Image credit: spaceritual.

Heaven is a place where you can kiteboard from 10am to 4pm, then grab a beer while watching the sunset on soft white sand beaches, get to feast on exquisite lobster and shrimp for cheap, party the night away  and get to do it all over again the next day.

Such a place does exist on this good earth and its called Cabarete and is situated in on the north coast of the Dominican Republic.

Cabarete kiteboarding lessons are some of the cheapest in the world. This combined with a great night life makes this one spot I recommend to all beginners. In Cabarete you can easily enjoy a vacation, take a large number of lessons and buy a kite a for the same cost as just taking kiteboarding lessons in the US.

Rating for beginners: 4/5

The Wind

The wind is what we all come for. Around 1pm it kicks in and the whole town comes to life on the water.

During most of the year 60% of the days or more are kiteable. Best months: Jan to Jun-July. Its usually around 15-22+ mph.

Schools

There are many, many kiteboarding schools which offer one of the most affordable introductions to kiteboarding on the planet. KiteExcite, SkyRiders are some examples. The large number of schools means that you can usually get a very good price.

No Wind Activities

A great thing about Cabarete is that there is a huge number of things to do if the wind is not blowing.

• Spelunking,
• Hiking up and down waterfalls,
• Horseback Riding,
• World Class Diving,
• Snorkelling
• Lagoon trips and much much more.

Apres Kiteboarding

Bars/Clubs –  there are quite a number of bars here. Even one irisih pub. The clubs play anything from regaetton to hip-hop and that too very very loud.

Restaurants - amazingly you can find very good restaurants here because of the large number of expatriates. The local cuisine is also very good.

Accomodation

Peak Season:   Dec 15 – Jan 15
Hight Season: Jan 15- Apr 15 / Jul 1 – Sep 15
Low Season: Sep 15 – Dec 15 / Apt 15 – Jun 30

Hotel Rates

There are many options from really expensive to the really cheap. From 60 dollars a night to more than 400 a night for expensive options.

General Information

Nearest Airport : Peruto Plata (POP)

Visa Restrictions: These might have changed but if you have a Greencard or if you are a US citizen then you can get a visa on arrival. Please check your nearest Dominican Republic consulate for more information.

For kiteboarders going upwind is the skill that marks the end of being a beginner and finally being able to try those big jumps. However this is one of the skills that beginners find the most difficult.

Here I’ll relay the advice of an experienced kiteboarders using whose wisdom helped me put the walk of shame behind me forever:

1. First start going slightly downwind on a broad reach till you pick up a little speed.
2. When you have gained a little speed, dig in the heel side edge of your board and turn your body to look at a point about 30 degrees upwind from the direction you are headed. Your head and your shoulders should be squared to the upwind point.  As your head turns so should your board. It should be pointed slightly ahead of your intended point. Its very important to keep the board  between you and the kite.
3. Move the kite in a small sine wave so that you can “feel” the changes in wind direction and speed.
4. As and when you feel the wind change, adjust the direction of the board. If the wind lessens or if it veers toward the direction that your traveling then point your board slightly downwind – this will compensate for the slower pull of the wind. If the wind picks up or it starts blowing away from the direction of travel then you can edge the board harder to maintain your speed. These shifts in wind are called “headers”. You’ll soon realise that you can use the gusts of wind to go upwind at a steeper angle.
5. Both your legs should be slightly bent and your upper body should be pointing towards the upwind point your trying to get to. Also, you should be going slower than when your going on a broad reach.

Soon you’ll realise that going upwind is all about using these wind shifts so that you are moving upwind most of the time. With practice your ability to keep the kite and you moving upwind will increase. Its all a matter of continously checking your direction and making changes on your board direction as the wind changes – ie in gusts you point the board more up wind and in lulls you point the board slightly less upwind.

When starting out you should really exaggerate squaring up yours shoulders to the upwind body. This is the key to being able to go upwind.

After learning to go upwind, you’ll be ready to jump which will make you even more addicted to kiteboarding.