Swell Surf Camp Cabarete

Swell surf camp is amazing. The perfect place to surf, socialize and explore. Surf coaches and staff are the best. Thank you Haudy, Neno and all! Awesome week with solo and duo travelers. The vibe is perfect with tropical oasis feel, great food and amenities, and comfy places to hang out.
First time surfing…up and catching waves the first day. Encuentro beach is a great place to surf.
Haudy connected me with local Bachata dance group and a Latin dance party on the beach. Fun night out with Swell friends and new friends from dance class. Oh, and yoga with Ella is great.

Thank you Swell!

What an amazing place! Haudy, the chefs and the team of surf coaches are incredible people who make you feel at home. I got better at surfing, enjoyed the sun and beaches in Cabarate and made new friends along the way. Great experience!

My wife and I had an amazing trip to Cabarete thanks to Swell. We cannot say enough about the whole experience and every person on their team. Everyone was incredibly helpful, friendly and accommodating. The owner and Haudy provided valuable support and information for planning trip logistics before, during and leaving Cabarete, making the process very simple for travel and other activities like kite boarding or canyoning. The surfing instructors could not have been better. They met each person where they were at with their skills, were truly a pleasure to hang out with, and made everyone feel welcome and included. The food and accommodations were perfect. The breakfasts and dinners are beautifully prepared, healthy, tasty, and all local dishes. The cooks were so friendly and would make adjustments for your needs. The rooms and facility are very well kept, clean, and comfortable. Their location made it easy to access the beach and all that you would want to do in Cabarete. Being able to meet and hang out with other guests was an added bonus. While you could do your own thing, the community vibe was friendly, low key and pleasant. I left feeling like I was part of the Swell family. Thank you to everyone that made this an unforgettable experience.

Can't say enough good things about Swell. From the instructors, Haudy, the food, the rooms, and the overall experience. If you're looking to improve your surfing, while having fun in an inclusive environment for all ages this is your spot. Swell has something for everyone. I'll be coming back. Thanks for the great experience.

I rarely make time to write a review, but this place Exceeded Expectations! The Swell team was very responsive both pre-trip and during the trip. They were very helpful in navigating the confusing covid travel rules and provided plenty of details to prepare for the trip. Their Surf team (Nano, Jeffery & Samuel) were awesome! They kept us safe, ensured we had fun and encouraged us to push or skill level when we were ready. They really set us up for a successful surf trip. We loved the community atmosphere and quickly got to know the other surfers. The location was also great. The beach was across the street and there was a plethora of quality restaurants nearby. We are already discussing our next trip back!

Swell Surf Camp was my first solo trip ever and it was everything I was looking for and then some. Clare helped me get organized and promptly answered any questions I had prior to arrival. Upon arrival Haudy was great and gave me the lay of the land and helped me feel very welcomed at Swell. She was able to help schedule my covid test for returning to the US, taxis whenever we needed to go anywhere, called a spa and set up appointments, basically she was there to make sure everything runs smoothly. The rooms and common areas stay very clean, as they are constantly cleaned. I have to say my favorite part was the surf instructors, Neno, Jeffrey, and Samuel were AWESOME! They really love what they do, make surfing fun for all different skill levels, and are genuinely great people. I really feel that I left there as friends with them. The food was excellent, I am going to miss all the delicious meals that were prepared at Swell. I recommend Swell Surf Camp to anyone who is looking for an amazing vacation. Whether you’re a solo traveler, a couple, or small family you will have a great time. I am really looking forward to coming back very soon!

DO NOT BOOK HERE. I paid $1,300 to go for a weeks surfing in March 2020 - which was understandably cancelled due to the pandemic hitting. However since then Claire (the owner) has been incredibly rude to me, refuses to refund me, and won't let me come to the school (I even went to the Dominican and they refused me). Essentially at this point they have stolen $1,300 from me. You're better off giving your money to the locals rather than entitled expats who will evidently just rob you given the opportunity. Whats worse is they used my money to open up a second school during the pandemic in Bali. So disappointing, you should really be utterly ashamed of yourselves.

Phenomenal would be the word I would chose to sum up my stay. A post-covid break which made all the misery of the last year (almost) worthwhile. Fantastic staff, food, accommodation and surf instruction. I was surprised at how easy traveling was after covid too and I'm already booking another stay in July to continue where I left off. Thanks Swell for a truly swell time! Justine

I’ve just returned home from an incredible week at Swell. My initial trip last July had to be delayed due to covid, but I rebooked it as soon as possible with Clare's help.

