Sosúa or Cabarete: which beach town suits you?

The two towns are fifteen minutes apart and completely different in character. Sosúa sits in a protected horseshoe bay. The water is calm and clear, there is a reef close to shore and the beach is lined with bars and craft stalls. It suits families, snorkellers and anyone who wants to swim without fighting the waves. The town has a mixed international community and a compact, walkable centre. Cabarete faces the open Atlantic. From late morning the thermal wind fills the bay with kites and sails, which makes it the water sports capital of the Caribbean but also a poor choice for a quiet float. The beach strip is full of restaurants with tables on the sand, and the nightlife runs later than anywhere else on the coast. Many visitors do both in one day, and a private transfer between them takes twenty minutes.