Spot Guide Dominican Republic: More than Cabarete - new windsurfing spots with flat water and waves

Cabarete, the dream destination of the nineties, has been somewhat forgotten by windsurfers. The image of the built-up kite stronghold cannot be denied. The bay of Cabarete is lined with many kite schools and large hotel buildings: "This is the last free beachfront property in the entire bay," says Cabarete expert Marcus Böhm at the wheel of his minivan as he turns into the dusty construction site. Born in Bavaria, he got stuck here on his second visit in 1990 and built a life around water sports. Back then, Cabarete became a Caribbean dream for many windsurfers with a perfect windsurfing infrastructure, but this was largely lost to the all-inclusive faction in the years that followed. Despite all the progress, Cabarete was still able to retain its surfer flair to a certain extent and the moderate, warm trade winds attracted kitesurfers from all over the world.

As we walk across the construction site towards the water, I see the current state of affairs: several colourful umbrellas are dancing around in the sky in front of the built-up beach in the lagoon. The wind is blowing a gentle 15 knots, diagonally onshore. Somewhere in between, far out on the reef, there are two small windsurfing sails that occasionally start to slip. On the beach, in the pleasant windward congestion of the hotels, tourists lie on deckchairs and treat themselves to the first cocktails of the day, children splash around in the water. It's a mix, a great mix of all-inclusive beach holidays and water sports. Marcus estimates that only half of the guests now come to surf. He would rather not talk to me about how many of them are kitesurfers.

We are all "surfers", no matter which board is in the boardbag

As we fight our way through the honking traffic chaos along Cabarete's main road towards the east of the bay, you have to look very carefully not to miss the small entrances to the two remaining windsurfing centres. It's buzzing, dusty and hot - there's not a breath of air behind the multi-storey buildings. I absolutely have to get back out onto the beach, into the open air. Marcus is wearing jeans and sturdy shoes - how does he do it? When we finally find a parking space and enter the Vela surf centre through a narrow entrance, leave the traffic noise behind us and order a cool drink in the adjoining beach bar next to a palette of flapping windsurf sails, the remaining surfer flair from the nineties comes to mind for the first time. A pleasant breeze blows the sweat off my forehead. Marvellous.

"The wind will pick up considerably during the course of the day," says Marcus, who is always in a positive mood. Among other things, he is the organiser of the major water sports event "Master of the Ocean", which takes place annually in Cabarete. His aim with the competition is to bring the water sports world together and reduce the big egos within the respective disciplines. At the Master of The Ocean participants compete against each other in surfing, stand-up paddling, windsurfing, wingsurfing and kitesurfing. If you want to win the title, you have to master all five sports. For Markus, we are all "surfers". For him, it doesn't matter what kind of board I have in my board bag. The likeable Bavarian seems to know everyone here and chats to everyone.

The wind is actually slowly picking up and I'm getting nervous. My packed board bag is still lying untouched in the hotel where we were booked in during the event, because unfortunately the wind hasn't been strong enough for windsurfing for the last five days, but the forecast looks promising for the next few days. Marcus has got lost again, so I quickly walk along the beach over to the hotel and rig my new 5.2 sail on a grassy area next to the pool, which attracts a few strange looks. "Where did you get that from?" a shocked Canadian guest says to me. He can hardly believe that I'm actually planning to go windsurfing just outside the hotel. Oh boy! Where have I ended up here?

The wind gets stronger and stronger towards the west

Even though Cabarete is a great multi-spot and, given the right conditions, ambitious windsurfers can also get their money's worth on the reef, I think it's time to look left and right over the next few days. To be precise, looking left at the water. This is because the wind is set to accelerate constantly along the north coast of the Dominican Republic towards the west as far as the Haitian border. There must be so many more spots along this coastline of almost 200 kilometres. Lina, her boyfriend Yannick and the Swiss couple Michi and Laura, who all competed in the Master of the Ocean last week, still have a few days before they head back home.

We're all hot - hot for wind and waves! After all the event and hotel hustle and bustle in Cabarete, it's best to be far away, just for ourselves. We join forces. We want to go back to the early nineties, get to know romantic fishing villages like Cabarete used to be, with lonely waves. Out of the fully developed holiday resort, into a new drop-out paradise. Marcus, we're packing the minivan!

Relaxed surfer flair in Encuentro

Playa Encuentro is only around five kilometres northwest of Cabarete. Here the reef comes much closer to the beach and forms some famous breaks among surfers during the calm mornings. The beach is unspoilt: Small surf camps and a beach bar hide under the almond trees as board shacks - with hammocks stretched out everywhere to relax in and the occasional cow or stray dog strolling past. There's still an absolutely laid-back surfer flair here.

