The Dominican Republic has ideal surf conditions for learning to surf ; year-round warm water and mellow waves.
Ideal, beginner-friendly waves in the mornings, in shallow, clear and calm water. Two sessions each day give you time to actually get good at it.
The surf beach enjoys an offshore morning breeze and an easy entry to the water. You won’t need to worry about being out of your depth or a long way from the sandy beach.
We surf early, while the water is glassy and the crowd is thin, and save the talking and relaxing for the heat of the afternoon. You won’t be rushed up the levels before your’re ready.
Ideal conditions for learning
or improving your surf level
Surfing is such a great watersport and when you are in the hands of professionals, surfing is accessible for people of all ages (and we really mean all ages; you are never too old to learn surfing!).
The Dominican Republic has perfect beginner and intermediate surf spots; water and air temperatures are warm year-round, so you can leave your wetsuit at home. This truly is the ideal learn-to-surf destination.
Our beginner surf coaching program is specifically designed for people with no previous surf experience and gives you two daily surf sessions. The first daily session is the lesson and the 2nd is a practise (with surf coaches still on hand at all times). We can also cater for people with more experience, but send us an email with your requirements first to see about availability.
Our local surf beach is one of the most consistent surf spots in Central America; there are surfable waves year-round — on average we can surf about 350 days a year.
Who benefits most from our
surf lessons and surf coaching?
We have been teaching our guests how to surf in a structured, safe and quick way since 2009. Since then we have taught more than 10,000 people of all ages the really fun sport of surfing.
You can see where you may fit in with our surf lessons below.
Important to note: We specialise and excel in teaching people from beginner to progressive levels. Our focus is on giving fun, unpressured lessons that teach people how to paddle into a wave, stand up on a surfboard, experience those first exhilarating rides before starting to work on skills like turning and trimming the board to ride down the line.
If you need more advanced surf coaching with video analysis, you will find other, more expensive surf retreats, better suited for you.
Never surfed before
You have never surfed before or have very little surf experience (perhaps it's been a few years since you tried to stand up on a surfboard or you have taken a surf lesson in the past).
Some Experience
You have done some surfing; a handful of times over the last 5 years, not a complete beginner but definitely not confident to surf waves independently.
Needs a refresher
You've done a decent amount of surfing in the past, but could do with working on certain aspects of your surfing, pop-up, paddle technique, etc. working your way to becoming an independent surfer.
Everything but the swimsuit.
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Capped 1:5 coaching
Small groups, unlike in Europe with groups that are far too large for efficient learning.
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Rash guards
Swell lycras with built-in sun protection.
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Surfboards suited to easy learning
Foamies, funboards and longboards — the right volume for your level and the day’s waves.
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Glassy morning breaks
We surf the wind-protected breaks early, before the afternoon trades fill in.
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Surf theory lessons
Forecasts, tides, line-up etiquette — the parts you need to know to really become a surfer.
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Safety & surf etiquette
How to fall safely, where to sit, who has priority. Form the right habits from the outset.
The right mix between being active & time to relax
Make the most of your time at Swell; early sunrise surf sessions, a choice of activities in the afternoons.
Get ready
A quick coffee or tea with a light bite at Swell before we all head to the beach
Before you
paddle out.
The things first-timers and returning surfers ask us most. Anything we’ve missed — write to us, a real person replies within a day.
Zero. Most first-timers start in the whitewater on a soft foam board with a coach in the water beside them — by day three the majority are riding to the beach on their feet. We actually love beginner surfers most of all because noone’s taught you anything bad!
No wetsuit, all year. The water sits warm enough to surf in boardshorts or a swimsuit and a rashguard, which we provide. One less thing to pack.
Whatever suits your level and the day’s waves — foam boards to find your feet, funboards as you progress, longboards to cruise. We grade the volume to you, not the other way round.
Not a chance. Our breaks have a lot of different waves to choose from to suit all levels. We will encourage you out back to paddle into green faces, work on trimming, etc. The most important detail to note if you are not a beginner is that we can’t control the forecast/waves. Intermediate surfers generally need chest to shoulder high faces. Whilst our surf coaches are very good at their jobs, we have no control over the conditions you will face. We do not push intermediate surfers into waves (we don’t agree with it, so stay elsewhere for that service). If you are an intermediate surfer, to get the best conditions and the most attention, stay with us in May, June, July, August, September or October.
Cabarete’s waves work year-round. Complete beginners can come any time. Intermediate surfers should come in May, June, July, August, September or October. Winter brings the more consistent swell for surfers who don’t need lessons. May, June, July & August and quieter and you will get smaller groups. Tell us your level and your goals and we’ll point you to the right months.
Limited spaces available
Tell us your dates, how many people you are thinking about coming with, and we’ll send you a custom price and availability quote; almost instantly. Hasta pronto, see you soon.