I’ve stayed at a few surf camps before, but this one was by far the most fun I’ve had. It’s so well run and feels like being in someone’s super-cool home with amazing food and a really friendly, welcoming vibe.

The 4 surf coaches, Neno, Jeffrey, Henry and Julissa (I hope I spelled them all right!) are so fun and supportive. I was lucky enough to have a lesson with each of them and they’ve all got really good insight into how I could improve my techniques (and get rid of some bad habits!) because I wasn’t a complete beginner. The waves were really fun and I managed to get into some lovely green faces after a few days: Clare had helped me choose the right time of year to come, because I had already surfed a bit before.

The place is spotless and looks even better in real life than the photos on the website; I loved my huge bed and for once, A/C which actually worked! Travelling alone was easy and getting from the airport to Swell was super quick in the airport taxis (I was at Swell in just over an hour from landing).

Swell staff helped me get my antigen test sorted out for my return to the US; that’s so easy because it’s only about 200 meters walk to the little lab from Swell.

I think I will try their Bali location next!

I stayed here for kiteboarding with LEK. What an awesome time. The dinners where prepared in the open kitchen & the senses start being massaged well before dinner time. The room was well appointed & comfy. Just a stroll to the beach. The manager Haudy was beyond helpful, & she even helped me navigate the town, thank u! & Thanx to the staff that helps keep up the place, awesome job. You will not regret a stay here.

Hands-down our short stay at Swell surf camp was the best trip we have been on as a family. The staff was incredible. The coaches are genuinely kind and helpful people. The food was amazing. The accommodations clean and comfortable. I don’t know what else to say.
Haudy, the concierge, was so sweet and accommodating. She arranged several side trips for us after surfing. With her local knowledge our extra activities were always top-notch and reasonably priced.
We planned this as a family-reconnecting trip with our boys (20 and 18) that live on opposite coasts. We couldn’t be happier. We could choose to socialize with the other guests or we could find a quiet spot just to sit and catch up on our lives. (We did a lot of both)
Dinner was always great time meeting and socializing with the other guests. The breakfasts though; that’s a real treat! When you get back from the first session there’s an amazing breakfast waiting to fuel you up for the second trip back to the beach.
We rarely plan to visit the same spot twice but Swell Surf has us already pining for next year!

My five nights and six days at swell were fabulous! I only wish that i was staying longer! As a solo traveler it was the perfect balance of time with the other guests surfing, eating and lounging - as well as time to myself to relax on the beach and explore cabarete.clare has put together a perfect team of surf (and yoga) instructors, housekeepers/cooks, et al run by the lovely haudy! This was my first time to the DR and i will definitely be back! And i plan to return to swell - either solo or with my kids and/or friends.everything was so well organized and explained.and i really enjoyed getting to know our awesome surf coaches and fellow guests!

EVERYTHING was amazing! Haudy was the best. The staff, food and service were incredible. The surf instructors were perfect. The yoga class with Molly was so therapeutic. The excursions Haudy scheduled for us (snorkeling/canyoning) were unbelievably fun. Swell camp was exactly what I was looking for. I only wish I had been able to do more yoga. Clare is now setting up Swell: Bali, and it’s on my list!

Fantastic surf camp! I stayed here solo in August 2019. Everything at Swell was totally dialed in. It was my first time surfing in DR, and the owner was super responsive in helping me pick the right time to visit. Everyone on staff at the camp was top notch - manager, surf instructors, chefs, housekeeper, maintenance, security guard, seriously everyone was the best. They really take care of everything here, you just get to focus on your surfing and having fun! Highly recommended.

Best surf holiday ever
Super comfortable rooms, tasty food and very friendly staff.
Highly recommended!

Swell surf camp was such a great experience, my brother and I have always wanted to learn to surf and the instructors at Swell were spot on! Lee, Jeff and Neno gave us great lessons and gave us all the best tips to progress through our week long stay.

Claire was excellent in giving us all the information we needed and organising the perfect package for us and Haudy was such a fabulous manager once we arrived.

The surf camp has such a rad vibe where you can all socialise together and enjoy hanging out, play pool, have a swim in the pool and lounge about.

