Kite Beach

Kite Beach sits about 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) west of Cabarete Bay, and the name tells you exactly what it is for. This is the home base of most of Cabarete's kiteboarding schools, with their rigging lawns, rental shacks and cafés right on the sand. On a windy afternoon you can count dozens of kites in the air at once, which makes it one of the most photographed water sports scenes in the Caribbean.

The wind is the reason. Most days, the trade winds and a thermal breeze build from around midday and blow until close to sunset. The most reliable season is June to August, with a second good stretch from December to April. Schools and forecasters quote a typical range of about 15 to 25 knots on good days, with stronger gusts. A reef offshore breaks the larger waves, leaving flatter water on the inside where beginners learn and a wave zone outside for experienced riders.

For non-kiters, Kite Beach is a show more than a swimming beach. In the afternoon the water near shore is busy with lines, boards and students, and swimming between them is unsafe. Mornings are calmer and quieter, and the shallows are fine for a dip, though the bottom has patches of rock and reef in places, so water shoes help. The sand is golden and narrow, and the beach is backed by condos, small hotels and the schools.

If you want to learn, this is the place to book lessons; see our guide to kitesurfing lessons in Cabarete for how courses work and what they cost. Watching is free, and the cafés at the schools are a good place to sit with a juice and see who is flying.

Access is along the main Sosúa to Cabarete road, with parking along the roadside and at some of the schools. From Cabarete town it is a short taxi or motoconcho ride, or a 30-minute walk along the sand. Sargassum can arrive in some summers, though the schools tend to keep their launch areas clear.

Who it is best for: kiters at every level, wing foilers, and spectators who like an active beach. Who it is not for: swimmers looking for open water in the afternoon, families with small children who want space to splash, or anyone who wants a quiet day. For a social swim, walk east to Cabarete Beach. For calm water, Sosúa Beach is about 20 minutes west.