Dominican Republic surf harnesses the almost-ceaseless N Atlantic swell channels to offer reliable reef breaks. It’s gold if you can avoid the wind.
An introduction to Dominican Republic surf
The Dominican Republic is one of the stand-out surf destinations in the Caribbean. Occupying half of the island of Hispaniola, it pretty much picks up where Puerto Rico leaves off. But it actually faces the opposite way as Rincon, which means it’s all about the N-NE swells that kick through the Altantic and roll down the Eastern Seaboard of US.
Those will roll into the north coast of the island (also known as the Amber Coast), which is home to the best breaks of all – Cabarete, Encuentro. As they come, they pound into the outer reefs but occasionally filter through into channels where they shape up into nice rights and lefts that can get hollow and rippable at lots of points.
Overall, we’d put Dominican Republic surf down as an intermediate stomping ground. The breaks are primarily reefs and they can get punchy, espeically as you near the height of the winter season. The main downsides? Line ups are swelling as more people realize the consistency on offer on Hispaniola, and there’s always wind!
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This guide is just one part of our complete guide to surfing in the Caribbean
Dominican Republic surf at a glance
The good:
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What will I find in this guide to Dominican Republic surf?
Where is the Dominican Republic?
The Dominican Republic has one foot in the Atlantic Ocean and the other in the Caribbean Sea. The country lays claim to the eastern half of Hispaniola Island (the other is given to Haiti) and has coasts on the north and the south that are good for surfing. Getting here is actually pretty darn easy – the country is one of the most popular snowbird escapes for US travelers and a major spring break destination to boot. The best flight connections are likely to be to Santa Domingo, the capital, but you can also jet into Punta Cana (not great for surfing, but perfect if you want uber-swish honeymoon hotels!).
The top surf spots in the Dominican Republic
You’ll see that the main array of breaks in the Dominican Republic await on the north coast, starting in earnest at the chilled beach town of Encuentro just west of Cabarete. We’ll follow those around to the south coast, which isn’t as reliable but has smaller crowds than the north.
La Puntilla
La Puntilla is the premier break of Puerto Plata. It’s got a left and a right, breaking outside the main harbor of the town. The paddle is made easy thanks to the wide channel to the left hand side, which is where the better walls end up anyhow. Sadly, pollution from the city is a big issue here and this is one of the sketchiest breaks on the Amber Coast. Not great when there have been heavy rains.
Sosua Bay
The first of the many surf spots that are usually coupled together along the Encuentro-Cabarete strip is Sousa Bay. Unlike all its compadres, it’s tucked behind a big bulge in the DR northern coast that means it’s immune to any SE swell pulses from across the open Atlantic. That means it ONLY works when big low pressure systems sweep to the north, sending N swells straight down and into the rocks that form the point break. When it gets going (which is rare) it’s a great wave, but it’s no cinch. The takeoff moves to and fro with every set, so you can’t get noodle arms in these parts. Keep paddling and you can drop into a big right shoulder that peels for about 50 yards or so and invites turns at the top. Kick out early because the channel is an urchin fest.
Destroyers
Named for the uber-shallow reef base, Destroyers is the hardest of all the waves on the Encuentro line up. It’s claimed many a first layer of skin in its time and will likely continue to do so, because local crews and better surfers will always look this way for what’s arguably the best rippable performance wave in the Dominican Republic. The left is the best. We think it peels off a bit like a Nias wet season break, getting thin and hollow as it tapers into a shoulder. When it’s at its biggest it’s unquestionably a trays only wave.
Encuentro Left
The Encuentro Left is the usual stomping ground of the local crews. It’s relatively consistent, works well on those wintertime N swells, and shapes up real nice for intermediates+ and up. The take off is at the tip of a dash of offshore reef on the western end of the bay (the only spot further out than this is Destroyers). Go there and drop quickly into the channel to ride the first section through what’s usually a waves desperately trying to either hollow or close out depending on the direction. Soon, things ease and you get a neater ride that’s workable on cutback after cutback for nearly 100 meters. Usually busy but the vibes are pretty nice.
Encuentro Main Break/Main Peak
There’s no wave in northern DR that can match the consistency of Encuentro’s Main Break. Althuogh it’s the speckling of reef patches below the water that give the spot its shape, it’s really better looked at as a dash of about 250 meters of beach break wave. That’s because there’s not just one or two peaks, but a couple. The best is a right at the western end of the Main Break, which is short but usually well formed, with a finish in a nice paddle channel. The inside section has come to be known as Bobos for the surf shop
shack that’s right in front. That’s an easy wave – one of the easiest on the island – and is usually dominated by surf school groups. Winter is the best time to surf this one, when good N swells come through.
Coco (also called Coco Pipe)
The far east side of Encuentro Beach is where you can paddle out to meet Coco Pipe, by far the hollowest wave on this strip. It’s a corker when it gets rolling, which needs an early morning dip in the winds and a good N-NE swell direction with a decent amount of height and power. That cocktail gives an A-frame reefy that offers a quick, sharp left for the edgy bottom turners out there and a longer right that’s regularly about tube rides for 2-4 seconds. Don’t come here if you’re not great at riding reefs – the urchins and rocks stare right back at ya!
