Go surfing in the Dominican Republic

...for kitesurfing and windsurfing: Bozo Beach

If you’re after some decent kite schools then head north-west to Bozo beach where some of the best schools ply their trade. The reef is located about 1km out, and you can expect some choppy conditions here, making this beach more appropriate for advanced kiters. Beginners are best kiting in the afternoon when everything calms down.

...in summer: Mananero

Just southeast of Cabarete, Mananero has a fast left and right beach break, and is great in summer and early mornings, since the wind affects it more strongly than other beaches.

...on the Samaná peninsula: Playa Bonita and Playa Coson

Playa Bonita has the best waves of all the local beaches and is a great place to learn to surf, and a fantastic place to watch the sunset. Coson Beach is a long, lovely beach framed by palm trees, about four miles from Las Terrenas and easy to reach. The great waves here make it another top surfing spot, and locals visit the beach to sell Dominican-grown coconuts and coconut oil.

...to learn to surf away from peak season crowds: Playa Grande

And “Grande” it is, with over two miles of clean, spacious beach and impressive waves that even professional surfers find challenging. The Surf Instruction School offers lessons for surfers of all experience levels.

...near Punta Cana: Playa Macao

Two miles north of Bavaro's luxe resorts, Playa Macao has its own personality with golden sands and impressive waves, perfect for surfers and boho barbeques right on the powdery beach. Macao Surf Camp offers surfboard rentals and surfing lessons in English, Italian, Spanish and Russian.

For pros, the best season (with the highest peaks) is from October through March, when waves average four to six feet. For beginners and intermediates, the weather conditions are great all year round. From April to September, waves average three to five feet.

The dry season (December to April) offers the best conditions for water sports (surfing, snorkeling, diving, windsurfing, rafting and more). During the dry season, seas are calmer, beaches tend to be cleaner, and river currents aren’t as rough or changeable as during the wet season.

The wet season here is mild compared to other destination surfing hotspots around the world, especially spots in Southeast Asia. The best thing about surfing on the north coast of the Dominican Republic is that you have about 350 days each year that you can go surfing without having to worry about the beaches going flat.

Read more about when it's best to visit the Dominican Republic.

Playa Encuentro is a 45 minute drive east of downtown Puerto Plata, or a 20 minute drive east of Sosúa. Cabarete, Río San Juan and Las Terrenas are all destinations in their own right and offer great amenities as well as access to the nearest surf beaches, and all of them are easy to reach from Santo Domingo, with frequent public transport options during the high season. Read more about getting around the Dominican Republic.

You can fly direct to Puerto Plata from several North American cities including Miami, New York, Boston and Montreal. American Airlines, Jet Blue, Continental, Air Canada and West Jet all fly direct to DR destinations. If you’re coming from Europe, it’s probably cheaper to fly to Punta Cana (near Macao beach), with direct flights from several European cities.

Read more about how (and when!) to find the cheapest flights to the Dominican Republic.

Written by Nora Pérez.

Published October 2020