Surfing
   Dominican Republic^.com

What are the swell conditions and how big can I expect the waves to be?

The Dominican Republic has a variety of different swells, depending on the time of year. Winter (October through April) sees the biggest waves when the island is affected by the North and North/East swells, which arrive all the way from storm systems off the East Coast of U.S. During these times, a good swell can bring waves of 8 feet or more at 12 second intervals.
In the summer, swell direction is mainly from the East. Wave intervals are around 8 seconds and wave heights are 3 to 6 feet on average. Larger swells can arrive during the hurricane season; although the DR is rarely directly affected by hurricanes which normally pass to the South of the Island, they can bring some great waves with them.

Where is the best spot on the island to surf?
The North Coast has the best and most consistent surf. The most consistent breaks are at Encuentro, just outside of Cabarete.

Where is the best spot if I am a beginner?
El Encuentro is the place that most beginners learn in the shallow white water which gives perfect conditions to start.

Is Encuentro the only spot?
No, there are several others along a stretch of coast of around 100 miles – you will find them marked on our Surf Spot Map.

Where’s the best area to stay if I want surf?
Cabarete – it’s the closest location to all the surf spots this is where most surfers stay..

What about all the all-inclusives?
Most are in Puerto Plata is 40 minutes drive away from the surf spots. Sosua is 20 minutes by car.

How much will a taxi cost?
Sosua, 20 minutes from Encuentro, costs around 400 pesos (around 13 USD) each way. Puerto Plata is 40 minutes away – do the math. You could take a ‘Moto’ taxi. For very short journeys it’s ok but the roads of the DR can be dangerous and we don’t recommend going on a Moto at all, especially carrying a surf board.

I was told to stay in an all-inclusive because the Dominican Republic is so dangerous – is that not true?
It is NOT true. Follow the usual precautions and common sense. Know where you are, don’t be flash with money or possessions and you will be very safe. The Dominicans are real friendly
.
But if I don’t stay in an all-inclusive, it will cost me a fortune won’t it?
No, that’s not true either. You can eat and drink real cheap here. See our Eat Cheap and Drink Cheap notes.

What about partying?
Best town for a party is Cabarete, which is pretty handy as it’s also the closest to the best surf spots.

What about violence?
That’s not a concern here – the town manages to keep a super-friendly atmosphere going even in the early hours of the morning – maybe it’s something to do with the Rum.

Is it dangerous during the hurricane season?
The Dominican Republic has a real advantage of location along the ‘hurricane corridor’. In fact, the islands position and mountainous landscape protects it from ‘direct hits’. Each hurricane that builds in the South or East of the Atlantic gets ‘pushed’ either to the North or the South of the Island. The North Coast has been affected only once by a Tropical Storm in the last decade and the damage was minor.

What else is there to do?
Kite-Boarding, Wind-surfing, Canoeing, Sailing, Mountain biking, Canyoning, Horse riding, Cave exploring, Walking, Go-karting, Columbus Water Park and much more.

I want to surf, but my girlfriend wants to stay in an all-inclusive – how can I convince her?
A.I.’s are there for a certain type of person (families and/or people who want to be able to eat a lot of very mediocre food and drink a lot of watered down drinks). Most of them are a long distance from the surf – see our map. You don’t have to spend a lot of money staying outside of one; you’ll end up with real choice and a real taste of the DR.

I hear that a lot of airlines are either refusing to carry, or charging a fortune for surf boards now – what can I do about renting a board?
Surf board rental is available at all the surf schools at Encuentro beach if you don’t want to bring your own board.

Do I need a visa?
There are no visa requirements to enter the Dominican Republic. You will buy a tourist card on entry for $20 USD (only USD are accepted, no other currency)

Which airport?
Fly to Puerto Plata (POP).