Cabarete
The town of Cabarete is now considered one of the great windsurf meccas of the world. You might think that doesn’t bode all that well for us sail-less surfers but it’s the summer trades that give it that rep. Winter sees the winds drop and swing around to come from the south (offshore) more often, helping turn this one into a potential surf spot in its own right. The beach out front – known as Bozo – rarely works that well and is mainly for ripping up short wedges and gaining airs. Beach breaks run for miles to the west on less-protected reefs though the fine locations are a well-kept local secret. Many will choose to stay in little Cabarete and move west to Encuentro.
Read our ultimate guide to Cabarete surfing right now!
Mananero
Not much happens in Mananero and the waves aren’t as good as on the western side of Cabarete. Still, it’s worth coming down here if there are big crowds in town, as there’s a half decent right and a shorter left that can be fast and airy at times.
La Preciosa
If we had to pick out the top three quality breaks of the Dominican Republic, then the reef at La Preciosa would certainly be in there. Forming up on the outer reefs of this less-visited part of the northern coast, it can handle good size on the stronger winter swells, but also hoovers swell well in the off season of summer. It’s often working and often empty to boot. What you get is a long, cruisy or cuttable shoulder that peels inwards for around 20 seconds or so. Paddles can be hard and the peak is shifty, which is why it’s experts only. Watch for whales between December and March – they often swim by.
Las Terrenas
There’s plenty of surf over in Las Terrenas and it’s almost all on the more beginner end of the spectrum. The star is probably Playa Coson, a long beach break run that has right peelers coming off the sandbanks at its eastern end and peak after peak after peak to get stuck into closer towards the center of the bay. However, there are a handful of other breaks backing that up, most of which work best from mid fall to the start of spring – N swells are key.
Read our ultimate guide to Las Terrenas surfing right now!
Los Patos
The remoter south coast of the DR is fickler than the north, but it’s got its fair share of waves. The crème-de-la-crème down here is probably this long beach break, which points SW to get a little action from the main Atlantic. When an E swell curls through, there are neat rows of rights that form on the sandbanks on the center of the bay. Some regional surf comps have even been held down here, so don’t go thinking the north reigns completely supreme.
Top places to stay if you’re going surfing in the Dominican Republic
White-sand beaches and whale-filled seas ensure that the DR remains a huge vacay hotspot. That means there’s no shortage of hotel options. But you’ll need to be sure to seek somewhere that’s in the right spot for hitting the surf, which is precisely what we’ve gone and done for ya’ below…
El Encuentro Surf Lodge
Hear us loud and hear us strong: Don’t book anywhere else in the Dominican Republic if this one’s available. This uber-welcoming and downright divine spot between the coconut palms just behind the handful of awesome breaks at Encuentro simply can’t be beaten for surfers. It’s got a lush pool surrounded by thatched cabanas for those post-surf lazes, its own yoga studio for starting the day right, and a health-food restaurant with detox smoothies. Rooms are bright, breezy, and airy. Service is top notch.
Surfbreak B&B
A little further back from the main beaches of Encuentro, but still under 20 minutes’ walk through the palm groves from the breaks, Surfbreak B&B is a quieter alternative. It also has a large garden pool and roomy suites with traditional Carib features. It’s a bit more personal than other surf lodges, offering plenty of time to meet and mingle, dine and chill with other travelers.
Ocean Palms Residences
The condos at the Ocean Palms Residences have been the go-to for many returning surfers in the area west of Cabarete (Encuentro). These were here long before the swish surf lodges and do afford an extra element of privacy. You get self-catering facilities and private balconies, along with dedicated living spaces.
Step-by-step guide to planning your Dominican Republic Surf trip right now
Step one: Book flights to the Dominican Republic Surf…Lately, we like Omio for searching flights. It’s a nice interface and has lots of airline options. We also use Skyscanner because that sometimes offers deals that even beat going direct to the carrier!
Step two: Book your surf camp Book Surf Camps is the numero uno online booking platform for fully-fledged surf-stay packages on the internet right now. Then there’s Booking.com. That has consistently unbeatable rates for hotels and a nifty map feature that lets you check EXACTLY how close your hotel is to a surf break.
Step three: Get insuranceThis is kinda’ important. Not just for surf trips but for any trips. SafetyWing is great for nomad travelers. They offer rolling contracts that cover amateur surfing.
Step four (optional): Rent a car If you’re surf camping then you might not need wheels. If you’re not then we’ll just say this: We’ve never been on a surf trip that wasn’t improved by having our own car. Use RentalCars – they’re the best.
Step five: Enjoy!
For paying for stuff when you’re traveling – Get a Wise borderless card/account. They charge NOTHING for POS payments in any country and have some of the best FX rates around in our humble opinion.
When to surf in the Dominican Republic
Winter N swells are the peach in the Dominican Republic. They’re the conditions that will bring the biggest and the best days to the main north-shore surf points, from Encuentro down to Las Terrenas. They usually start in earnest around the fall in late September and get progressively bigger into January. Waves can vary a lot in this time, from chest-high peelers to hollow overheads that make pits at expert spots like Destroyers. Generally, though, it’s a time for intermediates and up.
Anyone who’s surfed in the DR will tell you that this is a genuine year-round destination. The summer doesn’t mean the end of waves. There are still good NE sets that come in between May and August, but they will be smaller. Plus, days are beset by strong winds and that means dawnies and evening surfs are the name of the game. We’d say leave the summer to the learners and beginners, when this island is just about perfecto.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
