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Opportunities for sea sports are naturally
tremendous, ranging from swimming, snorkeling and scuba
diving, windsurfing and surfing, to deep-sea fishing and
whale-watching. Though many beaches are protected from
powerful ocean currents by natural barriers, others have
dangerous riptides along them, and should be avoided
by all but the strongest of swimmers.
The vast majority of Dominican reefs have been
damaged beyond repair by careless local fishing practices,
notably the daily dropping of anchors by thousands of small
vessels. The only place you'll still find a large system of
intact reefs is the stretch west of Puerto Plata, between La
Isabela and Monte Cristi. By no coincidence, this is also by
far the most remote coastal region in the country, and
devilishly difficult to access for scuba diving and
snorkeling . A number of tour operators and most
all-inclusive hotels in the resort towns can take you to the
more modest reefs around the island.
The north coast resort of Cabarete is known internationally
as the windsurfing capital of the Americas. Learning
here is a challenge due to the strength of the waves and
wind, though a dozen different windsurfing clubs offer
equipment rental and tutoring. Surfing is less
organized and done mostly by locals. Though you won't find
any schools for surfing, popular venues include Playa
Encuentra near Cabarete, Playas Grande and Preciosa just
east of Río San Juan and Playa Boba north of Nagua.
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The country's five separate mountain ranges provide several
options for mountain sports ; most popular are
mountain biking, horseback riding and several-day mountain
treks. Cabarete's Iguana Mama is the one major mountain-bike
tour outfit in the country, offering challenging daytrips
into the Cordillera Septentrional and week-long
mountain-bike and camping excursions from one side of the
country to the other. The best hiking can be found
along the trails leading from disparate parts of the
Cordillera Central to Pico Duarte, the highest peak in the
Caribbean. Horseback-riding excursions are also quite
popular. In addition to the plethora of outfits that offer
day rides along the country's many beaches, you'll find
quality mountain-riding operators in Cabarete, Punta Cana,
Las Terrenas and Jarabacoa. Also in the mountains, Jarabacoa
is the centre for white-water rafting and kayaking .
Finally, though there are several small, nondescript golf
courses spread across the island, three of them stand
head and shoulders above the pack: the Pete Dye-designed
Teeth of the Dog course at Casa de Campo in La Romana,
and the excellent Robert Trent Jones courses at Playa Dorada
and Playa Grande on the Silver Coast. All three have the
majority of their holes set on spectacular open oceanfront
and are occasionally used as tournament venues.
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Dominican
Republic
travel guide
Dominican Republic
Where to go
 When
to go
Getting there
Entry requirements
Money and costs
Getting around
 Food
and drink
 Communications
Crime and safety
 Brief
history
Best of DR
Info and maps
 Diving,
surfing
 Festivals,
holidays
Explore
Dominican Republic
Barahona
Barahona
The City
East of Barahona
San
Cristóbal
San José de Ocóa
West of Barahona
Bayahibe
Bayahibe
Travel info
Boca Chica
Boca de Yuma
Cabarete
Cabarete
Windsurfing
Restaurants
Sports outfitters
Cibao
Cibao
Explore Cibao
Cordillera Central
Explore Cordillera Central
Jarabocoa
Jarabocoa
Arrival & accommodation
Restaurants,
tour operators
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La Vega
La Vega
Pico Duarte, Cordillera
Central's Nat'l Parks
San José de las Matas
Santiago
Arrival and getting around
Places to eat
Nightlife
El Castillo and La Isabela
El Limón
Hato Mayor and
Sabana de la Mar
Juan
Dolio
La Romana and
Casa de Campo
Practicalities
Las Galeras
Eating options
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