Cabarete Holidays

The small town of Cabarete has only become a tourist destination in the last 25 years or so, mainly because of the fantastic natural water sport facilities that it has to offer. International flights arrive in Puerto Plata and it is half an hour by coach or taxi to the resort from the airport.

Windsurfing is the major water sport here because of the near perfect conditions and the town has hosted many major world class events. Cabarete Race Week is held in the third week of June each year where there are specialist windsurfing and kiteboarding competitions and plenty of fun to be had even if you are not taking part in the sporting event itself.

The town does get very busy during this week and hotels are usually fully booked quite quickly, but if water sports are your passion it's a great opportunity to meet and mingle with people from around the world who share a love for surfing.

There are plenty of land based activities in and around Cabarete too. The lush vegetation and beautiful landscape make great terrain for mountain biking and horse riding.

Cabarete's night life is legendary and if you choose to stay at this resort then chances are you already know that this is one of the liveliest spots along the Dominican Republic's northern coastline with a beach front full of places to eat, drink and dance all night if you wish.

The resort offers a wide variety of places for eating out and there is entertainment almost 24 hours a day. Kahuna's Bar and Restaurant on the beach front is Cabarete's only sports bar and boasts five large flat screen TVs, darts and a pool table. Bambu Bar is a restaurant from 9am to 11pm and turns into an all night disco after that.

For a quality dining experience, Maraja's right on the beach has a great international and Italian menu in modern surroundings. In the centre of Cabarete beach there are the popular Voyvoy and Onno's bar. The Ocean Sands Casino and Club is open for slot machines, roulette, black jack and poker between 8pm and 4am.

A short distance out of Cabarete, situated in the mountains, is the gourmet cuisine of Castle Club, which is also a very popular venue for wedding receptions due to its unusual location.

The low lying hills behind the town and the Caribbean trade winds make Cabarete the perfect weather conditions for surfers, but the same ingredients also create a beautifully warm and idyllic place for just soaking up the sun and getting a tan with a subtle breeze in the background.

The offshore coral reef along most of the northern coastline means that there's plenty to explore underwater for divers of all abilities no matter how experienced or not you may be. Beginners can start by trying their hand at shallow water snorkelling as you don't have to venture very far from the shore to be rewarded with some remarkable views in this truly amazing place.

There are loads of diving schools and equipment hire shops all along the beaches here and it's much more rewarding if you take some lessons or enlist the help of a qualified diving instructor to get the best out of your underwater adventure in the Caribbean.