We look forward to coming back and have such great memories of our trip.

Well, where to begin) Stylish, clean, super friendly with most delicious food place. I almost don't want to share it because is soo good. But on a more surious note- Very professionally handled, organized and planed. Surfing lessons and instructors are great and very on point. Great stuff on site, very helpful and very well trained. Would I go there again? I would go tomorrow, if I could.

Just got back from a terrific week at Swell Surf Camp. I took my two kids, and we surfed, we went snorkeling, horseback riding. We also went zip lining thru a gorge and crashed into a deep freshwater lagoon.and did I mention we explored deep underground caves, and jumped into cave water swimming holes? <br/>There has been a "scare" about the Dominican Republic, in recent months, and I did a lot of research before I went with my two children. I learned that the people that died were an 8 hour car ride from where we stayed at Swell Surf Camp. It is on the completely opposite side of the island. The deaths were at a resort, where cheap alcohol and intense partying is the norm. Even with the deaths in the DR, the DR is sill not in the top 20 of countries where US citizens die when they are abroad on vacation. I live in NYC and an 8 hour drive would be equivalent in distance as Pittsburgh. I certainly wouldn't panic if a few people drank bad ice and vodka in Pittsburgh 8 hours from my home in NYC. I certainly wouldn't expect that tourist would stop coming to NYC because of something 8 hours away. <br/>I'm a doctor, and when overweight, Americans, come to a tropical resort, and drink, do recreational drugs, mix them with Viagra, and keep this binge going for 5-7 days in a row, you will get a few deaths per year. Every year, this is a statistic that persists. This year, the news singled out, DR. <br/>Swell Surf Camp is the exact opposite in hospitality and concept of where the tourist died a few months ago. Swell Surf Camp is small, we had under 10 guests. It is in a 24 hour private security, property. <br/>Meals were expertly prepared by two women chefs, Esmeralda and Estelle. It is not a drunken, hedonistic scene. There is no bar on site. You can get bottled beer. No one got sick, and everyone was safe. I just returned back to NYC yesterday, and we had probably the best vacation we ever had. I'm going back next spring. <br/>Do not hesitate going to Swell. It's a special place, with special staff, and the surfing was excellent for 7 days in a row! <br/>Dr. Doug Willen

Einfach Super!
Ich war eine Woche Ende Juli 2019 dort und habe meinen Aufenthalt richtig genossen! Das Hotel/Camp ist sehr sauber, es wird jeden Tag geputzt und die Handtücher gewechselt, es hat alles da, neben Pool, wo man super chillen kann auch eine Billiardtisch und einen Kicker. Das Frühstück ist hervorragend, super lecker mit allem, was man sich wünscht und es variiert jeden morgen. Das Abendessen ist auch einfach nur lecker, Danke an die Köchinnen!
Die Surfstunden mit den hilfreichen und sympathischen Surflehrern waren toll, sie gehen auf jede Person ein und schauen wo sie einem helfen können! Der Spaß ist immer dabei! Danke Leute!
Und das Yoga mit Molly war super toll! Genau das Richtige nach dem Surfen!
Jederzeit immer wieder gerne!
DANKE für den unbeschreiblich schönen Surf-Urlaub!
Überlege schon wann ich das nächste Mal hinfliege: -D

Our week long stay at Swell was nothing short of amazing. We came with a group of yoga students for a yoga and surf retreat. Clare, the owner, was incredible since the first day I reached out to her. She was extremely helpful and quick to respond to the almost 100+ email I sent her while planning this retreat! I really appreciate that she answered all of my questions with such detail and I felt comfortable bringing our yoga group to Swell even without having visited before.

The staff at Swell is also amazing. From the surf instructors to Haudy, the manager, and the wonderful team that cooks the MOST DELICIOUS meals, we couldn't have been better taken care of. The team at Swell is truly special and go above and beyond to make sure your stay is perfect.

This is the place to go to take surf lessons. The coaches were knowledgeable and patient, and always had the best attitudes. We enjoyed their instruction very much, and most of our guests were riding waves by the end of the week! It was so much fun.

The hotel itself is beautiful, clean, and well taken care of. It's a little slice of heave and a wonderful place to relax and reset.

If you're considering staying at Swell, go for it! You will not be disappointed and it may just be the best vacation you've had.