Travel Eye on Cabarete (Dominican Republic, Caribbean)

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Overview:

Cabarete is a small, easy going Caribbean beach village located on the northern shore of the Dominican Republic. It's a perfect tropical vacation spot, especially for the young traveler seeking fun, new friends and sporting adventures. With its charming, hip ambience and a combination of relaxed and adventurous lifestyles, most visitors can barely resist the spontaneous temptation of extending their stay and just hang around the place for another while.

The village of Cabarete is spread out across the centre of a gorgeous, semi-circular beach of golden, sun-soaked, sand. Just behind, limiting its size lies a tranquil lagoon, backed up by richly verdant hills overflowing with luxurious tropical vegetation.

The perfect blend of the surrounding physical elements of nature such as the location of the offshore reef at the entrance of the bay, the direction from which the trade winds usually blow, and the low-lying hills behind the village, which cause a unique thermal effect, form a beautiful layout. They create an unusual synthesis of outstanding wind and wave conditions. These make Cabarete's bay an exceptional location not only for water-sports such as kiteboarding and windsurfing, but for regular surfing at El Encuentro beach as well.

Locality:

Cabarete is situated On the Atlantic N coast, on a stretch known as the Amber Coast (21 mls E of Puerto Plata, 12 mls E of its airport, 10 mls SE of Sosua, 140 mls NW of Santo Domingo). Cabarete is set on a long, flat coastal strip of land between a meandering lagoon and the ocean.

Entertainment/Facilities/Attractions/Things to do:

Cabarete is a nondescript but extensive ribbon development stretching for over 4 mls either side of the very busy coast highway. There is little of interest locally; all of note is contained within the small hub of Plaza Comercial with its unsophisticated shops and services. The resort has only really developed by virtue of the particularly good conditions for windsurfing offered locally.

Cabarete is particularly popular with the sporty, younger types, particularly windsurfers.

Accommodation here is predominantly small, economical hotels and budget pensions with a sprinkling of middlemarket all-inclusive operations, many of which are situated beside the beach. A handful of condominium complexes scattered far and wide.

The beach here is a big attraction with a wide bay of very fine, light brown sand and clear water that stretches for over 3 mls. Fairly narrow in places and often fringed with palms; it can be quite windy in the afternoon. Hotels usually provide an ample number of sunbeds. Windsurfing dominates water-sports-wise, thanks to strong trade winds and lack of any reef.

Shoppers are confined to s mall gift shops, minimarkets and windsurfing chandlers line both sides of the main road, concentrated around Plaza Comercial. Quite a few money-exchange outlets.

Entertainment here is dominated by the beach and water sports, particularly windsurfing but also kite-surfing, kayaking, catamarans, snorkelling and scuba; tennis; golf; horse riding; mountain biking; Cabarete Caves, just outside the resort. The area hosts various international windsurfing competitions, including Cabarete Race Week every June. By night there is unsophisticated fun revolving around a number of simple bars and the hotels, the larger ones holding impromptu discos or shows.

Local excursions are available to Paradise Island for snorkelling; Bacardi Island; boat trip up Yasica River; visits to other beach resorts along coast; Santo Domingo and Puerto Plata for shopping and sightseeing; white-water rafting; jeep safari; deep-sea fishing.