10 nights kitetrip in the Dominican Republic

🧭 Journey: 20 mins
📍 1 night Santo Domingo hotel Mosquito
🧭 3h15 / tolls 63+201+236 pesos = 7.5€
📍 3 nights in Las Galeras
🧭 1h30
📍 3 nights in Las Terrenas
🧭 4h45 / tolls 585 + 100 pesos = 10€
📍 3 nights in Buen Hombre
🧭 4h / tolls 100 + 100 + 100 + 63 + 60 = 6€
🛫 Santo Domingo Airport (evening)

We validated this itinerary thanks to the valuable advice of a Frenchman who opened his travel agency on the island. We originally wanted to go south to Bayahibe to do the boat trip to Saona Island. He dissuaded us from it by explaining to us that it was really about the typical exit proposed to the tourists of the all-in of Punta Cana. Being lovers of little lost paradises, we saw fit to swap these nights with those of Las Galleras, which we loved.
We were also advised not to cross the island at night when we arrived, hence the first night at the Mosquito Hotel in Santa Domingo.

The city is authentic and it is pleasant to walk there for an hour, but we do not notice any particular charm.

Our sleep at the Mosquito Hotel (1 night):
A pretty facade, and a central location in the colonial zone of the city. The inner courtyard is illuminated with multiple garlands, and decorated with plants falling from the floors. This small, welcoming hotel also has a very charming and excellent cocktail bar, which we approve of on the way!
In any case, prefer a hotel in the colonial zone.

- The beaches are sublime : playa Rincon, playa Grande (main beach of Las Galeras), playa Madam, playa Fronton, playa Colorado, playa Breman. The most beautiful beaches of our stay!

- The boat exit to Playa Madam and Playa Fronton , accessible only by sea (or by crossing the nature reserve on foot). We opt for the alternative by boat, and go as a couple in a motorboat to these lost beaches. The walk is worth the look. To find a boat, you just have to go to the main beach of Las Galeras (playa grande) and the possibilities of departure are numerous. Be careful, these are deserted beaches so don't go without water, masks and snorkel (music?).

- Horseback riding to discover the trails that lead to playa Colorado, playa Breman and playa Rincon. Tested and more than validated. Once again, it is as a couple, with a guide, that we set off to discover the shades of blue in the surroundings. Each beach has a wow effect, and the horses are happy to tread the sand while racing. A wonderful way to discover the first 2 beaches listed which are less accessible. Contact Rudy's Rancho on WhatsApp +18293053368 / www.rudysrancho.com.

- The quad ride (untested, but a real alternative if you don't particularly like horse riding) also offers a ride along the coast from Las Galeras to Playa Rincon. Our Chalet Tropical accommodation has almost 10 quads and organizes tours. Sarah on WhatsApp +18099010738.

- The Rio Frio river and its mangrove , at the end of playa Rincon surprises with its translucent color and its cool temperature! It is possible to take a 1km tour by boat. Not tested, as we arrived late afternoon and the sun was almost gone. But the detour is not without interest!

- Go for a walk along the 2km of Playa Rincon beach.

- Stroll along playa Grande (main beach of Las Galeras), listen to music, drink cocktails by the water (we loved the Pina colada served in the pineapple), eat on the go, play volleyball with the locals at the end of the afternoon.

- The day trip by boat to Los Haitises, the local along bay. Departures are in Samana, and excursions organize the pick-up. The accommodations all have a contact to offer you to organize this. The start of this trip is equidistant with Las Terrenas, and can therefore be done from one point or the other. (not tested)

Our sleeps at the Bio Hotel Chalet Tropical (3 nights):
A veritable explosion of vegetation, offering a haven of greenery and privacy to each chalet. There are less than 20 constructions of various sizes in this "hotel" on a human scale. Each chalet has a small hot tub fed by a brick-built lazy river and littered with bridges. Some large chalets even have a swimming pool with a private waterfall. It is possible to order room service breakfast and dinner there, and it is worth the detour.
Sarah, the owner of the place, organizes with lightning speed the activities offered in the surroundings.

