Reef

both

Level 4/10

Encuentro

Cabarete, Dominican Republic

🪸Sharp reef🦔Urchins🌀Strong rips

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Encuentro is the Dominican Republic's most consistent surf spot—a reef break west of Cabarete that catches winter North Atlantic swells. The setup offers multiple peaks and sections, catering to different skill levels. Mornings are essential: trade winds pick up by 10am and can make surfing difficult in the afternoon. The DR is also famous for kiteboarding, and Cabarete is a hub for both sports. Caribbean surfing with year-round warmth and consistent winter swells.

Encuentro surf forecast

Model forecast for swell, wind and tide.

10-Day Forecast

Today4

Good

1.4mNNE@9s

5km/h

1.4m@9s

5km/h

Thu5

Good

1.2mNNE@9s

4km/h

1.2m@9s

4km/h

Fri6

Good

1.4mNNE@11s

9km/h

1.4m@11s

9km/h

Sat7

Good

1.6mNNE@11s

8km/h

1.6m@11s

8km/h

Sun8

Good

1.4mNNE@10s

6km/h

1.4m@10s

6km/h

Mon9

Firing

1.4mNE@12s

6km/h

1.4m@12s

6km/h

Tue10

Firing

1.2mNE@12s

2km/h

1.2m@12s

2km/h

Wed11

Good

1.1mNE@12s

5km/h

1.1m@12s

5km/h

Thu12

Fair

0.8mNE@11s

9km/h

0.8m@11s

9km/h

Fri13

Poor

0.5mNE@10s

11km/h

0.5m@10s

11km/h

5+ days out, less certain

View 2-year historical scores →

Today's ConditionsToday's Conditions

Find Flights

Best session: MorningAM 3 km/h · PM 4 km/h · Tide at 10am (0.1m)

Swell

1.4m

NNE(30°)

Score: 20/25

Period

Short period

Score: 8/25

Wind

5km/h

WNW(290°)

Score: 23/25

Weather

27°C

0.5mm94%

First light 6:14amSunrise 6:44amSunset 6:06pmLast light 6:36pm

Windswell

—

Secondary

0.2m

Confidence

100%

Location & Conditions

Loading map...

Swell1.4m @9s NNE in window

Wind5 km/h WNW glassy

SwellWind: Offshore Cross Onshore

Showing forecast for today · all day

Hourly Forecast, Tide & Strike Windows

Strike window: 6:14–8:47am · droppingStrike window: 11:43am–6:36pm · through highIdeal tide: 0.2–1.0m

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

°C

24°

29°

28°

29°

24°

26°

29°

26°

25°

22°

26°

28°

27°

26°

23°

27°

30°

29°

28°

22°

26°

30°

29°

28°

25°

27°

30°

28°

26°

24°

25°

27°

26°

24°

26°

29°

30°

27°

23°

24°

30°

32°

29°

25°

27°

30°

31°

29°

2m1.0

sec

11s

10s

12s

11s

10s

swell

windkm/h

3g8

3g13

7g19

5g19

3g16

3g12

2g11

4g16

5g18

4g14

5g10

9g22

13g36

9g33

7g23

6g12

6g18

10g28

9g31

4g25

7g14

5g14

5g17

7g25

5g22

6g12

2g14

7g19

11g30

6g35

3g8

3g11

1g21

1g26

3g22

3g12

2g16

7g23

9g28

2g32

6g18

3g21

10g27

13g34

12g40

6g17

6g20

13g32

16g41

13g43

tidem

4:18am0.6m

10:18am0.1m

4:30pm0.6m

5:10am0.7m

11:20am0.2m

5:20pm0.6m

6:00am0.7m

12:10pm0.2m

6:06pm0.6m

6:50am0.7m

1:10pm0.2m

6:42pm0.5m

12:47am0.1m

7:30am0.7m

2:10pm0.1m

7:30pm0.5m

1:21am0.0m

8:20am0.7m

3:00pm0.1m

8:06pm0.4m

2:00am0.0m

9:04am0.7m

3:30pm0.1m

8:54pm0.4m

2:40am0.0m

9:40am0.6m

4:30pm0.1m

9:30pm0.3m

3:18am0.0m

10:30am0.6m

5:00pm0.1m

Ideal tideStrike windowNight

Tide times today

4:18 am

High · 0.56m

10:18 am

Low · 0.14m

4:30 pm

High · 0.62m

Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

Good

Components

Swell Direction21/25

Swell Size20/25

Swell Period8/25

Wind23/25

Raw Score72/100

Adjustments

🌊 Tide+3

💨 Gusty Wind-3

Adjusted Score72/100

Confidence

Multiplier×1.00

Final Score72

🌊 Mostly in the tide window

Plan Your Strike

Return flights to POP, departing today with a 5-day trip window.

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Location & Conditions

Loading map...

Swell1.4m @9s NNE in window

Wind5 km/h WNW glassy

SwellWind: Offshore Cross Onshore

Showing forecast for today · all day

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Spot Details

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Swell Requirements

Optimal direction: NE (35°)
Direction range: 350° - 60°
Size range: 0.8m - 2.5m
Ideal size: 1.6m - 2.1m
Height multiplier: 0.97×
Ideal period: 12s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction: SSW (210°)
Offshore range: 170° - 240°

Tide Requirements

Optimal tide: mid
Optimal range: 0.2m - 1m

Water temp

27°C

Wetsuit

Boardshorts / Rashguard

Difficulty

4/10

Crowd level

5/10

Access: Beach access west of Cabarete.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of wave is Encuentro?

Encuentro is a reef break in Cabarete, Dominican Republic, with peaks that run both left and right.

What swell works best at Encuentro?

Encuentro picks up swell from the N round to the ENE, and it's best when it's coming straight out of the NE. It starts working at around 0.8m and handles up to about 2.5m, with the sweet spot around 1.6 to 2.1m. Period matters too: aim for 12s or longer, as anything under 8s tends to be weak. These are the numbers our scoring uses, so treat them as a guide rather than a promise.

What wind is offshore at Encuentro?

A SSW wind is dead offshore at Encuentro, and anything from the S round to the WSW keeps it clean. The morning is typically the best window, roughly 6am to 10am. Light winds from other directions can still be fine; strong offshores can make it hard to get into waves.

What tide is best at Encuentro?

Encuentro is at its best around mid tide, roughly 0.2m to 1m on the local chart.

When is the best time of year to surf Encuentro?

The most reliable run of swell at Encuentro comes Nov to Mar. There's a second window in Apr and Oct too. Winter North Atlantic swells. Trade winds pick up after 10am.

How cold is the water at Encuentro?

The water at Encuentro averages around 27°C, so boardshorts or a rashguard will do. It shifts a few degrees through the year, so check the season before you pack.

Is Encuentro good for beginners?

It's more of an intermediate wave, rated 4/10 for difficulty, so newer surfers are best off sticking to the smaller days. Expect a moderate crowd (5/10) when it's on. Sharp reef. Strong trade winds in afternoon.

How do I get to Encuentro?

The nearest airport on our list is POP, then it's roughly a 25-minute drive. Beach access west of Cabarete.

What other surf spots are near Encuentro?

The closest breaks we track are Destroyers (1.5 km), La Izquierda (1.5 km) and Bobo's (1.9 km), handy when Encuentro isn't working. We track 4 spots around Cabarete in total.