Hello there, Charles Österlund here with Liquid Blue Cabarete! Are you planning your trip to Cabarete? If so, you’re in the right place. This blog covers essential travel tips for Cabarete with Liquid Blue to help you plan a seamless and enjoyable experience. Whether it’s booking lessons, packing the right gear, or understanding local logistics, we’ve got you covered. Be sure to read through for all the details or watch the video on our YouTube channel!
You are reminded that as part of our terms and conditions, you must take out travel or trip insurance before you arrive to Liquid Blue for lessons. By Googling travel or trip insurance in your region and you will get lots of results, often on comparison sites where you can choose the level of coverage required.
Usually, these policies cost less than $100 USD. It’s worth it, not least because apart from covering you for many risks when traveling (weather delays, flight cancellations), were you to need treatment in a hospital should you be hurt surfing, foiling, kiting, or undertaking any other activity, your insurance will help you.
Just like in the US, healthcare is insurance-based and without it, you would not receive treatment. Make sure that you choose a policy that either specifically covers, or has no exclusion, for water sports. Protect yourself before you wreck yourself as they say…
Passport expiry
Each year sadly, one or two prospective students of ours get to the airport on their day of departure only to find that their passport has expired once they are at check-in. Save yourself this awful experience by going and checking the expiration date of your passport immediately (then please come back and read the rest of this blog 🙂 )
Airport taxis
Official airport taxis are regulated with transparent charges on display. There is no meter in the cabs, but fares are set by the Dominican Government depending on where you are going (these fares are all on a large chart at the taxi desk in the arrivals hall). Puerto Plata (POP) airport (30 minutes from Liquid Blue) is currently set at ~$40 USD. STI airport (1 hour, 45 minutes from Liquid Blue) costs ~$120 USD and SDQ (3 hours from Liquid Blue) costs ~$300 USD.
Fares are per taxi, not per person. The coordinator will ask you where you are going (make sure you have the Google maps location to show the coordinator where you are headed or you may end up in the wrong place). Our advice is not to fly into PUJ (Punta Cana) unless you want a 6-hour scenic drive up to the North Coast: A taxi from PUJ will cost you in the region of ~$500 USD.
Our full address is Liquid Blue, Calle Principal #87, Cabarete, Sosua, Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.
Once you embark on your journey to Liquid Blue Cabarete, the shop is your point of contact: Whatsapp is the best way to get in touch, on +1 (849) 201-8694. It’s a good idea to send us a WhatsApp message when you are in the taxi on the way to Cabarete. Please don’t ask her about elements of your reservation, arrival balances etc. because they are all handled by me, Charles ([email protected] and +18492719573). The shop is only to be contacted once you are on your way to Liquid Blue, or once you are in the Dominican Republic.
Uber: Uber and other private hire companies are not legal in the Dominican Republic, so we strongly recommend that you use a regulated airport taxi or DAT.
E-Ticket Application and QR Code
The immigration authorities have introduced an electronic form (e-ticket) to replace the paper immigration form. Once you fill in the form, you will receive a QR code to scan to store the information from your form in your mobile phone. As with most new technology, there will be an overlap where the old paper forms are still required and implementation is not always smooth. Electronic forms are available in English or Spanish (select the language in the top right of the screen). You will find the link to the form here.
For filling in the form, please note the following:
Puerto Plata is the Province. Sosua is the Municipality and Cabarete is the Section.
Then below, Liquid Blue, Calle Principal #87
Tourist Card
You will have to pay a tourist tax on entry to the D.R. – it costs $10 (this must be paid in cash, US dollars only). Many charter flights also levy a departure tax of $20 USD, so please be prepared.
Checked-in Luggage or Lost baggage
In the event of the airline losing your baggage; here is a link to Liquid Blue Exact Location using Google maps. The written address is above under the section QR codes.
What should I bring?
If you have booked kiteboarding or wingfoiling lessons.
-Polarized sunglasses are essential as (especially with kiting) you will be peering up towards the sun for long periods in your lessons.
-Don’t forget a high-factor waterproof sunscreen (even on your feet!).
-Water Leggings (long ones), which will protect your knees from rubbing on the Wingfoil board pad while on your knees). Even better, there are great surf leggings for men and women made by companies like Hurley, Speedo, Under Armour, which offer UV protection and protection from rashes. Summer wetsuits can do the trick as well though are warmer.
-Reef booties. You don’t have to wear reef booties while kiteboarding or wing foiling, but doing so will help prevent your feet from small scrapes and rashes. We recommend split-toe surf booties by Hurley, FCS or O’Neill for around $45-$50 USD. Make sure you order a size that fits snugly on your feet; they should not be loose.
