Cabarete, Dominican Republic

About Cabarete

Cabarete has been the Caribbean's kitesurfing capital since the sport arrived, and the reason is a rare overlap of three wind systems. The north-easterly trades blow year-round; a thermal lift builds from midday through the summer months; and North Atlantic winter fronts deliver strong, gusty wind from December to March. The result is 250 to 300 rideable days a year.

The daily rhythm is unusually predictable. Wind builds through the middle of the day and peaks around four in the afternoon, which is why the beach fills from noon to sunset and the mornings belong to surfers and coffee. Monthly averages run 12 to 22 knots, with summer afternoons gusting 25 to 28. June to August is the peak; September and October are the weakest months.

Kite Beach is the centre of it, with a reef about three hundred metres offshore holding chop rather than lagoon flat inside it and proper swell beyond. Encuentro, along the coast, holds expert-level reef breaks. The town itself is a genuine kite town — schools, bars on the sand, and a rhythm built entirely around the afternoon wind.

When to go

Best months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, December.

Kite areas

1 distinct riding area documented within this destination.

• Kite Beach

  Best months: December, January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August.