Surfing Dominican Republic No. 01 · The north coast guide Cover
Surfer dropping into a glassy turquoise wave at Playa Encuentro, Cabarete, Dominican Republic
19°45′N · 70°25′W · Cabarete · Dominican Republic
No. 01 · The north coast guideOctober 2026

An independent guide to surfing, kiting and slow travel between Cabarete and Playa Grande.

Surfing in the Dominican Republic · Cabarete & Encuentro – The north coast, wave by wave.

Words Surfing DR

Begin with the spots
Pexels kyle miller 169884138 33944531
EncuentroFig. 0
In this guide Six chapters
01 Encuentro wave The spots Nine waves from Encuentro to Preciosa — who they suit, when they work. 02 Longboard la boca When to go Winter swell, summer wind, and the quiet months in between. 03 Dawn patrol playa grande Learning here Why beginners stand up on day one, and how to choose a school. 04 Kite cabarete Beyond the surf Kite and wing in Cabarete bay, waterfalls inland, and where to eat. 05 Wingfoil cabarete bay Photographs The coast in pictures, from the line-up and the beach. 06 Encuentro wave Journal Stories, forecasts and where to eat after the dawn session.
FilmThe land beyond the blue

Four minutes of the island, before you read a word

A film by Oliver Astrologo · [MM:SS]

Shot across the whole island by Oliver Astrologo. The north coast appears around the surf and kite sequences; we open the issue with it because nothing we write will do the colour of that water justice.

Longboarder trimming a small clean wave at La Boca, Cabarete, in black and white
Fun longboarding wavesFig. 1
01Feature · Where everyone starts

Playa Encuentro, explained

Four kilometres west of Cabarete, a reef shelf throws up five or six distinct peaks along one bay. The inside is soft enough for a first lesson; the main peak and Destroyers will keep you honest. You'll find the surf schools lined up on the sand from seven in the morning, and by eleven the trade wind arrives and most people go for breakfast.

Level
Beginner on the inside · Intermediate · Advanced at Destroyers
Season
Works year round
Bottom
Mostly mellow flat reef and sand
Go
early is best
Read the full spot guide

"Fun waves for surfers of all levels with Caribbean vibes"

01The spots

Three surf spots to know before you land

All sixteen breaks
Surfer dropping into a glassy turquoise wave at Playa Encuentro, Cabarete, Dominican Republic
1 · All levels10 min

Encuentro

Several reef peaks in one bay, from a forgiving inside to a hollow left. The coast's main surf beach. Best November to March.
Longboarder trimming a small clean wave at La Boca, Cabarete, in black and white
3 · La Derecha10 min

La Derecha

Ultra consistent right hander fun for shortboarders, fish and longboards.
Surf action
4 · Intermediate1 h east

Playa Preciosa

Super pretty setting, fun reef break, left and right, for intermediate surfers and up.

01The coast, west to east

Ninety kilometres of reef, rivermouth and beach

16 breaks · hover to read · click to zoom
16 breaks · ringed pins hold several breaks, click to open · positions approximate Dashed coral line: the coast road from Cabarete
Kitesurfer throwing spray off a wave in Cabarete bay, Dominican Republic
Cabarete bay, four in the afternoon, June
04Beyond the surf

The afternoons belong to the wind.

Surf until eleven. Eat. From two o'clock the trade wind fills Cabarete bay with kites and wings, and the same stretch of water becomes a different sport. Nowhere else lets you do both, every day.

Kite & wing in Cabarete
02When to go

When to surf the north coast

Peak Steady Off
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Surf · big wavesAdvanced to expert
Surf · intermediateMarch to November
Surf · beginnerYear round
Wind · strongWing and kite
Wind · learningYear round
Winter · November to March

The big north swells. Encuentro's outside peaks and Playa Grande come alive; this is the season for advanced and expert surfers. Beginners still have the inside every morning.

March to November

Friendlier waves at intermediate size in the morning; from May to September the strongest wind of the year arrives in the early afternoon. The months to combine surfing with wing or kite.

Any month

Beginner surf lessons and wing or kite lessons run all year: warm water, a reliable morning window for waves and an afternoon trade wind that rarely takes a day off.

03Learning here

Ideal conditions to learn to surf

Schools, camps and boards

The inside at Encuentro breaks over reef onto a sandy run-out — a long, forgiving whitewater ride without the shore-dump that ruins first lessons elsewhere. The schools open at seven. There's local board rentals at Playa Encuentro, coffee & a very chill Caribbean vibe

Our pick

A week of coaching within walking distance of your room: Swell Surf Camp, Cabarete. We explain why — and who else is good — in the full guide.

How to choose a surf school
Surfer carrying a board down Playa Grande at first light, Dominican Republic
Dawn patrol. Best surfing and learn to surf conditions are at first light untill middayFig. 2
06Journal

From the surf journal

All stories
01 A week on the north coast without a car Travel · October 2026 02 Reading the Encuentro forecast like a local Surf · September 2026 03 Where to eat in Cabarete after a dawn session Food · August 2026
Questions6 answers

Surfing the Dominican Republic: questions we get asked

Short answers to what people ask before their first trip to the north coast. The long answers are in the guide.

Where is the best surfing in the Dominican Republic?

On the north coast, between Puerto Plata and Playa Grande. Playa Encuentro, ten minutes west of Cabarete, is the main surf beach, with five or six peaks along one reef bay. On a winter swell, Playa Grande, Preciosa and El Barco in the east add some of the best waves on the island. All 16 surf spots are rated and mapped here.

When is the best time to surf in the Dominican Republic?

November to March, when the north swells arrive with the winter fronts and the outside peaks at Encuentro and Playa Grande come alive. From March to November the waves are friendlier and intermediate-sized in the mornings, and the inside at Encuentro breaks all year, so beginners can learn in any month.

Is the Dominican Republic good for beginner surfers?

Yes. The inside at Playa Encuentro breaks over reef onto a sandy run-out: a long, forgiving whitewater ride without the shore-dump that ruins first lessons elsewhere. The surf schools are on the sand from seven in the morning and lessons run all year.

Can you surf and kitesurf on the same day in Cabarete?

Yes, that is the rhythm of the coast. Surf from first light until about eleven, when the trade wind arrives. From around two o’clock the wind fills Cabarete bay for kitesurfing and wing foiling. Few places let you do both, every day.

What time of day is best for surfing on the north coast?

Early. The trade wind blows from the east and arrives mid-morning almost every day of the year; by eleven it blows out most breaks that face it. Paddle out at first light for glassy water.

Where should I stay for a surf trip?

In Cabarete town, the centre of the north coast. Restaurants, bars and shops are on foot, and the surf camps drive you to Encuentro before the wind. Our where to stay guide compares the areas.