Situated on the North Shore of the island, the upscale resort town of Cabarete is home to several kitesurfing competitions, including the World Cup (Copa Mundial in Portuguese), and the Master of the Ocean. Cabarete is not just a world center for kiteboarding; Playa Encuentro, just west of Cabarete, is one of the best-known surfing beaches in the Caribbean. With an average temperature stays at a constant 30 degrees Celsius, although the average annual temperature is about 26 degrees. The months of April through September have the highest probability of strong on-shore winds, as well as wind speed. The trade winds deliver predictable, consistent winds between June and August, while during the rest of the year winds pick up at mid-day and get stronger until the early evening.

Bozo Beah, Encuentro Beach and La Boca de Yasica are all popular local destinations for kiteboarding – real estate in Dominican Republic is never far from the beach. Some of the top competitors in the emerging sport of kiteboarding have decided to reside in Cabarete in order to take advantage of the winds. Living in Cabarete means these atheletes are able to train year-round, and residing here means they are also able to participate in competitions such as the Presidente World Cup.

The town of Cabarete itself is often described as “upscale yet laid-back”. It’s located about twenty minutes from an international airport that offers easy access to Miami, New York, Toronto, and London, and the town has been designed around its beautiful white sand beach. The beach is the perfect place to relax after a hard day of kitesurfing, windsurfing or scuba diving, and you have the opportunity to mingle with people from every corner of the planet who come to Cabarete for its trade winds and kite surfing.

There are nightclubs where visitors can dance away the night, and restaurants featuring the best seafood and haute cuisine. Budget travelers can also take part by spending the night at the dozens of friendly pubs and watering holes that sell delicious, refreshing local beer. Other people who fall in love with Cabarete often buy Dominican Republic condos.

Many beginners learn how to surf on a long board, a board that is at least nine feet long. Any board longer than nine feet will be much easier to learn on because it will be much more comfortable to lie down on, much faster to paddle out to the break, and much easier to catch a wave. With time, practice, and patience, you will be standing up on yourlong board and catching waves in no time. At that point, you may consider a smaller board.

The key for beginners is to not get a board that is too short or too narrow. You will be much happier starting out on a long, wide board, as you will catch more waves and get more practice standing up. You’ll have far less inclination to lug a heavy board around with you, so find a board that is light enough to carry around. The thickness of the board doesn’t matter as much, but try to get a board that will fit comfortably under your arm or one that you can actually carry for at least two blocks.

As a general rule of thumb, you don’t want a board that seems discolored or overly worn or tired. You want a board that still has a little life in it and you shouldn’t be afraid to ding it up a bit. Beginners definitely shouldn’t buy new boards. The ideal situation for beginning surfers would be to borrow a board from a friend, buy a used board, or purchase a long-term rental. Don’t worry about buying something fancy. Just get something that will get you in the water, keep you coming back for more, and will stand the test of time.

Short-boarding beginners might prefer a “fish,” which tends to be short (about six to seven feet in length) and wide (about 20 inches). Fish-shaped boards provide a little more float for the rider, which is a help to beginning surfers. Fish-shaped boards may be a little harder to turn and duck dive, but they will help you get the feel of short boarding and provide enough confidence for you to continue learning. As is the case with beginner long boards, your beginner short board should also be newer and should not have dings, holes, bumps, or bruises.

If you have a decent budget, you could opt for the practically indestructible epoxy board. Epoxy boards, as opposed to cheaper fiberglass boards, last longer and are machine made. They’re good forbeginners because they don’t ding as easily. Finally, if you don’t feel completely comfortable on the board, don’t worry too much―you’ll get used to it. Get something decent enough to keep you paddling out for a year and trade up for a better, faster board when you’re ready.