When the cross-shore trade winds get strong enough in the afternoon, the surfing mecca becomes a fun windsurfing spot for jumps and one or two turns. But we want more. It has to come side-shore or even side-offshore somewhere. The waves run so nicely along the reef in the morning, the wind is sufficient for the 5.0 sail in the afternoon, but it blows the waves flat from behind. We look at the map. Jörg, a German expatriate and passionate windsurfer, gives us a tip at a barbecue in the evening. We don't have to go that far.

The perfect wave of the Sea Horse Ranch

There is cheering at the front of the car. I roll down the darkened windscreen and can hardly believe my eyes as we roll the last few metres over the bumpy track to the beach at Sea Horse Ranch. A deserted point break, in front of a white sandy beach lined with palm trees. No deckchairs, no kites in the sky far and wide - generally speaking, there doesn't seem to be a soul out and about here. Why the hell is there nobody here? 20 knots sideshore, the waves in the sets are easily logohigh. I take a closer look: it might even be a few degrees side-off at the reef. Am I dreaming? Because this is my personal Caribbean dream. Lina is already frantically screwing her fins into the waveboard and Jörg is already pushing the mast into the sail.

"Thirty degrees, twenty knots sideshore, the wave logohoch. Why the hell is there nobody on the water?" - Julian Wiemar

"He's still going sideways tonight," says Marcus. The man simply loves his adopted country more than anything. He loves every grain of sand, every palm tree and every honking Dominican. He would also like to introduce us to every grain of sand, every palm tree and every local in the country personally, but unfortunately we don't have enough time for that during the few days we have left. Especially after discovering this magnificent wave spot just another five kilometres along the coast to the west. We surfed our hearts out for two days. One wave after another.

There is a simple answer to the question of why no one is on the water here: it is a kind of private beach belonging to the neighbouring villa district, Sea Horse Ranch. Access and windsurfing are tolerated, but the problem is the access road. You can't normally get closer than a kilometre to the beach by car - unless you're travelling with Marcus and Jörg, who know a resident of the Sea Horse Ranch and simply ring the bell at the large barrier at the top because they would like to "pay him a visit" again. And shouldn't you know a local resident? I'll just say this much: it's worth the walk.

Buen Hombre - the idyllic fishing village

If you then head west, leaving behind the bed castles of Playa Dorada, where charter planes flew in package holidaymakers from all over the world back in the 1990s, and only turn back towards the coast seventy kilometres further west as the crow flies, you reach Buen Hombre, the idyllic fishing village you dreamed of at the beginning, complete with epic windsurfing conditions. This must have been what Cabarete felt like back then. Freestyler and spot reporter Michi Czech spent a whole month there and is thrilled, as he reports below.

There are strong winds, shallow water and standing areas in the lagoon as well as ramps for jumping. Plus atmospheric accommodation right on the water, delicious fish restaurants, musical vibes and fabulous unspoilt nature between lagoons, coral reefs and mangrove forests. All this within a radius of a few hundred metres in the most beautiful Caribbean colours. The wind is constant and predictable. Before twelve o'clock there is only a light breeze, which reaches gliding strength in the early afternoon and then increases continuously until sunset. Compared to the spots in the east, the wind is even stronger.

Unspoilt beaches in the "Wild West" of the Dominican Republic

With such conditions, one wonders why this part of the island was not developed earlier by wind enthusiasts. The two local kite centres have far more instructors than guests. And Dominicans from the capital are not necessarily drawn here either. We were asked several times by locals in Santo Domingo whether we really wanted to go there. There are beautiful, unspoilt beaches there, yes, but not much development and then there's the proximity to our unloved neighbour Haiti. Both visitors and locals seem to spend most of their time on the few well-visited spots on the island. The Wild West therefore still offers empty coasts and lagoons - and strong winds.

"We receive a friendly welcome in Buen hombre. But we are often asked what we are looking for here." - Michael Czech

We receive a friendly welcome everywhere in Buen Hombre. The locals are often surprised to see us here at first and we are often asked what we are doing here. Both local fishermen and farmers as well as Haitians, who often work in the fields or on building sites, are genuinely interested and helpful in conversation. We quickly realise that we are not seen as a walking dollar bill, but instead meet respectful, curious people who are proud to show us around. Incidentally, "machismo" is also much less pronounced in the Dominican Republic than in other parts of the continent, which is reflected in the noticeably more respectful treatment of women.

