Cabarete and the Dominican Republic

Zen Cabarete is located on Kite Beach, Cabarete, the North Coast of the Dominican Republic. A beautiful Caribbean island, he Dominican Republic is best known for its breathtaking sandy beaches, great food, friendly people, a picturesque rainforest, great surf, great kiteboarding, fantastic jungle and so much more! The Dominican Republic is the second largest Caribbean nation (after Cuba) and has a population of approximately 10 million people. The North Coast is home to some of the best water sports in the country and Cabarete is the spot for kite boarding, surfing, stand up paddle boarding or bodysurfing!

Located only a 20 minutes away from the Puerto Plata airport(POP) where there are international flights arriving daily. With easy access to the north eastern United Sates and Canada, and multiple direct flights from Toronto, New York, Montreal, Boston, Newark and Miami, it’s an easy voyage. A world leading kiteboarding town, Cabarete has amazing beaches on the ocean side and a serene lagoon, El Choco National park and the Cabarete caves on the other side of town for you to explore.

The Dominican Republic has a wide range of amazing water sports to choose from, world class kite boarding beaches, amazing undiscovered surf beaches and fantastic diving and snorkelling spots! There are numerous golf courses to practice or perfect your swing, Los Haitises National Park, Los Tres Ojos, home of Ocean World Adventure Park! The Dominican Republic is also home to Mt. Isabel, El Choco and Pico Duarte for the hiking adventurer. If you’re interested in architecture and history there is the Basilica Cathedral of Santa Maria la Menor, the Fortaleza Ozama or Fortaleza San Pelipe just to mention a few of the rich historical sites around the country.

More Things To Do In Cabarete and The Dominican Republic

Waterfalls and Canyoning

How about a waterfall tours for your enjoyment?

The 27 Falls of Damajagua is an hour hike up to the top of the falls, then an exhilarating mix of sliding, jumping and swimming your way down them! If the hike seems a tad daunting, you can enjoy 12 Falls and still get some slip and sliding in.

Ciguapa Falls is for the healthy, active adventurer. A long hike (or a shorter donkey ride) to the top of the falls, you then get geared up in harnesses and helmets and then you’re ready to rappel, jump, dive, swim your way down.

Magic Mushroom is also for the adrenaline junkie! If you like 45 foot jumps into beautiful water pools, then this will be your thing! There are a few smaller jumps before you get into the big boys! Safety first, you will also be geared up with harnesses, helmets and life jackets for this one.

Whale watching in Samana

Whales are all around the Dominican Republic, but your best chances at seeing them would be in Samana. You can rent a car or take a bus to Samana, around a 3.5-hour drive and you should be rewarded with a fantastic time! While you’re there you can check out Las Terranas, which is also a hot spot for kite boarding professionals!

Daytrip to La Boca

If you’re in the mood for a day trip there are some great, very close options. La Boca, which mean ‘where the river meets the ocean’ is literally that! Twenty minutes east of Cabarete, you’ll follow a dirt road, past some old resorts to where the Yasica River meets the Atlantic Ocean. It is relatively quiet and very beautiful. You can book a lazy river boat ride there, or SUP board down the river. Once you’ve arrived stop for lunch at Wilson’s for some fresh fish!

Puerto Plata

Puerto Plata is only a 45 minutes’ drive away and has some interesting exploring possibilities! The Teleferico is the only cable car in the Caribbean, a quick ride to the summit of Mount Isabel will open up beautiful views of mountain forests, the Atlantic Ocean and even the Haitian boarder! Not to mention you can have some classic photos taken of you with a replica statue of the Rio de Janerio Christ statue in Brazil!If heights aren’t your thing you can hang out on the public beaches and then visit Fortaleza San Felipe. Built in 1577 by the Spanish, “El Morro de San Felipe” was built to protect the city from pirates, many of the cannons and weapons are on view. Admission to the fortress includes a headset with a short history lesson for you to listen to as you walk through. There are ample restaurants and cigar shops to explore in town as well.

Sosua

Closer to home, Sosua is only 10 minutes away and is home to the Monkey Jungle. The Travel Channel voted Monkey Jungle the #1 tourist stop in the Dominican Republic. Not only do you get to hang out with and feed adorable tiny monkeys, you can also try out the zip line! The biggest zip line in the DR, it’s a 4,500 foot long line with 7 stops on the way, giving you an aerial view of the 280 acre farm.If monkeys and zip lines don’t hold your attention you can check out the Castillo Mundo King Voodoo Museum. Housed in a remarkable gothic building on top of the hillside, it’s one of a kind. Full of spacecrafts, alien, UFO, Voodoo and Haitian art, it is such a unique place you really do have to see it to believe it!Sosua has a fantastic beach with tons of restaurants, paddle boats and kayaks for rent.

Horseback Riding

There are also many equestrian ranches close by. They offer relaxing beach rides and mountain excursions to let you explore the two sides of Cabarete life!

A Short History Of The Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic was inhabited by the indigenous people called the Arawaks before Christopher Columbus landed on the north-west coast on December 6^th, 1492 and named the island Espanola, later being called Hispaniola. Almost a century after Columbus claimed Hispaniola, in 1596, Spanish settlers founded the city of San Domingo. Now known as Santo Domingo, the city was the first European settlement in the Americas and in the 16^th century, boasting the first street, the first church, the first school and many other firsts.

In 1821, the Haitians occupied what is now known as the Dominican Republic and after years of war, in 1844 the Dominican Republic was declared independent. In 1861 the Dominican Republic was made a province of Spain and the Spanish withdrew in 1867. The United States occupied the country from 1916 to 1924, worried that Germany may try to occupy the country. After the Americans withdrew in 1924 elections were held and Horacio Vasquez became president until a coup in 1930 which lead to the dictatorship government of Rafael Trujillo who ruled for 31 years, ended by his assassination in 1961. There have been many elections, coups, deaths and presidents in the decades that followed. The last 50 years have seen consistent growth in the Dominican Republic as stability has thrived, as more and more retirees choose the Dominican Republic.

Tourism Of The Dominican Republic

Tourism Of The Dominican Republic

Tourism is one of the main sources of revenue for the Dominican Republic, with over 5 million tourists arriving each year, it is the top Caribbean destination! A short flight from Mexico, the United States, Canada and South America, makes it a perfect tropical holiday for many. Also with a Spanish/European history and because the island is Spanish speaking there are many tourists from Europe who also vacation here. Home to white sand beaches, endless water sports, rainforests, mountainous landscapes and a rich colonial history it appeals to visitors from across the globe.

See the Official Tourism site of the Dominican Republic for more information.