Sarah on WhatsApp +18099010738.

- kitesurfing! The spot is splendid, flat, turquoise water, beach surrounded by palm trees. It is delimited on both sides by coral reefs which have not disturbed navigation. We were about twenty wings in the water, which is half as many as in high season. The wind picks up in the afternoon, and it is useless to look at the forecasts of the "punta poppy" on windguru because they are false. The schools have invested in a private antenna to circumvent the problem. There are 2 schools in Las Terrenas , both run by French people we met:
Lt kitesurfing (Yannick) Whatsapp +18098015671.
Kiteworld (Vincent) Whatsapp +18097694978.
Contact them preferably by whatsapp.

The Afreeka Beach hostel is a perfectly located hostel for kiting with schools. We met a Swiss traveling alone who was staying there and he seemed happy with his stay (atmosphere, central location).

Good to know: compared to the conditions of Las Terrenas , and in real time, there are on average +5 knots in Cabarete , and to this we add another +8 knots in Buen Hombre . Las Terrenas is flat. Buen Hombre is flat but there can be waves depending on the direction of the wind. Cabarete is exposed to the waves and very busy.

- The El Limon waterfall , to be booked as an excursion from Las Terrenas agencies. Flora Tours is the agency of a Frenchman who organizes this excursion, among other things (Nicolas on WhatsApp +18299232792 ). Not tested.

- The day trip by boat to Los Haitises , the local along bay. Departures are in Samana, and excursions organize the pick-up. The start of this trip is equidistant with Las Galeras and can therefore be done from one point or the other.

- The quad (but to choose, made rather on the beaches of Las Galeras than in the lands of Las Terrenas). The itinerary "discovering local coffee, honey, tobacco" was less tempting to us, and we therefore did not test this outing. (Alain Bernard's agency on Whatsapp +18099685474 ).

- The nightlife of Las Terrenas.

Our sleeps at the V Samana Viva Wyndham hotel (3 nights):
This all-inclusive resort is located on the wild beach of playa Coson. The center of Las Terrenas and the kite schools are 20 minutes away by car. During our stay, the hotel was quite empty, which makes the setting even more enchanting. We had this little wow effect on arrival, because it must be said that the garden is splendid and the swimming pool/beach too. Small flat for the restoration which (n') is (only) OK. Prefer the "à la carte" restaurants included in the hotel which make some effort.

Buen Hombre is an adorable little fishing village in the northwest of the Dominican Republic. Life is peaceful there: the goats run in the alleys, the small seaside restaurants offer their dish of the day, and there is no shortage of itinerant vendors of empanadas. Luckily, the road is paved up to the entrance of the village.

For the wind! And for the super spot too :)
Kiteboarding is the local tourist attraction. Suffice to say that there are no crowds, except for a few well-informed people. As I said, there are on average +8 knots compared to Cabarete's forecast, which is enough to give this spot all its interest. In addition, we appreciate the configuration of the spot and the color of the water. It is necessary to provide slippers, or to rent them, because the funds are a mixture of sand, corals and algae. The spot is deep enough (especially at high tide) so that it is not dangerous during navigation. To rent equipment or take lessons, there is no choice, it will be with the Buen Hombre kite school, which is also a kite camp. This school is large and has several teachers, as well as recent equipment.

What will appeal to experienced kiters are the Downwinds organized by the day. There are 2 possible, and the best is to announce in advance to book your place according to the program in place. During our stay, it was the kite trip from the deserted island "Paradise Island" that was possible. We left with a boat, a skipper, a teacher and the equipment for this micro island. A few photos later, we prepare the equipment to attack the 14km descent, between the coral reef and the coast. We had the chance to live this experience as a duo, the time of these few hours of riding. The end point of the trip is in Buen Hombre, on the local kite spot.
The second well-known kite trip is the "7 Island trip" which is longer and requires more organization / participants. We would have liked to do so, but we ran out of time. Here is the contact of the owner of the camp/school:

Buen Hombre Kite School , Whatsapp +18295212367.
On the accommodation side, I'm going to use their words, it's "rustic". This kite camp is behind the beach, and therefore turns out to be the perfect spot to wait for the wind to pick up. There are a few huts and shared toilets. Water is not running, and electricity works most of the time. A Spartan adventure, but which could have seduced us if we were not living our last nights on the island.

