Kiteboarding in the Dominican Republic

Cabarete is not the only place to go kiteboarding in the Dominican Republic.  The entire north and south coast offers fantastic kiteboarding opportunities.  Here is a summary of just a few kitesurfing spots:

La Boca, de Yasica

La Boca means the rivermouth, and it’s where the river meets the sea.   It’s 6 Km East of Cabarete, through Camino del Sol.  It is a popular place to start downwinders, after a good session on the super flat water conditions.  Don’t run into any wankboards!  Sometimes there is a pretty heavy shorebreak, and it can be hard to get out.  a great place with 100% flat waters and once you played around for a while you can kite back to Cabarete by going downwind with the trade winds for about 6km. However, only experienced kiters should venture on this one. There are a few other places that locals will be happy to point out to you.

Bozo Beach, Cabarete Bay

This is the main Cabarete bay, shared with windsufers and sailors.  The wind can get bit gutsy and there is usually a lot of chop, and a wicked shore break that can be really dangerous.  Further out on the reef the wind is steady and consistent, but it’s a long way from shore and there is no rescue service, so be sure to kite with a partner.  The spot is shared with windsurfers and sailors.  There’s an agreement between the windsurfing schools and the kitesurfing schools that the latter will not teach and encourage kiting in the bay (except Bozo Beach occupying the western side of the Cabarete Bay). This is because the main bay is usually too crowded with windsurfers on the water and tourists on the beach.

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Punta Goleta:

This spot is the primary haunt for indpendent kiteboarding instructors.  As such it’s not patrolled and can get a little dangerous with numerous unqualified instructors teaching here and no rescue service available.  There is also a fire coral reef  making it doubly dangerous.

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Kitebeach, Cabarete

This is the place where is all began.  Most people kite here, because the conditions and waves are perfect. You can avoid the crowds by going a little upwind towards Encuentro or downwind towards the  Bozo, or find one of the numerous perfect waves in between.  A secret spot with an epic wave is El Recon, and there’ s not a person in sight.    Typically the beinngers are close to shore , so try to avoid it.
The first 100 metesr is flat water with some chop, then it’s the epic kite beach reef.  This is the perfect location to learn, as there is a drop at the entrance to the beach, no shore break, and a protective reef.

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Encuentro,

Encuentro is world class kitesurfing.  The wave consistency is amazing, and there are lefts, rights and everything in between.  The reef is about 1m deep at the shallow points, so it’s relatively safe for such a huge wave.  When the surf is on, this is only for advanced riders, but other days a solid intermediate can handle it.  Beware of your entry and exit, as it’s all reef bottom with sea urchins that can hurt!  The launch is actually a little further east of Encuentro, by hideaway beach.   Encuentro Beach which is very popular with regular surfers in the mornings when the waves are best, is still a great place for wave riding in the afternoon when the winds pick up.

There are also mutliple fantastic kiteboarding locations in the Dominican Republic just outside Cabarete.  Many make for a fantastic day trip, so that you can maximize your kitsurfing holiday with some remote destinations.  Here is a list of just a few: (click to find out more details and directions to the locations.

Kiteboarding Lago de la Presa de Hatillo : about 2 hours from Cabarete, amazing fresh water lake

Kiteboarding Samana Bay : the entire peninsula offers fantastic kiteboarding with the whales

Las Canas, 30 km East of Cabarete for an EPIC long downwinder.  Very long but very very nice.

Monti Christi and Luperon: Fantastic kiteboarding and the best wind conditions on the island.