-Help us protect the environment (and stop the use of plastic bottles) by bringing your own reusable bottle; we have a drinking water dispenser to refill yours.
Generally, the DR is hot all year round and dress codes are casual. In Winter, evening and nighttime temperatures can be as low as 18°C, although 22°C is the norm; Summer temperatures are well into the 30’s and it stays hot at night. A light rain jacket is a good idea. The water is always warm so no wetsuits are required.
We will provide you with all kite and wing gear as well the safety equipment. If for some reason you forgot sunglasses, water wear, sun care products, etc… we carry all of that at Liquid Blue!
Power Supply
We have North American power outlets, so if traveling from the US or Canada, you will not need adaptors. Visitors from all other areas will need a USA-type travel adaptor.
Malaria
Currently, there is no active Malaria or Zika on the North Coast of the Dominican Republic. As there are occasionally cases of Dengue and mosquitos are such unpleasant pests. You can buy repellent locally here.
Equipment rentals
If you have paid for renting, with no lessons, you must already kite or wing well. If Liquid Blue staff do not feel you have the necessary skills required to do the sport safely, you will be offered the 3-day lessons course with an extra charge. You don’t have to take the course we offer, but we will of course ask you to rent equipment from somewhere other than Liquid Blue.
You can choose any equipment in our rental pool to suit the conditions, but our instructors’ advice should always be listened to with regard to equipment choice. Also, you can swap and change equipment as conditions, wants or needs change.
By renting you automatically agree charges for lost or recklessly damaged equipment.
Click here for more details about Wingfoiling Rentals and/or Kiteboarding Rentals.
Equipment sizing and weight
The biggest equipment available can cater to people up to 100kg in weight. If you weigh more than 100kg, we may have to rent larger equipment to be able to give you a proper lessons. Extra charges must be passed on to you.
Kiteboarding and Wingfoiling Lessons
If you are learning to kite board or wing foiling generally you will be taking a private class at a 1:1 ratio. We do group lessons though do not recommend going past 2:1 ratio to stay effective and progressive in lessons.
Liquid Blue supplies all the equipment needed to do the lessons. Lessons depend on mother nature and the wind. Cabarete has 300+ days of sufficient wind to be out in the water learning and practicing the sports. Wind generally happens between 12pm-6pm and lessons are programmed within that time range accordingly. This leaves the mornings open to doing other activities like surfing, relaxing, tours, remote work, etc… Mentally prepare to do roughly 2 hours of lessons per day. Some days might be more and other less though average 2 hours per day.
Click here for more details about Wingfoiling Lessons and/or Kiteboarding Lessons
Water sport and alcohol
Needless to say, these two are a very dangerous mix. If our staff feel that you are still suffering the effects of alcohol from the night before, they will refuse to give you a lesson or rent equipment. Our water sports staff’s decision is final.
Illegal drugs
Simply, do not bring illegal substances to Dominican Republic. Drug penalties are severe in the DR.
Other Important Money information:
US Dollars, Euros, Canadian Dollars and Dominican Pesos are both accepted methods of payment in Cabarete; The general rule in a shop or restaurant is to pay using the currency the item, drink, or food is priced in as restaurants and shops do not give good exchange rates. ATM machines are located close to Liquid Blue, but they only give out pesos and often run out of cash at weekends, so prepare yourselves. It’s best to have a mixture of USD and Dominican Pesos. Your bank will often block your ATM card if they don’t know you are traveling to the Dominican Republic, so let them know you are in Cabarete.
I will tell you where the best money changer is (Luis Exchange or Wally Exchange in Cabarete). Don’t change money at any airport money exchange, as rates are never competitive.
As a guide, meals locally cost between $3 and $30, depending on how fancy you like your restaurant to be. The Day Trips page of our website has the prices for the fun trips we do from Liquid Blue.
Excursions
The available trips are to be found here. Normally, advanced reservations are not required: We will be arranging the trips you want to take once you are on island, but please note that some trips will depend on a certain number of people taking part and some are weather-related.
Leaving us and final accounts
Please remind Liquid Blue team of your flight departure time at least one day before you are due to leave so we can help you organize your airport taxi in good time and final bill.
Thank you so much for making it to the end of this blog; we really appreciate your time.
We look forward to giving you a great vacation in Cabarete!
Cancellation Policy
Our cancellation policy is simple. If there is no conditions to perform the service during your stay we will refund you the total and-or partial remaining balance accordingly.
Thank you so much for making it to the end of this email; we really appreciate your time.
We look forward to giving you a great vacation in Cabarete!
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