A Guide to Your Cabarete Vacation Part 1

Cabarete, Dominican Republic, is located on the North Coast of the Island of Hispanola. Only a 30 minute drive from the nearest airport in Puerto Plata, it is one of the top destinations for travellers looking to get away from it all. Nestled in the center of the region known as the Amber Coast, there is a world of adventure and beauty just waiting to be discovered on your Cabarete vacation. Our residences are located between Sosua and Cabarete in the area of Encuentro Beach which is a short distance to many of the areas best beaches, restaurants, and nightlife.

Visitors flock to this area for a relaxing vacation and a chance to soak up some serious Caribbean sun. Cabarete, however, is not your average Caribbean vacation spot. It is known worldwide as one of the top 10 destinations for kiteboarding, and one of the best destinations in the Caribbean for surf. Mix this in with miles and miles of beautiful beaches, and tones of other activities like yoga, SUP, and adventure tours into the surrounding jungle, and you have a very unique location. When planning your Cabarete Vacation, there are a few things you may be asking yourself. In this blog, we will outline all you need to know for your upcoming Vacation to the Cabarete/ Sosua area:

Arriving/ Getting Here:

As we mentioned above, Cabarete is located just 30 minutes from the closest airport: Gregorio Luperon International in Puerto Plata (POP). In Reality, the airport is only 10 minutes outside of Sosua and is not actually in the city of Puerto Plata. When you arrive to POP, you can hop in a taxi, or have your rental car pre-arranged. Contact us through our website to have our staff can help you set this up before you arrive. Flights arrive multiple times per week directly from the following destinations to Puerto Plata:

• Boston, US
  Charlotte, US
  Miami, US
  New York, US
  San Juan, PR
  Montreal, CAN
  Toronto, CAN
  Quebec City, CAN
  Hamilton, CAN
  Helsinki, FIN
  Cologne, GER
  Dusseldorf, GER
  Frankfurt, GER
  Moscow, RUS

Upon arrival to the Dominican Republic, you will find the process to be very simple and normally quite quick. Until recently there was a $10 Tourist Card that had to be purchased at the airport. Luckily in February of 2018, they did away with that process and all airlines now include the tourist visa in the ticket price.

Other airports in the Dominican Republic that you may want to consider are:

• STI: Cibao International Airport in Santiago – a 2 hour drive from our location and a $100 taxi ride
• SDQ: Las Americas International Airport in Santo Domingo – a 4 hour drive from our location and a $200 taxi ride.

For the duration of your stay, you may enjoy having a rental car to explore the area and get around easily. We can recommend a good rental agency, or you can have us make the arrangements for you.

What is the Best Season to Visit the Dominican Republic?

Believe it or not, the Dominican Republic has seasons. Even though it is a tropical paradise year round with temperatures ranging between 70 and 90 and water temperatures rarely dipping below 75, the region still gets its share of weather variation. Read on to see which season best suits you and your cabarete vacation companions:

Winter in Cabarete (December – April)

The most popular time to visit this area, the winter season is known as high season with both local and international tourists flocking to Cabarete for the beach vacation they have been waiting for all year. One of the reasons our location is so special is that we are outside of town where there is less noise and traffic. Nestled into our tranquil surroundings, you are guaranteed that feeling of getting away from it all. Winter is also the coolest time of year, with temperatures normally hovering around 77 degrees (28 c) and water temperatures remain ultra swimmable in the high 70s. You can expect periods of rain at this time of year, but nothing too serious. The winter has some of the best weather, with excellent waves and wind for those looking to partake in watersports, and of course tones of sunshine! The winter is also the best time to enjoy nightlife in Cabarete. If you want to experience a true Latin dance night, or to take in the best food in the area, the whole region is popping with celebration and festivities for the enjoyment of locals and visitors.

Spring in Cabarete (April – June)

Spring is the first of two rainy seasons experienced in the area. Rainy seasons tend to get a bad wrap amongst travellers, but they can have their upsides. Spring time is when you can really feel the beauty of nature. Just like in colder climates, you will see a lot more flowers and wildlife activity. Not to mention, spring is the season when you can sample some of the amazing fruits of the area that you may never have heard of before! Since there is more rain at this time of year, everything is very green and beautiful, and not too hot. Temperatures start to pick up through may and june and you can start to feel that summer is going to be warm!

Summer in Cabarete (June- September)

Summer is the second high season in Cabarete. It is not as busy as the winter, but there is an influx of travellers from Europe as well as many kite surfers flocking to the area for the best wind of the year. The trade winds pump across the Atlantic all the way from Africa, and in the summer they are the most pronounced with the least interruption from other weather. You can expect nearly every afternoon to have perfect conditions for kiting or windsurfing. If you’re not a kiter, we suggest you pull up a chair, grab a mojito and enjoy the show! Summer is of course quite hot, but the heat can be curbed by a fresh mango bought streetside for less than a dollar. Summer is the season where mangos are literally dripping from the trees and the bright red Flamboyan trees are in bloom. Locals will become visibly happier at this time of year, as they sample some of the 200 varieties of mangos present in the area.

Fall in Cabarete (September – December)

Fall is the second rainy season of the year, and one of the best seasons for good surfing with storm swells blessing the coastline on a bi monthly basis. It is not as busy as summer or winter, so you can enjoy fewer crowds on the beaches, and lower prices around town. In November, Cabarete hosts the Dominican Republic Jazz Festival with an amazing line up of both local and international musicians. It’s an event that everyone comes out for, and you can get a real feel for the musical culture of this country. In the fall you can also enjoy low season discounts on flights and accommodation. In the fall our one bedroom rates are $89/night compared to in the high season when they are $119. So you can enjoy Cabarete’s best accommodation for less!

We hope you enjoyed part 1 in our Cabarete Vacation Guide. Check out part 2 and learn about the best beaches in the area and more!