The surrounding area is lush and tropical and great to explore by bike, jeep or on horse back. Head a mile or two up the coast or inland and you will be in completely undeveloped areas.

The large bay is protected by a reef with a large gap in the middle. The upwind reef is too shallow to sail over but prevents the shore break in the bay from getting too big. The closer you sail to this reef, the flatter the water is. Slalom sailors can sail inside the reef or blast out to the swell that is rolling in from the Atlantic. Slightly downwind the wave breaks over a reef around 2 - 3 metres below the surface. It is perfect for first time and experienced wave sailors. As with all spots in Cabarete, the launch is a bit gusty due to the palm trees, but 50 metres from the beach you are into clean wind.

This is another area influenced by the trade winds that are most reliable from January or February and continue right through until August. June has a reputation for being very windy and this is the time that the famous Cabarete Race week is run. The best time for waves is winter although there is almost certain to be some swell the whole year. The so-called "cool" season is from November to April, with what is considered pleasantly warm weather, relatively low humidity and low precipitation. On the coast, i.e. near the beaches, the temperature hovers fairly constantly around 29°C (84°F) during the day and drops to around a comfortable 20°C (68°F) at night.

The "hot" season is roughly from May to October. Then the average temperature rises to 31°C (87°F) during the daytime and drops to about 22°C (72°F) at night. However, with the accompanying high humidity that is more common during this season, it usually feels much hotter. It does rain a bit more often during this season, especially from May to August, but usually this turns out to be no more than a 30 minute tropical (sometimes heavy) shower. There are usually also some brief rainy periods during the months of November and December. It should also be mentioned that weather varies a lot from one year to the next, being influenced by phenomena such as "El Niño" and "La Niña" among others.

Cabarete caters for a whole range of abilities from beginners in the morning to slalom and wave sailors in the afternoon.

Other activities include diving (one of the best spots is just a 15 minute drive away), mountain biking, hiking and much more.

Cabarete offers a full range of Kitesurfing. There is a separate beach area (Kite Beach) approx 20 minutes from the main Bay as well as other learner spots. Be warned that the main kite beach is very crowded in high season but Planet offers kitesurf trips away from this crowded area.

Cabarete has developed around windsurfing so all the bars are laid back. Local bands play at different venues most nights and somewhere along the beach Happy Hour seems to last from 5pm to midnight. Into the early hours, Las Brisas stays open late playing Latin American music. On Saturdays they also have a volleyball competition which is popular with everyone. Best of all, it is only stumbling distance along the beach.

UK / EU passport holders -: A full 10 year passport valid until at least 6 months after date of return. Tourist entry card required. This can be bought on arrival for US $10 or arranged in advance with the Dominican Republic Consulate at a cost of £8. Other passport holders: Please check with Dominican Republic Consulate (0891 600 260).

There are no compulsory inoculations if travelling from the UK but we recommend to check with your GP for the latest advice.