The Dominican Republic is the largest island in the Caribbean: Hispaniola.  It is south of Turks and Caicos and inbetween to Cuba and Puerto Rico.

Cabarete is on the North coast of the island, 20 minutes drive from POP International Airport. The North coast faces the warm Atlantic Ocean, and is in perfect position to catch the famous "trade winds", the same winds that also blow in Hawaii.

Laurel has chosen Cabarete, one of the best kiteboarding spots in the world as her personal playground and as the location of her kiteboarding center.

The other part of the island is Haiti, which as most people know is the poorest country in the entire Western Hemisphere. However the problems in Haiti are far removed from a kiteboarding vacation in Cabarete, and there is no need to worry.

Fly to Puerto Plata airport (POP) and take a taxi 20 minutes to Cabarete, a ride that costs $40 each way.

Fly from the East Coast USA:

• American Airlines from Miami (MIA)
• Jet Blue from New York (JFK)
• United from Newark (EWR) 

Fly from Europe:

• Thomas Cook from England
• Jet Air Fly from Brussels
• Tui from Germany

Other airports may offer better fares, take into consideration the cost and time it takes for getting to Cabarete

Santiago (STI) 

• Taxi to Cabarete is $120 each way
• Trip takes 1.5 hours (90 minutes) over a beautiful (but winding) mountain road

Santo Domingo (SDQ)

• Taxi to the bus station in the city costs $30 then hop on the Metro Bus to Sousa for $10 then taxi to Cabarete for $20 = $70 cost each way
• Trip takes up to 7 hours
• Direct taxi fare is around $220 one way and takes around 4 hours
  

Punta Cana (PUJ)

• Taxi to Cabarete is $400 each way
• Trip takes 6 hours 

LEK kiteboarding school is easy to find!

From the beach in Cabarete center, looking at the sea

Walk to your left (downwind) towards Puerto Plata airport/Sosua - less than 1/2 mile approx 8 mins walk

Look for a stunning white resort building with an infinity pool

You will see our pink LEK flags and the kiteboarding shop

Driving from POP airport pass Kitebeach, pass the Esso gas station on the right.

When you see Tropicoco Restaurant on the left you are almost there.  

Just past Tropicoco you'll see a beautiful sign for "Millennium Resort & Spa"

Turn left and meet the friendly security team - let them know you are going to the kite school (or "Laura Kite").  

Continue down the short road and you will come to the Millennium entrance.

 Enter the reception, walk thru,

past the bar, the spa etc...

and continue on the walkway towards the pool

Once you reach the pool you will see LEK - just past the pool on your right with the pink LEK flags

Rather than hopping the wall down to the beach we recommend turning left at the pool, following the path around Aqua Restaurant down to the beach, through the palm oasis, and coming into LEK that way!

Google Maps has excellent high res images of Cabarete - check it out here

One of our favorite things about Cabarete is that once you are here a car is not necessary. The common form of transportation is on the back of a motorcycle taxi, called a motoconcho. These trips are exciting and risky, and not recommended.  We also do not recommend renting a car, driving in the DR is best left to the Dominicans who know the "system".

We recommend a combo of taxis and walking.

From Laurel Eastman Kiteboarding/Ocean Dream/Millennium Resort you can walk on the beach to town.  In the evening after a fun dinner/drinks/dancing we recommend you take the taxi home, the cost is around $7.

If you are up for a cultural experience and adventure you can try the public transportation, a shared van or car system that packs an entertaining number of passengers inside then races like wildfire.  If you don't mind zero personal space and no seatbelts then it can be really funny for short distances.  

To get to the surfing in Encuentro we recommend taking the transfer service from the local surf school, we work with Markus at 321 Take Off, he also organizes the famous Master of the Ocean contest each year and has been in Cabarete for almost 20 years.  His team picks you up at your condo each morning, takes you to surf, and drops you back in time for breakfast or brunch, all for $5 per person.

For more tips about getting around in Cabarete just talk to the LEK team either by email, or when you are here.