Cabarete owes its fame to the steady trade winds, the prevailing pattern of easterly surface winds found in the tropics. This gives Cabarete perfect side-onshore kiting conditions most of the time. It’s location also guarantees a comfortable water temperature around 26°C (79°F). No wetsuit needed, just some protection from the tropical sun. On land expect to enjoy temperatures between 25°C (77°F) and 29°C (84°F), depending on season.
You can pretty much “always” kitesurf in Cabarete. The difference in seasons is only relevant to how many days of the month you can expect to kite, the strength of the wind and how much or little chop to expect. The hurricane season in Dominican Republic is usually July to November. But due to it’s location Cabarete is pretty much protected from this, and has not experienced a hurricane in over a 100 years. The ‘rainy season’, with it’s brief tropical shower, usually begins in October and by mid January it should be over on the north coast of the Dominican Republic.
The wind in Cabarete usually starts to build up rather late in the morning. At 12.30-13.30 the thermals make the wind stronger, and about 16.00 it’s at its strongest. Around 18.00 the wind dies off, however if you’re lucky you can kitesurf well into the sunset and after (Watch out for those corals in the dark!). The great thing about all this is that the wind won’t keep you up all night and you can enjoy a walk along the beach in the morning or late afternoon, without the wind whipping your face.
January to April is “winter” season in Cabarete
Conditions are great with consistent strong winds usually around 15-20 Mph or 13-17 knots. You’ll find rather flat water inside the reef at “Kitebeach”, still expect some chop this time of the year. Plenty waves further out, at Bozo Beach and ofcorse at the surfers #1 place at Encuentro Beach. At La Boca the water is always flat.
Winter season means lower prices and better availablity at the hotels in Cabarate, however surely it’s not “quiet” in town. The bars are always lively at night, even weekdays this time of the year.
June to September is “summer” season in Cabarete
Wind is at it’s strongest in June, July and August. Winds blow averaging 15-25 Mph or 13-22 knots. Mid-June to mid-August is considered the absolute prime time for kite and wind-surfing. The sea is at it’s flattest this time of the year, but you’ll always find waves where the sea hits the reef. So you’ll always find the conditions that suit your style, level and mood. The most popular kitespot, “Kitebeach”, can get overly crowded this time of the year, as if fill up with students, locals and visiting kite-surfers.
Click here for a detailed short- and long-term weather forcast for Cabarete
Note! About wind conditions in Cabarete, you really never know. Months that in previous years have been considered not so great like May, October and November could provide excellent conditions this year. And surely you can always kitesurf, it’s only a question of how many days you can and can’t.
