Cabarete and Sosua, Dominican Republic Travel Guide

            

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Casa Marina Beach Reef Resort, Cabarete, Dominican Republic

Cabarete and Sosua Summary

What It's Like

A scrappy and mostly charming beach town on the north coast of the Dominican Republic, Cabarete attracts visitors for its daytime cafe scene, nighttime club scene, and huge, windswept beaches that have made it a world capital for kitesurfing, as well as a popular place for windsurfing and traditional surfing. At night, when the cafes transform into nightclubs, tourists and young crowds heavy with German and French expats come to party and dance to thick reggaeton beats. The scene has an ugly side as well: Advances from prostitutes are extremely common, and tourists are advised to travel in groups and to use common sense to avoid street crime, especially at night. Sosua, a small town located roughly halfway between Cabarete and the Puerto Plata airport, offers at least one appealing resort, but its beaches are notorious for nighttime prostitution.

Where to Stay

Viva Wyndham, in Cabarete, is an all-inclusive with minimal amenities and subpar food -- but a great beach, making it a preferred spot for kiteboarders. Fifteen minutes from Cabarete is Natura Cabanas, a quiet, eco-friendly alternative to the big resorts with (yet another) great beach and strikingly good food, especially for the D.R. In Sosua, the Sosua Bay Hotel offers good value, with an excellent gym and way-better-than-average food.