Traveling to Cabarete in September need advice

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EmilyCaldwell

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Hi there!
My boyfriend and I will be in Cabarete for 11 days at the beginning of September. What will the weather be like?

Also, we are wondering how much spending money we should bring to have a good time. We would like to surf a couple days, snorkel/possibly do SCUBA, eat well, and take a day trip to see the house of Las Hermanas Mirabal/Las Mariposas :) We were thinking we wouldn't need to rent a car? What do you think? Knowing what we want to do, how much money do you suggest? We will be staying at the Hotel Alegria in one of the rooms with a kitchenette, so we will not need to eat out all meals but we will probably want to eat out once a day. Are there good, affordable groceries available in town?

ANY advice you can give us would be appreciated, and we'd love to meet anyone who would like to show us your beautiful island! We both speak decent Spanish and we REALLY want to meet lots of local people and other tourists and just learn a lot while we have fun! Thanks for reading.
-Emily
 

ADECA

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Emily, the most complete grocery store with the best prices in Cabarete is Janet's, about 100 meters from Hotel Alegria. From the description of what you and your boyfriend plan to do, I'd say US$100 in spending money a day for your food, some scuba and a trip to the Mirabel's place should be plenty adequate for the two of you. You can get by on less if you wish. You should also let Hotel Alegria know that you are planning to stay. I happen to know you haven't done that yet, since I am the owner.
 
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EmilyCaldwell

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:) Yes, in fact, we just finalized the plans today so we haven't made a reservation. I believe your website says you like a deposit via PayPal for longer stays. We should be able to put this deposit down by the end of the week. Our tentative dates are September 2-13, we may not come until the 3rd depending on flight availability. Your website says those dates are still available but I'm sure your info is more current :) We would like to stay in one of the studios with kitchenettes. I am not certified in SCUBA should I do it here or should I get certification while in the DR? How much does it cost for certification and/or rental? Thanks for your response!
 
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EmilyCaldwell

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Also I heard it will be hurricane season. Does this mean it's likely to rain the whole time or only if we are so unlucky as to be hit with a hurricane?
 

oriole100

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Usually just a thunder storm at night. You might want to bring a couple of those light plastic rain panchos. It's warm rain, but it can come down heavy at times. You'll have fun. That's what life is about.
 
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cdnresident

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I think $ 100 USD per day is not a lot. If you want to go out at night and enjoy cabarete's nifght life you should plan for more then that, drinks are any where from $ 3 USD to $ 10 USD on average. Food is about $ 15 USD to $ 27 USD and taxes are up to 26% sometimes on top of the food and drinks. Transportation is an other issue, If you want to tour the Island like, visiting the Mariposa house, you will need at least $ 200 USD just in transportation. Weather is an other issue, if you look now you can see that systems are forming over the islansds sometime staying for 2 to 3 days over the islands with tunderstorm and lots of rain. This can make windsurfing and kitesurfing condition a bit difficult.

I hope this does not get a negative reaction. I just want you to be prepare just in case before you leave on your vacation but rest a sure that Cabarete is a wonderful place for a vacation regardless of cost and weather.

Enjoy,
 
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EmilyCaldwell

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We've decided we can chance it with the weather. A few days of rain won't kill us! We've never done kite or windsurfing and I don't know if we will try them while we're there, we're looking for more of a relaxing vacation. I'd like to do just regular old surfing for a couple days, he's not so into that. We're not big drinkers so I doubt we'll be out drinking every night. Maybe a few nights. We don't plan to eat out every meal because we have a kitchen at our hotel so we will try to cook there as much as possible...we'll probably eat out once a day, maybe twice on some days.

We may have to forgo the SCUBA as we are on a budget and it sounds like that will be the more expensive thing. Heartbreaking, but maybe we can find a way to make it work.

The only travelling we want to do is to Salcedo to see the Mariposa house and to Las Galeras for snorkeling. Will that really be $200? Aren't there buses or guaguas or something cheaper? For those of you who live there do you think the Mirabal place is worth the trek?

Thanks everyone for your honest opinions. I appreciate everyone's input! :)
 

DavidZ

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If you're flexible and a little adventurous, $100 a day is more than enough for the two of you to eat well, drink all the rum and beer you'd like, party with the locals...and tourists, surf in the mornings and still have enough left over for a few side trips...as long as you take public transportation.

