Cabarete, Dominican Republic is a tropical paradise with every watersport you can dream of. It’s best known for year round kiteboarding, due to the consistent easterly winds, but it’s worth visiting for so much more!

Plus, it’s one of the few places Americans can actually visit during COVID madness!

I visited for five days with my boyfriend in December 2019 and we had such a blast. Here’s a complete guide on everything you must do in Cabarete, Dominican Republic based on our trip.

Weather in Cabarete & Packing

Cabarete’s climate is hot and tropical with April to November the rainiest part of the year. While it’s known for staying windy year round, June through September is the best time for kiteboarding. You’ll want to pack light, breathable clothing that is appropriate for the beach!

Check out my complete packing list for Cabarete if you want a better idea of what to bring!

Transportation in Cabarete, Dominican Republic

Rent a car for your time in Cabarete. There are plenty of taxis and mototaxis but renting a car will save you time and give you complete independence.

Where to Stay in Cabarete, Dominican Republic

Stay right on Kite Beach at Agualina Kite Resort. The rooms are affordable and clean with balconies overlooking the pool and beach. Plus, there’s a restaurant and kitesurfing school right on the property!

Things to Do in & Around Cabarete

Cabarete is watersport heaven! Perfect waves, consistent wind and impressive reefs make it impossible to stay dry. Though there’s plenty of city life and culture to keep you busy, as well.

Scuba Dive in Sosua

Book your dive with Dive Cabarete in Sosua. They offer dives to multiple reefs in addition to complete courses and discovery dives. I am open water certified but my boyfriend is not so he did the “Discovery Dive”. Before the dive, the instructor went over scuba basics with him for 30 minutes or so and he was required to complete his skills in the water. Other than that, we did the exact same dive and it was sick! We dove a site called Canyon and saw a ton of life. It was the first place I’ve seen a Moray eel, too!

Playa Encuentro, Cabarete, DO

Surf at Playa Encuentro

Right after the dive, we headed to Playa Encuentro for surfing and a beachfront lunch. You can rent surfboards from Chino Surf School and go out on your own or take lessons. I am pretty new to surfing and found this beach perfect for practicing. It’s easy to get out with waves for beginners plus there are bigger breaks down the beach. The water is dreamy and clear and you can see the reef right below.

Learn to Kiteboard on Kite Beach

There are plenty of kiteboarding schools to choose from but I went with Kite Point right on Kite Beach. Kiting is one of the hardest sports I’ve ever tried, but it’s well worth the work. There’s nothing like the feeling you get when you learn how to perfectly dive the kite to waterstart and finally ride upwind.

Ride the Teleférico in Puerto Plata

I have to admit—this was a LOT more fun than I anticipated. The actual ride on the teleférico gives you a bird’s-eye view of Puerto Plata, the port and the surrounding jungle. And once you arrive at the top, there’s even more! If you walk past the Christ the Redeemer statue and down the stairs, there are tons of little pathways to explore into the jungle. It’s the ideal backdrop for a tropical photoshoot, so take advantage!

Smoke Cigars in Puerto Plata at Vivonté

After the teleférico, my boyfriend led us to a little cigar bar in town where we both had a few delicious mojitos and he smoked a cigar. Vivonté is a really nice spot to strike up conversation with someone and sink into a plush leather chair.

Explore Puerto Plata

Puerto Plata was named for it’s sparkling silver coastline by Nicolás de Ovando in 1502 and it still retains old-world charm (but with a modern twist of course). Roam the streets and find the cutest street decorations, like this canopy of rainbow umbrellas.

Where to Eat & Drink in Cabarete

Everyone knows Cabarete is a watersports hotspot, but what they don’t seem to mention is that it is gourmet food heaven.

Prepare to have your mouth and mind BLOWN at these restaurants. We ate at the typical Cabarete beachfront joints and they were okay but these restaurants below are 10/10!

The Beach Club at Sea Horse Ranch

Photos don’t do it justice. Words don’t do it justice. The Beach Club at Sea Horse Ranch needs to be savored and experienced. This is hands down the most breathtaking restaurant I’ve ever visited. Sometimes I just look at the pictures to feel better about everything in life.

Anyway, our Airbnb host recommended this hidden gem to us and we are SO GLAD he did. This panoramic, oceanfront restaurant (as in the waves crash on the glass barrier) is open to the public even though it’s inside the private residential community of Sea Horse Ranch.

Put on your hottest beach dress, grab your camera and prepare to have your life changed.

Not only is the food outstanding, it’s affordable! (by US standards that is). We had 5 drinks, 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, 2 post-meal shots of mamajuana and dessert and our bill was like $120 or something. A STEAL. I’d go for the cocktails (which must be the only thing I didn’t try), and any seafood dish.

La Tuva

Okay, so La Tuva is basically the dreamy restaurant you visit on your vacation to Italy and then dream about for years to come…only it’s in Cabarete, Dominican Republic. It’s owned and operated by a real life Italian so you know it’s legit!

The oceanfront restaurant has plenty of beachfront seating but the inside is painfully charming with upside down lamps hanging from the ceiling. Definitely go for the burrata and seafood pasta. Ughhh, my mouth is watering just writing about this!

Fresh Fresh

Fresh Fresh restaurants are all over Dominican Republic. It’s a go-to breakfast or lunch spot with amazing smoothie bowls, eggs, coffee and seriously Instagrammable backdrops. Prepare to spend a relaxing morning in one of their boho-decorated nooks.

Graffiti Restaurant Bar Lounge

Graffiti is a really cute little bar located inside the Harmony / Ocean One gates but open to the public. It’s run by gourmet chefs with a background working on mega yachts of the rich and famous—and it shows in their fancy food and drinks. Their affordable menus change regularly and it’s the perfect spot for getting a unique meal and delicious craft cocktails. Plus, the owners are so kind and nice to talk to.