Overview

Cabarete is the Caribbean capital of kitesurfing, located on the north coast of the Dominican Republic. This small beach town is one of the historical birthplaces of kitesurfing and remains a must-visit destination thanks to its reliable trade winds, warm turquoise water and festive atmosphere. Kite Beach, the dedicated kite beach west of downtown, offers perfect side-onshore conditions with tropical waves and a sandy bottom. The wind season runs from May to September (summer) and December to March (winter), with northeast to easterly trade winds blowing 15 to 25 knots. Cabarete regularly hosts international competitions and is home to a very dynamic cosmopolitan kite community.

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Spot forecast for cabarete kitebeach

Sunrise 06:38 · Sunset 18:14

Open-Meteo

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< 7 kn7–12 kn13–20 kn21–30 kn31–40 kn41+ kn Gusts Your minimum: 7 kn

Forecasts provided by Open-Meteo

Swell and waves

Swell and tides over 8 days. Premium members see the swell and tides over 8 days. Without a subscription: 5 days.

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Wave height: < 0.5 m 0.5–1 m 1–2 m 2–3 m ≥ 3 m

Swell data by Open-Meteo Marine

Tides

Heights above lowest astronomical tide, in the spot's local time. Computed 2.2 km from the spot.

Monday 19 October High tide 02:30 · 0.5 m Low tide 08:24 · 0.2 m High tide 15:16 · 0.6 m Low tide 21:57 · 0.3 m
Tuesday 20 October High tide 03:33 · 0.5 m Low tide 09:27 · 0.3 m High tide 16:06 · 0.6 m Low tide 22:41 · 0.3 m
Wednesday 21 October High tide 04:32 · 0.5 m Low tide 10:31 · 0.3 m High tide 16:54 · 0.6 m Low tide 23:20 · 0.2 m
Thursday 22 October High tide 05:25 · 0.6 m Low tide 11:32 · 0.3 m High tide 17:39 · 0.6 m Low tide 23:57 · 0.2 m
Friday 23 October High tide 06:14 · 0.7 m Low tide 12:29 · 0.2 m High tide 18:23 · 0.6 m

cabarete kitebeach: when to go?

Rideable days and hours computed for a minimum wind of 7 knots · log in to set your own (foil, twin-tip…)

Season · peak

332h

in July · 30.5 rideable days

The season runs from May to September, peaking in July: 27 rideable days a month and 332 hours of usable wind, at 31 °C. The low point is October, at 14 days.

Rideable days per month

Wind strength when it is rideable

7-12 knots · 97%13-20 knots · 3%

When the spot works, wind sits mostly between 7 and 12 knots — 97% of rideable hours. Big-kite territory. The coldest month is January, at 28 °C. The wettest month is April, with 206 mm.

Monthly averages: cabarete kitebeach

Monthly averages — cabarete kitebeach — averaged over 2 years of records — Weather data by Open-Meteo.com — How it is calculated
Month	Rideable days	Usable wind	Temperature	Rain
January	20.5	181 h	28 °C	81 mm
February	20.5	170 h	28 °C	57 mm
March	21.5	176 h	29 °C	65 mm
April	20.0	176 h	28 °C	206 mm
May	26.5	221 h	30 °C	94 mm
June	26.0	277 h	31 °C	87 mm
July	30.5	332 h	31 °C	51 mm
August	26.0	259 h	32 °C	92 mm
September	25.5	194 h	32 °C	70 mm
October	14.0	83 h	31 °C	143 mm
November	18.5	134 h	29 °C	177 mm
December	21.5	131 h	28 °C	142 mm

Photo gallery of cabarete kitebeach

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Technical details of cabarete kitebeach spot

The spot works with winds from NE, ENE, E, ESE.

Rideable Not rideable

Spot functioning

Kite Beach works mainly with NE to E trade winds, which blow side-onshore. The spot is rideable at all tides. At low tide, the offshore coral reef creates a more protected zone with fewer waves inside. At high tide, waves pass over the reef and conditions become more powerful. Mornings are often calm — sessions typically start around noon-1pm when the thermal reinforces the trades. The beach is organized with launch/landing zones managed by schools for safety.

Spot opening date · Required level

Spot opening date: Open all year round
Required level: Intermediate

On the water

Warm Caribbean water year-round (26-29°C), boardshorts and lycra are sufficient. Tropical waves of 0.5 to 2 meters depending on tide and swell. Sandy bottom on the beach, coral reef offshore (100-200 m). The water surface is generally moderately choppy with wind chop. Excellent conditions for combining freeride, freestyle and wave riding. Moderate lateral current toward the west. Good to excellent underwater visibility.

Parking

Parking along the main road (Carretera 5) near Kite Beach. Some private guarded parking lots are available for a few pesos. Kite schools generally have their own gear storage areas. Access to Kite Beach is on foot from the parking areas or directly from beachfront hotels and schools. Taxis and mototaxis (motoconchos) are available everywhere in Cabarete.

Wind specificities

Typical Caribbean northeast to easterly trade winds. Two wind seasons: summer (May-September) with very consistent 15-25 knot trades, and winter (December-March) with north fronts bringing stronger but less consistent winds. Wind typically picks up around noon and peaks in mid-afternoon. At Kite Beach, the wind arrives side-onshore (from the right when facing the sea), ideal for safety. June-July are the most reliable months. October-November is the calmer season with less wind.

Hazards

Offshore coral reef that can cause cuts on contact — avoid riding over the reef at low tide. Sea urchins in rocky areas. Shore break can be powerful at high tide. Lateral current toward the west. Dense kiter traffic on Kite Beach — respect right-of-way rules. Very intense tropical sun. Hurricane season (August-October): monitor weather forecasts. Possible theft on the beach — use school lockers.

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