Las Terrenas surfing is more beginner-friendly than the waves of Cabarete but might lack a little in consistency and power. We do love it, though.
An introduction to Las Terrenas surfing
Las Terrenas doesn’t hit the surf headlines like Cabarete and Encuentro Beach further west along the north shore. Part of that is down to the fact that it’s harder to get to, being located on the wonderfully wild Samana Península. The rest is due to the fact that the surf is nowhere near as good quality or consistent in this corner of the island.
It’s not bad, though. Several beaches offer crumbling peelers for the beginners and the improvers. There are also days when local reefs go off, setting in motion neat hollow breaks for those who want more of a challenge. Adding to that is the relative remoteness of it all, which means you might just find yourself surfing alone.
There’s a nascent surf community growing in Las Terrenas. One or two outfitters and a surf camp now make their home here. They can take a surf trip to the next level, by offering lifts to local breaks to the west and east and that all-important local know-how to catch all the various iterations of the north swell.
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This guide is just one part of our complete guide to surfing in the Caribbean
Las Terrenas surfing at a glance
The good…
The bad…
What’s in this guide to Las Terrenas surfing?
Where is Las Terrenas?
Las Terrenas clutches the north coast of the Dominican Republic at the base of the amazing Samana Peninsula. As such, it’s the gateway to a region that’s famed for its wild beaches, deserted lagoons, and whale-filled seas. The surf here is neatly placed to the east and the west of town, with the best beaches of all about a 15-minute taxi ride away. Getting to Las Terrenas itself takes about four hours from Punta Cana and less than two hours from Santo Domingo – both of which have international airports served by routes from the UK and the USA.
A guide to the Las Terrenas surf spots
There are three or four main surf beaches in the vicinity of Las Terrenas. It’s worth remembering, though, that this part of the Dominican Republic has yet to be fully explored for its wave potential, so there’s a good chance you’ll happen upon something awesome by accident if you travel around.
Playa Coson
The furthest west of the main Las Terrenas playas that have regular surf, Coson is a 1.3-mile dash of truly idyllic gold sand threaded by rows of palm trees. Unlike at Playa Bonita (which we’ll talk about in just a moment), the coast deepens much faster here from the shoreline, allowing extra power to plump up with the sets. Things can even get hollow on large N swell days in the morning before the crosshore trades come to ruin the party. The western punta that points out one end of the beach is the sole exception. It’s home to a dash of reef that can be a barrel machine on occasion. But they aren’t the easiest catches and the corals aren’t deep, so you gotta’ know what you’re up to.
Playa Bonita
If you came with the towel and the sunscreen in tow, then Playa Bonita is likely to impress. For barrels and tube rides, not so much. This is most certainly a wave at the beginner end of the spectrum. We’d even put it among the easiest of the whole of the Dominican Republic north coast. The long and shallow shelf of sand and reef helps to temper the biggest of N-NE swells in the winter months, so when it’s large elsewhere it’s rarely deadly at Bonita. The bottom is sand and the paddle out isn’t too rippy for most. It’s hardly a wonder it’s now the go-to for Las Terrenas surfing camps and schools.
Playa El Valle
Wowza. What a place to surf. Those were our thoughts the first time we emerged onto the cliff-flanked bau of Playa El Valle. It’s east of Las Terrenas, so deeper into the rainforests and hills of the Samana than most spots in this guide. They say it was once a hideaway for buccaneers seeking refuge from the navies of France and England. That just adds to the mystery. More alluring are the powerful shorebreak A-frames that crash into the middle of the beach. Over eight foot and these will hollow out for short, makable tubes to the left and the right. The best way to get here is to book onto an organized surf trip out of Las Terrenas or have your own set of wheels.
Where to stay when surfing in Las Terrenas?
The range of hotel choices in Las Terrenas has come along leaps and bounds in the last five years. That’s mainly due to the rise in popularity of the local sands for R&R. However, it also means there are now some great places to stay within easy reach of the surrounding surf breaks. Check them out…
Villas Maranata
Wake up, walk to the surf. Surf, get back to the hotel to soothe muscles in your private splash pool or devour chef-cooked meals under your thatched terrace. There’s a reason this one gets 10/10 on Booking. It’s a truly awesome hotel with all the frills of a real tropical getaway. The only downside is that you’ll be quite far from the town center, but who needs that when the waves of Coson are right on your doorstep?
Casa Grande Hotel Restaurant
Casa Grande Hotel Restaurant puts you literally steps off the waves of Playa Bonita, one of the main beginner surf beaches in the Dominican Republic. It’s a taste of island luxury itself, what with massage services and sunbeds right on the shoreline. They even have in-house surf rentals on offer if you wanted to holiday but aren’t planning on brining your own gear.
Mahona Boutique Hotel
The Mahona Boutique Hotel is a charming place to bed down. It’s spacious and airy and channels the earthy styles of the Caribbean with its whitewashed interiors and wicker features. You aren’t within walking distance of a surf break at this hotel, but you are close to surf outfitters that can offer planned surfs to beaches further afield along the Samana Peninsula.
Step-by-step guide to planning your las terrenas surfing trip right now
Step one: Book flights to the las terrenas surfing…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 four: Enjoy!
When to surf in Las Terrenas?
Las Terrenas surfing is best between October and March. That’s actually the peak season for travel in the Caribbean as a whole, seeing a dip in rainfall and less chance of rough hurricane systems passing through. It also brings regular swells in the N and N-NW channel, which are head-on for the reefs and beaches of the whole DR north coast. Things tend to get bigger the closer to January you stay. Meanwhile westerly trade winds are the plague of the fall and spring, but they can be dodged by making sure you get in the water nice and early. Summer isn’t a write off completely. We’d say it’s prime for beginners looking to hit the Las Terrenas surf camps.
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!
