Cabarete, Dominican Republic
Cabarete is consider one of the ten best spots in the world for windsurfing and its the 3rd in kiteboarding. Cabarete is an excellent site for all levels of windsurfing and Kiteboarding. You'll find nice flat water on the inside and a wall of reef on the outside that creates a great break. No hazards in Cabarete, so feel free to waterstart. Windsurfing gear rental centers are all over the bay, and numerous kiteboarding schools and launch spots. Kitesurfers are mostly at Kitebeach or at Bozo beach, versurs the windsurfers use the main bay. Surfing happends at Playa Encuentro 4 miles to the west of Cabarete. If you like Laser sailing they have it too. The water temperature is a balmy 27°C (81°F) all year so you can leave your bulky wetsuit at home. A lycra top or rashguard will help protect from the Caribbean sun.
Many different types of accommodation, restaurant and bars are right by the beach. Although a small town, Cabarete's nightlife is a force not to be reckoned with - ranging from lounges with live jazz, to spicy Latin dancing, to raves with International DJ's, it is always easy to find a party from 7pm to 7am almost every night of the week.
When to Go
February till September. You could find wind in December, but not very strong (17 knots). The varied conditions provide an ideal playground for all abilities. The conditions are usually light in the mornings, which make it perfect for beginners. At around noon or one o’clock, the wind is drawn in by the thermal currents and blows harder all afternoon and early evening - the 15-25 knot sideshore winds bring chop to the bay and breaking waves at the reef for more advanced sailors. This pattern makes it perfect place for a wide variety of skills levels and is also a blessing for those who want to take advantage of Cabarete’s thriving nightlife. Also, wind strengths vary depending on the distance from shore - the farther one ventures out, the stronger it gets.
Wind Direction
The best wind direction is from the East or North East. A combination of trade winds and thermic wind Best time for wind and waves febuary- mid april. Summer month strong winds up to 25kn . Here a link for Cabarete's wind statistics.
http://www.velacabarete.com/cabarete/conditions/wind.html
Links
If you would like to know a little bit more about Cabarete, checkout the following links
Cabarete Map Index (http://www.hispaniola.com/DR/Guides/Cabarete/FramesMap.html)
Wind Forecast (http://www.intellicast.com/Local/IntlLocalStd.asp?loc=tjsj&seg=LocalWeather&prodgrp=Forecast&product=Winds&prodnav=Day1)