From our accommodation, we walk through the village to the beach. We pass simple wooden huts, a mini supermarket, empty hotels and a few goats. The bay of Buen Hombre offers the sight of a turquoise-blue lagoon lined with green hills. The white beach is surrounded by palm trees and sea grape trees, in the shade of which colourfully painted fishermen's huts and boats are lined up. Here you will always find someone offering fresh fish, crayfish, shrimps or coconuts.

A 35-kilometre lagoon with a wide range of possibilities

Where the beach tapers off into a point, you reach the end of the sandy road. Here you can see the lagoon on three out of four sides, which is bordered by a coral reef around five hundred metres away. The wind blows side-onshore from the right, the waves break outside on the reef, while the wide standing area in the lagoon is smooth. This is not expected to change over the month we spend here.

The reef-protected lagoon stretches over 35 kilometres from Punta Rucia to Monte Christi. Along mangrove forests and tiny coral islands, there is certainly a lot more to discover here. Buen Hombre is merely a centrally located access point and a good starting point. However, the rest of this turquoise-blue splendour is certainly no less interesting. Fishermen offer day trips and can provide suitable tips depending on the conditions. At the western end of the lagoon, off the town of Monte Christi, the wind is said to pick up even further, often reaching forty knots. However, you have to be careful here, as the wind blows completely off-shore and only Haiti awaits downwind.

In Buen Hombre, two kite centres offer courses and rental equipment as well as simple wooden huts just a stone's throw from the water. More than a handful of kiters don't take advantage of the offer during our time here; we are often the only tourists in the village. Instead, we have fun with the local teenagers, who have renounced the fishing life of their fathers and look after the few guests who come to kite or go on boat trips. A Cuban travelling through, who sympathises with the unemployed young people, learns to kite without further ado and immediately opens what is currently the second station so that he can offer them the opportunity to earn money. "Friendly Kite School" is exactly the right name for it - always up for a little dance on the beach, the good humour of the young gang also spreads to us windsurfers.

The best windsurfing spots in the Dominican Republic

1. cabarete -19°45'04.7 "N 70°24'24.7 "W

The multi-spot in Cabarete must have become so famous due to its versatility. Beginners and intermediates, freeriders, freestylers and wave cracks can theoretically get their money's worth here on the same day. Between the surf zone and the beach is a safe, 800 metre wide and almost two kilometre long playground with choppy shallow water. The sandy beach and entrance are suitable for bare feet, there is only a standing area at low tide in the eastern part of the bay, otherwise the beach slopes quickly.

The crescent-shaped bay is protected by a slightly curved reef belt that allows the Atlantic swell to break in different shapes and sizes. In the eastern part of the bay, the reef is deeper so that the waves break round and harmless. However, the further you drop towards the west of the bay, the shallower and correspondingly more radical the waves can become. The built-up bay covers the wind somewhat in the eastern part, so that you only have full pressure in the sail just before the reef. Unless a northerly swell hits the coast, the waves do not roll head-on, but rather diagonally from the right over the reef, so that in combination with the slightly diagonal onshore wind it can sometimes be difficult to find a steep ramp.

The perfect wave or the perfect flat water is more likely to be found at other spots along the coast. However, on really windy days in summer, there should also be very good conditions for ambitious surfers on the reef of Cabarete, which we unfortunately didn't get to experience in spring.

2nd Encuentro - 19°46'29.3 "N 70°26'06.3 "W

Compared to Cabarete, the waves break much closer to the beach here. The wind blows diagonally onshore. You set off from the beach and quickly look for a jump ramp over the nearby reef - on the way back, do a backside turn on the shoulder to gain some height and then head vertically frontside to the lip on the steepest part of the wave. A classic side-onshore wave spot. At least that's the ideal way to visualise what the spot has to offer. There is no lagoon with a shallow water area here - it's straight down to business. The ascent from Cabarete to Encuentro is only recommended for experienced surfers with surfing experience.

3rd Sea Horse Ranch - 19°47'10.0 "N 70°28'37.7 "W

At Sea Horse Ranch, the coastline finally makes the longed-for bend to the west, so that the predominantly easterly wind blows directly sideshore. The reef forms a clean point break not far from the beach
point break with an adjacent channel. With two steep sections and a long shoulder, the wave allows combinations of two to three turns and aerials. The choppy wave, especially in the first bottom turn, and the sometimes uneven face make the wave rides challenging. Added to this is the tricky entry over a mixture of sand and small reef slabs, including a shore break. Nevertheless, a very fun spot for advanced surfers.

