Fifteen minutes beyond Sosúa, Cabarete is a single long street behind a wide, breezy bay — and one of the best places in the world to learn to fly a kite over water. A reef keeps the inner bay flat while the trade wind, strongest on summer afternoons, blows side-on to the beach. Windsurfers discovered it in the 1980s; kitesurfers took over a generation later and never left.
Even if you never touch a board, it is the most enjoyable beach town on this coast: restaurants and bars set their tables straight onto the sand, the crowd is young and international, and the hills behind — El Choco National Park — hide caves, lagoons and mountain-bike trails. It is at the outer limit for a cruise day, but an excellent base for stay-over visitors.
Top things to do at Cabarete
Kitesurf or windsurf
Schools line Cabarete Bay and Kite Beach, just to the west. Beginners’ lessons are usually sold in blocks of several hours spread over two or three days, so a single shore day gets you a taster at most. The wind typically fills in around midday and is most reliable from June to August.
Surf at Playa Encuentro
A few kilometres west, Encuentro has the north coast’s most consistent surf break and a cluster of surf schools. Mornings, before the wind arrives, are best.
Eat on the beach
By late afternoon the bay turns into one long terrace. Come for grilled fish and a cold Presidente with your feet in the sand, and stay to watch the kites at sunset.
Monkey Jungle and El Choco
In the hills between Sosúa and Cabarete, Monkey Jungle combines a zipline course with a squirrel-monkey enclosure, and its profits fund a free clinic for local people. Guided walks and cave swims in El Choco National Park start from the edge of town.
How to get to Cabarete
- From Taino Bay: about 50–60 minutes by taxi. Only sensible on a long port call.
- From POP airport: around 20–25 minutes.
- Along the coast: guaguas and shared taxis run all day between Cabarete, Sosúa and Puerto Plata.
Insider tips
- The wind that makes Cabarete famous also makes the main bay choppy for swimming in the afternoon; swim in the morning.
- Winter brings bigger waves for surfers and less reliable wind for kiters.
- The through-road is narrow and busy. Take care walking along it at night.
- GetYourGuide’s coverage in Cabarete itself is thin; most bookable tours here start from Puerto Plata or Sosúa.
Best tours for Cabarete
These top-rated experiences are the easiest way to see Cabarete:
Boat trip from US$88 Puerto Plata: Catamaran Snorkeling Trip with Buffet & Open Bar
A relaxed day on the water from Sosúa, east of Puerto Plata: two snorkelling stops in the bay, an open bar and a freshly prepared buffet lunch, with a professional crew looking after you. Check the pickup options for your port or hotel when booking.
- Sail Sosúa Bay on a spacious catamaran
- Two snorkelling stops
- Open bar and freshly prepared lunch on board
Adventure from US$75 Puerto Plata: Zip Line Adventure
Two hours of pure ziplining: eight lines totalling more than 7,900 feet, built to ACCT standards with double galvanised-steel cables, and a relaxed walk afterwards. One of the best-rated activities in the area.
- Eight ACCT-certified ziplines
- More than 7,900 feet of cable in total
- Double steel cables