For this reason, I also contacted this hotel-restaurant in passing, it can be an alternative to Buen Hombre kitecamp, without going too far. To check if some of you choose this option: Villa Cruz Buen Hombre W hatsapp +18094636610.

Our sleeps at Punta Rucia Lodge (3 nights):
Not knowing the surroundings, we opted for a hotel in "the town next door", Punta Rucia, which is still quite far away (1h15). The Punta Rucia Lodge is certainly a real little paradise, but also an alternative to consider in terms of transport time and vehicle (SUV required to finish the last 16 km on the way). If we had to do it again, we would do the same, but I prefer to warn you. We loved the poolside restaurant and food, the private beach and wooden pontoon, the palm-roofed chalets.

Obviously, Cabarete was on our kite trip in the Dominican Republic, but due to bad weather forecast and wind, we finally continued our route further north towards Buen Hombre. We were in contact with this school in Cabarete:

The King Of Board Kitesurf school: Robertico speaks French and can be reached on WhatsApp +18293793684.

We will not list all the schools, because they are very numerous and easy to find on google.

For practical information, this school is located a few minutes walk next to the Viva Windham Tangerine - all inclusive complex.

This spot, known for its waves, also leaves room for beginners with some more sheltered parts of the spot, according to a beginner kiter (delighted) met at the airport.

Currencies:
The local currency you will have in your hands is the Dominican pesos. The rate tends to vary non-stop within a few units, and this may explain the fact that the rates for hotels and excursions are communicated in dollars. Once the amount in US$ has been validated, you will have to multiply the amount by the current rate in pesos. And for the conversion into euros, it will be the surprise on your Revolut card (you all have a Revolut, right? It's a free card, which avoids exchange fees. You will find everything on the internet). :)

Driving in the Dominican Republic:
Forget the rules of the road and priorities, keep speed limits and police checks and you're there! For this roadtrip, we rented an SUV.
Small mishap: there are many police roadblocks on the roads. Most of the time they arrest the locals, but it happened to us once as well. We were in order, so the agent asked us for a small "regalito", a small gift. We gave 100 pesos to continue our journey with a small smile, hoping he didn't ask for more.

Poverty :
Watch out, it's quite a shock! The makeshift habitats are very numerous. The average salary is 550 euros per month, with a minimum wage of 149€. Toys, clothes, electronics,... Could find takers here.

Pollution :
Once again, quite a shock! This beautiful island is turned into a dump. The inhabitants throw everything in nature, and it seems (still) normal.

Sim, package:
If the Dominican Republic is extra in your packages, we advise you to take a 15 gigabyte internet card from Claro at Santo Domingo airport. It lasted us our whole stay using the GPS & CO. After collecting your luggage, and on leaving this area, you will arrive in the crowd of signs of drivers waiting for vacationers. It is in this hall that you will find the Claro shop on your right when you arrive. We paid with a 10€ note to get our sim. In 10 days we only used 2 gigs!
On the other hand, most hotels offer free WiFi.

Santo Domingo airport for the return:

I'm not going to share with you our disastrous experience (with flight cancellation when we had already boarded the plane), BUT I advise you to plan 2h30-3h for the time to check in your luggage, go through checks, then customs . Friend advice :)

Alternative discovery trip & kite 12 nights if you have the opportunity:

3 nights in Las Galeras (discovery)

3 nights in Las Terrenas (kite & discovery)

3 nights in Cabarete (kite & discovery)

3 nights in Buen Hombre (kiteboarding)