Cabarete - The bay - The wind

Meteo Hotel Kaoba

The trade winds and thermals make for strong and consistent wind patterns. The wind blows easterly, which gives Cabarete perfect kiteboarding conditions most of the time. Typically, in the morning there is little or no wind. Around 11AM the wind is usually the right strength for beginners. At around 12:30 - 1:30 the thermals kick in and make the wind a lot stronger, reaching its strongest at about 4PM. Then around 6PM the wind dies off.

In the morning, Cabarete Bay's light winds allow novices to learn the basics, and more experienced boarders to perfect their techniques. By noon, a warm 15- to 20-knot offshore breeze usually kicks in. Beginners still have much of the bay to themselves, as the experts usually head beyond the protective reef in the "wave zone" to catch some air.

In the afternoon, the wind picks up and make it a very good spot for windsurfing and kiteboarding (one of the best in the world). The wind doesn't blow that strongly along the shore (only on the water) so it is still comfortable for non-windsurfers to lay on the beach.

Thanks to its year-round optimal conditions and first-rate windsurfing schools, Cabarete has drawn European wind surfers for almost two decades.