Category: Cabarete

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Cabarete Kite Surfing News Surfing Wind Surfing

The best beaches around Cabarete

Cabarete, located on the north coast of the Dominican Republic, is known for its beautiful beaches and water sports such as kiteboarding and windsurfing. If you’re planning a trip to Cabarete and are looking to hit the beach, here are some of the best options in the area:

  1. Kite Beach – As the name suggests, this is a popular spot for kiteboarding and windsurfing. The beach has white sand and crystal clear water, and there are several schools in the area that offer lessons for beginners. Kite Beach is also a great spot for swimming, sunbathing, and picnicking.
  2. Sosua Beach – Located just a short drive from Cabarete, Sosua Beach is known for its crystal clear waters and beautiful coral reefs. The beach has several restaurants and bars, as well as a large variety of water sports such as snorkeling, scuba diving, and parasailing.
  3. Playa Encuentro – This beach is located just a few minutes from Cabarete and is a popular spot for surfing and bodyboarding. The waves can be quite strong at times, so it’s not recommended for inexperienced swimmers. However, the beach has beautiful white sand and clear water, and there are several surf schools in the area that offer lessons for all skill levels.
  4. Playa Dorada – Located just a short drive from Cabarete, Playa Dorada is a long stretch of white sand beach that is perfect for swimming and sunbathing. The beach has several restaurants and bars, as well as a variety of water sports such as parasailing and jet skiing.
  5. Bozo Beach – Located on the east side of Cabarete, Bozo Beach is a hidden gem that is not as well-known as some of the other beaches in the area. The beach has beautiful white sand and clear water, and it’s a great spot for swimming and sunbathing. There are also several restaurants and bars in the area.

No matter what your beach preferences may be, you’ll find a spot that suits your needs in the Cabarete area. From surfing and kiteboarding to swimming and sunbathing, there’s something for everyone at these beautiful beaches.

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Cabarete Caribbean News Paddle Boarding SUP Wind

When the wind drops, stay active with stand up paddle boarding

red paddle co 10'6" ride inflatable stand up paddle board on a river

In the early days, kitesurfing relied on winds above about 12 knots. Now though, the wind minimum is lower with the rise of foil boarding. However, the even lighter wind days can be a drag sometimes. In steps stand up paddling boarding.

After 10 years of sitting on the beach, waiting for the wind to pick up, I discovered paddle boarding. It turned into a great way to pass the time on those light wind mornings, or days.

Back when I started paddling (about 9 years ago), stand up paddle boards were large, clunky things that weren’t easy to handle, move or store, let alone travel with. Allow me to introduce the inflatable stand up paddle board. As kiters, we’re used to blown up sporting toys, so the inflatable SUP, or iSUP, isn’t too far of a stretch for us to understand and potentially enjoy.

Inflatable stand up paddle board industry leaders, Red Paddle Co, have been developing exclusively inflatable SUPs since 2008. With this experience, they’ve developed some amazing boards, several of which have appeared in my quiver at one point or another. Anyway, an inflatable SUP means we are extremely mobile, just like we are with our kites. Imagine an entire inflatable SUP, leash and paddle packed down to about the size of 2 packed kites. Or, in the case of the new 9’6″ Compact by Red Paddle Co, the whole lot is as big as one kite packed down!

Armed with this knowledge, the family purchased an inflatable SUP and we don’t travel without it. It’s great for me to get out on days when the wind is light, keep fit and active, and be ready for when the wind does turn on. Not only that, the family get to enjoy it and be on the water too. A recent trip to the river mouth allowed the kids to paddle around freely, no chop, no waves.

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Cabarete News Paddle Boarding SUP Surfing

Types of stand up paddle board leash

WHY WEAR A LEASH? THE LEASH IS THE MOST ESSENTIAL PIECE OF GEAR TO HAVE ON BEFORE WE GET ON THE WATER FOR A STAND UP PADDLE BOARDING (SUP) PADDLE, WHETHER IT’S IN THE OCEANS, OR ON FLAT WATER LAKES AND DAMS.
LEASHES SAVE LIVES! ALWAYS WEAR A LEASH!
1. STAY CONNECTED TO YOUR BOARD
A leash keeps your body connect to the board at all times in any unexpected in any unexpected conditions.

2. YOUR BOARD IS A FLOTATION RAFT
The board serves as a life raft in an emergency. The leash helps you to pull the board back to you and get back on easily.

3. AVOID INJURING OTHER SURFERS
Without a leash, you could easily lose control of your board in the surf – potentially harming others in the water like other surfers or bathers.
Note: There are many types of leashes especially designed for each SUP discipline. For example, a lightweight bungee leash for recreational SUP, heavy duty surf leash, coil race leash and river leash with a waist harness. Learn more about the different leash types here.