Cabarete has great and inexpensive food and drink and over the top priced places as well...just look at menus and ask prices before hand...

As for the scuba, Don't count on getting certified while you are here, it will take a good part of your vacation in time and money...but you can still go on a few dives. I suggest you head to Sosua one morning. From the main street (Pedro Clisante) to the beach, you'll pass about a half dozen dive shops, just ask each one for their price (I think it's called a "resort course"...where they teach you the basics so you can go out on some simple dives)...after checking them all out (should only take about 20-30 minutes), choose the one you like the best and make them an offer based on the best pricing you found. September is one of the slowest months in what has been an extremely slow year for tourism here....you should be able to get a pretty good deal.
 

oriole100

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Kite lessons run about $50.00 per day, per person. Allow a good 7 days. Look up Cabarete Rests. You can spend from $20.00 to $100.00. Casonovas (sp), near O'shey's has 1/2 price. I think 4-6. Includes drinks. Go to Claro's Just past Janet's. Best breakfast. You should be ok with $100.00-$150.00. Don't buy on the beach. Across from OSheys, Liquidor. 2nd floor. Beache vendors buy from him and sell to you. Good luck. We live here 9 months a year. All you need is some shorts, T shirts and a couple swim suits. We're no fancy here.
 

EmilyCaldwell

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I thought you HAD to be certified to go SCUBA diving? If there is a way to do it without certification that would be AWESOME! I emailed northern coast diving but haven't heard back from them yet.

I am getting lots of helpful information from all of you and I really appreciate it. All the different perspectives will help me make the best decisions for our trip.

I am happy to hear money shouldn't be an issue as long as we are smart and don't spend like typical tourists! We are soooooo excited to come explore Cabarete and the more I hear about this place, the happier I am that we didn't choose an all-inclusive resort!
 
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Emily, All-inclusive resorts are a waste of Cabarete's resources. I saw on another thread that someone described the town as 'awful' - it is anything but. You'll enjoy it enormously and your hosts at the Alegria are very nice people - they have a good location and you'll be close to everything you need :)
 

jrhartley

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you have to do a couple of hours in a pool with the instructor first, but you can dive later the same day if you wanted to (under supervision of course)
 

lorriann

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May 15, 2009
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"Traveling to Caberete in September need advice"
Well here's a little bit of advice right now the crime rate has doubled ask any person living here, we have theif gangs coming from Satiago to prey on the gringos here on the north shore every gringo is a target.
I alway thought there was two side to all these crime stories l hear from my friends here but there is not.

#1 don't go out at night (unless you have a gun)
#2 keep your doors locked at all times
#3 do not stop for any reason if someone pulls you over or runs you off the road.
#4 don't expect the Dominican Laws to help.
Good luck....
 

anng3

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Jan 12, 2007
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Good advice on the shorts, bathing suits. Bring high numbered sunblock, hats and sunglasses. For snorkeling take a publico to Sosua Bay. It's a good 20 minute swim out to the reef or go with one of the boats. It's easy to have fun here and not break the bank. Take a publico into POP and do the Brugal tour and spend time in Puerto Plata.
If you want to see more city hop the Metro bus to Santiago. Spend alot of time perched at the beach listening to the ocean. Watch a sunset, the kitesurfers and boarders.
 
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1) Lorriann seems to have a gun fetish.

2) Good advice in any country.

3) Not particularly good advice. Depending upon the circumstances, of course. Unless you want to run the risk of getting shot, I suggest stopping for the police.

4) True enough. However, it also happens to be true in Santiago, Santo Domingo, and even Punta Cana. So basically, Cabarette is no exception.

Good luck wherever you decide to go.
 

ADECA

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Apr 22, 2009
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"Traveling to Caberete in September need advice"
Well here's a little bit of advice right now the crime rate has doubled ask any person living here, we have theif gangs coming from Satiago to prey on the gringos here on the north shore every gringo is a target.
I alway thought there was two side to all these crime stories l hear from my friends here but there is not.

#1 don't go out at night (unless you have a gun)
#2 keep your doors locked at all times
#3 do not stop for any reason if someone pulls you over or runs you off the road.
#4 don't expect the Dominican Laws to help.
Good luck....

That can be good advice for isolated areas outside of town, but within Cabarete town there has not been an increase in crime against gringos. I've lived in Cabarete for 5 years and keep in pretty close contact with the other hoteliers and Politur.
 
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