Due to the difficult accessibility, we only shared the waves with our small group of friends for two days. Coming from Cabarete on the main road 5, leave the entrance to the Aldiana Club on the right until you come to a small lay-by on the right-hand side of the road just before the entrance to the Sea Horse Ranch. From here, you have to walk: if you follow the path for just under a kilometre, you will come out right at the point.

4. Bahia Cofresi - 19°49'18.9 "N 70°43'43.1 "W

The bay of Cofresi near Puerto Plata may prove to be a nice stopover on the journey from Cabarete to Buen Hombre. The low-lying reef outside takes the pressure off the waves before they gently roll into the sandy bay. The large rock in the centre cannot be overlooked. In the north of the bay (in front of Beach Ocean World) it becomes shallower and the pointed waves invite jumps of all kinds, but caution is advised here: Fishing nets and shallows! Don't drop too close to the shore. During our visit, the waves were too weak and the wind too onshore for pure wave material. Freestyle and bump & jump were the order of the day. You can park right on the edge of the large road that runs along the beach.

5th Buen Hombre main spot - 19°52'11.6 "N 71°24'13.9 "W

The main spot at Buen Hombre has wind from the right. The end of the headland next to the kite stations is a good place to start. At high tide, you can glide straight off the sand here; at low tide, it is advisable to jump on the board about fifty metres further out. The bottom is mostly sandy with occasional pieces of coral. For beginners and lovers of shallow water, the almost one hundred metre wide standing area offers ideal conditions. This stretches across the entire beach - so if a handful of kites in the sky is too much for you, you have several kilometres of undisturbed space to leeward.

Looking towards the beach, the view from outside is majestic, with forest-covered hills and mountains whose bright green colour is hardly disturbed by any buildings as far as the eye can see. Turtles often swim beneath the surface of the water. Near the shore, the water is so smooth that it literally invites you to practise new manoeuvres. Surrounded by the reef, there are no dangers here in a cross-onshore wind and endless space and sand to leeward.

Just fifty metres further upwind, there are pools of shallow water between shallow reef slabs. In strong winds, small, organised ramps run in with wind from the left. However, the strokes here are short and the tide changes the shore considerably, so you have to watch out for coral rocks when getting in and out. This area is more suitable for freestyle cracks and is only recommended at high tide.

6. outer reef - 19°52'34.4 "N 71°24'23.9 "W

The coral reef lies around five hundred metres off the coast, where waves of one to two and a half metres in height build up depending on the wind force. Due to the seabed topography, wave heights such as those in the Cabarete area are not reached here. Apart from a shallow area upwind, which dries out at low tide, the reef is at least half a metre below the surface. Crossing is therefore no problem, but you should be careful with long fins and foils and look for the deeper channels to the outside. For experienced riders who have mastered safe water starts and can deal with currents, the waves with side-onshore conditions are ideal for jumping and, on bigger days, are also suitable for wave rides with one or two turns - however, the waves here are not really hollow and radical. If you don't have any wave experience, it's still better to stay inside the reef.

7th Playa los Cocos - 19°51'55.1 "N 71°23'44.0 "W

The reef is about one kilometre in front of the sandy beach of los Cocos Bay, which is why the water near the shore is not quite as smooth as at the main spot (1), where it is only half as far to the reef. On the other hand, you are guaranteed to be alone with nature here and have no one to share the lagoon with for the next fifteen kilometres to the east. Deep water right at the entrance and extensive bump & jump conditions characterise this spot.

TipThe best place to enter is in the centre of the small bay, as it can become shallow at the outer edges. Once out, it's clear sailing to the reef.

Spot info Dominican Republic

Journey

Most direct flights from Europe are to Santo Domingo and Punta Cana, but some also fly to Santiago de los Caballeros, which is closer, or directly to the north coast to Puerto Plata. From there you can reach Cabarete in under an hour, and Buen Hombre is just under three hours' drive away. Cabarete is well developed for tourism and therefore easy to reach. To get to Buen Hombre, on the other hand, you have to put in a bit of effort: Modern long-distance buses run from the major cities to Villa Vásquez. The crew is very helpful with windsurfing equipment. The last twenty kilometres from Villa Vásquez to Buen Hombre on the unsignposted but well-maintained roads are best driven by your hosts. Of course, it is more flexible to hire a car, which is available at the airport in Puerto Plata, in large cities and tourist regions. But we also received help in Buen Hombre and quickly found a private individual who rented us their car for the day.

