Just got back from 4 days in Cabarete....couldn't take the lack of wind/waves anymore, so did a last minute trip there. If you haven't been, go! That place is amazing...really friendly people, cool atmosphere, and the the wind is a machine there...fully lit on a 13m kite at 10am....11m kite at 11:30am....then 7m from 1pm till dark..... Most of the locals don't even go out until around 2pm or so....but being used to getting skunked all the time, I hit it at 10am each day...

Got a chance to ride my new custom DC kiteboard, and that board is freakin amazing...best board I have ever ridden...

Waves weren't huge, but super fun...around waist to occ chest high... SUP'd out on the reef each morning before the wind filled in...only guy on the reef...

stayed at the Kitebeach hotel and that place rocks...was like $50 a night, right on the beach, free breakfast buffet...

anyway, love that place and want to go back soon.... here are a few shots from one of those helmet cams hung up in my kite lines...

a few more shots

and last ones... the local boys that helped each day, liked to grab onto your harness and hold on until they couldn't hold on anymore....

Nice pics Pat! Yeah, I love Cabarete this time of year. Surf every morning, kite all afternoon. And I also like what you said about it not being as crowded! The funny thing about the north coast of the DR is that the trades blow pretty much everywhere, but everyone just kites the one spot. If you explore a little there are tons of other killer spots close by to check out if you want to get away from it all.

Of course, it is also very nice to walk out behind your hotel, pump up your kite with the air compressor on the beach, have one of the local kids setup your lines and give you a launch, and go ride. If I was not going to Costa Rica on a surf trip in a couple of weeks I would hit it in a heartbeat! And there are tons of other things to do there like canyoning tours, renting a dirt bike and bombing around the dirt roads in the hills, and much more.

good pics!!! help out us newbies here...what's the logistics of the trip, ie flying in and out/airlines/cost/baggage. I'm guessing you can't fly out of jax for $29.99 haha

Hey Phil,
Of course it all depends on when you are going, but in general, through American Airlines from either Orlando or Miami, it is around $400-$550. You fly into POP. You can fly American from Jax too, but it is normally another $100 or more. Flights get you there around 3pm or so, so you can still get a few hours of kiting on the first day. If you have just a twin tip and kites and a golf bag to hide them in, then no baggage fees. If you are bringing a surfboard, then $100 each way.

Delta also flys from Jax thru Atlanta to POP, but it is usually way more than American, plus a surfboard is $300 each way!

Once you get to there, it is about a 20 minute taxi ride to Cabarete. There are dozens of options for places to stay right on the beach, but I liked the Kitebeach Hotel the best...$55 a night for a room, free breakfast and right where you need to be...wakeup, eat, surf, kite, eat, drink, go to bed...If you go with several people, you can get a 2bd room apt style place right there for like $130 a night, or there are actual houses you can rent for $1000 or so a week...

All in all, it probably costs around $1000 for a 4-5 day trip by the time you factor in everything...