our partners LEK. This location is more spacious than Kite Beach (particularly on the inside of the reef and therefore a good choice for foilers), but also tends to have slightly choppier conditions on the inside of the reef later in the afternoon. The collection of reef breaks provide excellent wave riding conditions, but are also the main Windsurfing breaks so the reef itself is recommended for advanced kiters only (particularly in the windy summer months due to the increased traffic in the waves). Shorebreak conditions tend to be heavier in the winter (peak wave season) in Cabarete Bay so must be considered by beginner/intermediate riders.
La Boca is the river mouth about 5km east of Cabarete which streams into the ocean, and is a very popular spot to launch long downwinders from as the route takes you past Cabarete Bay, Kite Beach, and then ending at Encuentro. La Boca is also the major flat-water spot in the area for those who want to practice freestyle tricks in mirror-flat conditions. The ocean side of La Boca can have heavy shore break, particularly in the winter, and is not advised for beginners.
Encuentro is our front yard and closest to Hooked (10-minute walk or a 2-minute drive). This is the main surf location of the area in the mornings, and kiting is only advised here in the afternoons when the wind reaches it’s strongest levels. The consistent reef break conditions and multiple peaks make this a great location for wave-riding, and also tends to be comparatively uncrowded when compared to Kite Beach and Cabarete Bay. During big swells Encuentro is only suitable for advanced kiters, however during regular conditions it is a great location for intermediate kiters and above.
Furthermore, there are plenty more spots you can go to outside Cabarete. For example, Las Canas, 30 km East of town. Sometimes we go with our quests to Luperon or Bahia Isabella. Good to see some more of the country and to ride on a different spot.
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