Wind, weather and neoprene tips

Michi Czech was on the water in Buen Hombre for 29 days out of a 30-day stay from the beginning of February to the beginning of March. His notebook tells of 18 days with 17-24 knots, seven days with 25-30 knots and four days with up to 40 knots. In the area around Cabarete (spots 1-4), that was definitely a few days less at that time. The further west you go, the stronger the trade winds seem to accelerate locally. A guard rail effect on the north coast of the Dominican Republic ensures that the north-east trade wind is deflected to the east and strengthened. There may be slight tendencies to the northeast and southeast, but the main wind direction is east. On average, you can add around five knots when you arrive in Buen Hombre.

The windiest months on the entire coast are generally June and July. The wind season is synchronised with the dry season. From September onwards, the wind is then interrupted more frequently by rainfall, before it becomes increasingly dry and windy again at the beginning of the year. Hurricanes rarely hit the island directly, but are responsible for the changing wind directions and intense rain phases in September and October

Daytime temperatures do not fall below 25 °C all year round and the sea is also between 25 and 28 °C. So even a shorty is not essential. So even a shorty is not absolutely necessary, but it can be very pleasant with strong winds and long sessions at sunset.

Shafts

The ground swell from the Atlantic has a free approach to the north coast of the Dominican Republic and can build up to considerable heights thanks to the trade winds. It is not without reason that a World Surf League qualifying event is held in Encuentro every year. The waves over the reefs in the Cabarete area can easily reach over a metre high. The great thing is that in many places there are also large shallow water areas between the outer reef and the shore, where beginners and intermediates also feel at home.

Accommodation

In the area around Cabarete and Puerto Plata, there is a wide choice of accommodation from all-inclusive with an infinity pool, to quiet, stylish rooms in tropical gardens such as the "Kibayos" or a bed in surf hostels such as Marcus'. Depending on your requirements and budget, everyone should be able to find what they are looking for. During the high season, it doesn't hurt to book early in Cabarete.

Buen Hombre has an oversupply of hotels, so you can always find a room. However, not all accommodation can be found on the internet, so it is advisable to enquire at one of the kite schools. They also offer simple beach huts right by the water - Villa Cruz Hotel or Friendly Kite Bungalows. If you want to get a taste of village life after the sun goes down, you can find cheaper rooms in the village (500 metres from the beach).

Surf schools and shops

There is no surf shop or school in Buen Hombre or the surrounding area. Although the operators of the kite school "Friendly Kites" provide excellent tips on the weather, spots and everything else, they only offer kite courses and rental equipment. If you are staying for a longer period of time, windsurfers should have spare equipment in their luggage. The nearest shops and schools are in Caba-rete, four hours away. There you can find all the equipment you need in the Carib Wind shop or the Vela centre. The two remaining surf centres, the ION Club at Vila Taina and the Vela centre further east of the bay, which is run by the German Jens Baur, are equipped with rental equipment from Duotone, Goya and NeilPryde and also offer surf lessons.

The Surf & Action Company (surf-action.com) and Sun and Fun Sportreisen (sunandfun.com) have Cabarete on offer.

Alternative programme

Whether surfing, stand-up paddling through mangrove forests, snorkelling or waterfall hikes - the outdoor activities on this tropical green island, which is also home to the highest mountain in the Caribbean, Pico Duarte at 3101 metres, feel endless. The SUP tour with Marcus across the Rio Yasica to the sea south of Cabarete, or the detour into the hinterland of Puerto Plata to the Tubagua Ecolodge, where we enjoyed a freshly roasted Dominican coffee straight from the plantation with the most beautiful views, were unique experiences away from windsurfing. While you can party in Cabarete in one of the many beach bars such as the OJO Club, the evening programme in Buen Hombre is limited to a campfire or pizza and beer until 9 pm.

Currency

You can usually pay by card in supermarkets. However, buying fruit and vegetables is more fun at street stalls, where you can get them for cash either directly from the garden or at least from the island. Dominican pesos (1 EUR ≈ 60 DOP) are also needed in restaurants in remote areas, but you can get by without them in tourist regions. Prices here sometimes reach European levels, while in remote villages they are significantly lower.

Security

Encounters with helpful and attentive people ensured that we felt completely safe. Compared to other Latin American countries, crime is much less omnipresent. Only in the capital were we kindly reminded to carry our smartphones with care. However, our accommodation there also has a simple door that locks in the evening. In Cabarete, the doors are often left completely open and the boards are left on the car overnight.

Also interesting:

• Wind Special: Trade wind run-off zone - The end of the trade wind
• Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao in a Caribbean island comparison
• Spot Guide Colombia - Dream spots with waves and flat water