Surfing And Haiti

[ECONOMOM]

Two questions:

We are going to Punta Cana at the end of October. Does anyone know if there is surfing around there? driving distance? miles?

Also, can one fly to Haiti or take a boat to go visit for a day or two? does anyone know?

Thank you for your Help!

[ricktoronto]

Originally posted by ECONOMOM
Also, can one fly to Haiti or take a boat to go visit for a day or two? does anyone know?

Thank you for your Help!

I believe that Air Jamaica flies to Kingston or Montego Bay via Port au Prince, maybe from SDQ. Certainly not from Puna Cana. You might have to do Punta Cana - Miami - PAP which would cost a mint for a few days trip.

I seriously doubt boats from the DR go anywhere near there and the distance especially from the East Coast would be a LONG trip. Driving to the crossing a Dajabon wold be faster.

The big question - why on earth would you go to Haiti, as it is the poorest and one of the most dangerous countries in the Western hemisphere? Not gringo friendly one bit. It is almost totally lawless in the major cities (city?)and you are at risk of Malaria so you'd need prophylaxis for that as well.

Very risky unless you are immensly familiar 9which based on the question you aren't) , have contacts there (preferably with guns, lots and lots of guns) and speak Creole.

[ECONOMOM]

Thanks Rick for your response. I'm more curious than anything about the Haiti part of it. I have done some reading and checked stuff on the web that does promote tourism.

What about around Punta Cana......do you know anything of surfing? Thanks.

[Dolores]

Playa El Encuentro in Puerto Plata near Cabarete is recommended for surfer. Have not heard of any surfing in the Punta Cana area. There are swells of the waves, but this is more of the quiet body surfing type. Like for body boards, not real surfing.

From Puerto Plata it is a short flight to Cap Haitien at the Puerto Plata airport (Citadelle fortress plus art shopping - believe the Mont Joli hotel is of the better ones) -- you can charter a flight at the Puerto Plata airport.

[WINSTRIC]

Re: Surfing In Punta Cana Region
Their are good surfing waves in Macao, which is north of Bavaro.
It is a good beach break, with a outside reef break when it gets
big(over 8'). Their is a rivermouth break 3/4 mile north of the main
beach in Macao. Their are alot of waves the further you travel north from Macao. If you are a good "intermediate" surfer or above, there are really good waves to be found 1 hour north, called Punta Coco( the drive is very pretty). The break is a reef break and is a good 1500 ft from the beach. It is very beautiful,
but very isolated. DO NOT SURF ALONE. As is with most of the D.R.
the best waves will be found in morning before the tradewinds
kick in. As with most reef breaks and beach breaks the tides can
alter the breaks a great deal. There are quite a few good breaks
in the Punta Cana Region but they can be a litte difficult to find
because of all of the A.I.'s made it hard to acsess them.


Happy surfing.
Winston Strickland

[samiam]

Originally posted by ECONOMOM

What about around Punta Cana......do you know anything of surfing? Thanks.

There is a shallow beach break in Macao, just north of Punta Cana. I used to go alot when I was in Highschool, i dunno now if still is nice. If you are comming in october, I highly recommend you go to Encuentro in the North Coast.

Have a good trip!!

[Squat]

Hi, don't lesson to any of these guys ! The haitian north coast is the best kept secret of the Carribean. Fly to Cap Haitien, get a room at the Mont Joli Hotel, ask for Nicolas, the manager, and he'll give you the guidelines to dicover the secluded beaches of the Labadie area...
Once you know the pleasure of private beach, you have a hard time to go back to |plastic bracelet" all inclusive full of tourists !!!

There's no danger for a visitor in the Cap Haitien area, even without speaking creole...