Cabarete is a charming beach town on the North coast of the Dominican Republic. It is home to a lively community of watersports worshippers, beach lovers and party enthusiasts.
For many, a typical day in Cabarete will involve waking up early for a water-based adventure (surf, kitesurf, SUP, windsurf), eating a mountain of tasty food to refuel, catching a grounding yoga class, laughing with friends over mojitos at sunset on the beach.
The vibe is sporty, casual and welcoming to newcomers, with something different going on every night.
Here are some basics to master before you arrive:
Travel and transport
The nearest airport is in Puerto Plata (POP). A 25-minute taxi ride along the beautiful coast brings you into town. You can be floating in the ocean within a couple of hours of touching down in the country.
Further afield, Santiago Cibao International (STI) is the second closest airport, at an hour forty-five taxi ride. There is a coach service from Santiago to Sosua, our neighbouring town, that will be a lot cheaper than a taxi, though it will take longer.
In town, everything is pretty close by. The Caberete way of getting around is by taking a motoconcho, or motorbike taxi, where you hop on the back of a local’s bike and he’ll whizz you to where you need to go. You can get anywhere in town for around a dollar.
If that sounds too scary or for slightly longer distances, you can take a guagua, the local bus service. These slide-door vans run every few minutes up and down the one main road in town.
For cross-country trips to explore the island, there are reliable and comfortable coach services that go all over for a very small price. The nearest terminal is in Sosua, which is a 15-minute taxi or guagua away.
It’s not necessary to rent a car, unless you really want to. Driving in the DR is interesting, to put it mildly, so be careful if you do decide to take to the roads. The roads are bumpy and the rules are different here. Avoid driving at night, if possible.
Money
The national currency is the Dominican peso. You might see it written as ‘RD$’ or ‘DOP’.
Cash is definitely king in Cabarete. Most places don’t take card and will give you an unfavourable exchange rate if you pay with dollars.
There are plenty of banks around town with 24-hour ATMs to withdraw cash, though you can also bring dollars and exchange them here if your bank is likely to charge huge withdrawal fees. Willy’s and Caribe Express are known to have the best exchange rates in town.
Safety
Cabarete is a pretty safe place to vacation. The local economy relies heavily on tourism, so tourists are generally treated very well. No one wants to scare away business!
As when travelling anywhere, though, exercise your common sense. Don’t carry too much cash and don’t lurk in dark corners at nightfall. Pickpocketing is the most common crime, especially vulnerable are drunk stumbling tourists coming out of a club.
If you stay alert and have your wits about you, you will most likely be absolutely fine. The town has a comfortable, safe vibe, and it’s totally safe to walk around on your own in the day.
Day Trips
There are many fun day trips you can take if you fancy exploring a little outside town.
You can visit ancient caves, go canyoning, rappel down waterfalls, zipline through the jungle, explore new surf spots and beaches, hike up the tallest peak in the Caribbean, visit a coffee or cocoa plantation.
The options are plentiful. You can check out local adventure companies who can guide you to the best spots, or just ask the eXtreme front desk to point you in the right direction.
Come join in the fun!
Cabarete is a vibrant, beautiful destination to explore. The watersports scene is pumping, the beach is stunning, the food is delicious, and the local culture is lively and friendly.
What can I say? It’s a tropical paradise here, come and see it for yourself!
