Teaching people how to surf is what we specialize in here at Swell. We have qualified surf coaching instructors that can teach the sport of surfing in a safe, fun and quick manner.

The surf spot where we teach is an ideal place for your first rides as a surfer. The waves on the inside are mellow and the water is about chest deep. There are no dangerous rips, currents or sea creatures here.

There are many places around the world that are great for advanced and expert surfers, but not all great surfing spots are ideal for learning to surf. Where we teach at Playa Encuentro, just a few miles west of Cabarete truly is an amazing spot for learning how to surf. For more information on our surf coaching program, have a look at this page.

To see what our purpose built surf coaching resort looks like, go to this page

About 70% of the clients who come to Swell Surfcamp for a surf yoga retreat & active surf holiday, travel solo. As a result, it’s real easy to meet like-minded travellers from all over the world. We surf together, we have breakfasts and dinners together, so if you are looking for a social surf holiday then a stay at Swell will definitely be a great option for you.
Have a look at reviews on external sites like Tripadvisor, and you will see the social aspect at Swell as the no.1 recurring theme. And it’s not just the single and solo travellers who enjoy the company of new friends. For couples or groups, it’s also a great way to make new friends from all over the globe.

Here is a screenshot of the last bookings at Swell to give you an idea of the age and the solo travellers versus groups.

The average age of people traveling to swell for a surf holiday varies per week, but generally speaking, the people that come to Swell on a surf vacation are aged between 25 and 55. That’s not to say that in certain weeks there are more people in their 20’s than 40’s (or the other way around). Also, we have had people in their 60 on a Swell learn how to surf course.
Most clients are from the USA, Canada, and Europe, and 80% of them are working professionals who want the comforts of a Surfing & Yoga retreat combined with the social aspect of a surf resort.
Here is a screenshot of the last bookings at Swell to give you an idea of the age and the solo travelers versus groups.

Even though we are called Swell Surf Camp, it’s not just learning to surf or surf coaching that is on offer.

The North Coast of the Dominican Republic has so much more to offer! The town we are in is called “The adventure capital of the Caribbean” for a reason.

We organize day trips for all our clients to go canyoning; it’s an adrenaline-filled adventure set in stunning scenery, and highly recommended.

Other sports and activities that are on offer area: Learning to kitesurf (Cabarete is widely regarded as one of THE best places in the world for learning to kite. Windsurfing is still a very popular sport, as well as the new up and coming sport of Wingsurfing and foil surfing.

Snorkelling is another great afternoon you can sign up for as a guest of 1 of our surf camps. Yoga classes are given a few times per week at Swell.
On this page there are more details on the adventures and sports that are on offer.

Swell is one of the only purpose-built luxury surf camps in the world. We didn’t convert an old villa into a surf retreat, we started from scratch with an award-winning Swiss architect. We make sure that you sleep well in our rooms: comfortable matrasses, Egyptian cotton sheets, and doubled glazed german windows. All rooms have AC and fans. You’ll sleep (S)Well!
See more of our surf retreat here and the rooms here.

About Swell :

After living in the Dominican Republic for 8 years and loving the great outdoor watersport lifestyle, Jeroen (from the Netherlands) and Clare (for the UK) decided it was time to share their knowledge of the Dominican Republic all that this stunning country has to offer with visitors from around the world.

Clare and Jeroen were already familiar with surf coaching retreats, resort and adult surf camps in many different countries and have had to stay in some very ordinary surf travel accommodation in their quest for great surfing waves, they knew that there was something missing in the market of surf camps; a place which was still social, but offering better quality accommodation, great food, nicer beds, cleaner rooms: A stylish, luxury surf retreat with surf lessons and surf coaching. They set about designing the kind of place they would want to stay in themselves:  a luxury surf camp.

THE WORLD’S FIRST PURPOSE-BUILT LUXURY SURF CAMP!

So they hired a renowned Swiss architect for one purpose: to come up with the world’s first purpose-built, luxury surf coaching retreat/  resort.

Since opening in the winter 2009/2010 Swell surf instructors have taught 1000’s of people how to surf in a safe, fun and structured manner. Since its opening, Swell has won multiple awards and has 100’s of excellent reviews from happy guests. Swell continues to be one of the top surfing destinations for couples, groups and solo travellers to go to as the #1 luxury surf camp holiday.

It’s not just surfing on offer at Swell; You can learn to kitesurf, learn wingfoiling, take yoga classes, go horse riding on the beach or in the mountains and enjoy some truly spectacular outdoor adventure trips like canyoning for example.

Swell offers package surf holidays that take all the hassle out of the planning, with airport transfers, transport to the beach and much more, so all Swell guests can enjoy a stress-free luxury surf experience. You just have to book your flights, and they will take care of the rest!

With great food being such an important part of anyone’s surf vacation, Swell delivers there too; with superb home-cooked food at the camp and on the evenings when guests go out to dinner, a large choice of restaurants offering a comprehensive choice of dining are all within a few minutes walk.

Booking a surf holiday with Swell is easy. Send us a message through our form with your dates and the activities you would like to do, whilst staying at Swell Surf & Yoga Retreat and we’ll get back to you in minutes with a detailed price and availability quote.

If you want to secure your spot with us, a deposit is required so we can book you in.

Payment is easily done online via our 128-bit encrypted payment page. A Swell Surf Holiday can only be booked directly through us, we do not sell rooms or packages on any other websites!

Join us in the Dominican Republic at the no.1 rated Adult Surf Camp

 

Staying longer at a Swell Surf Reort is not a problem, we get a lot of returning clients that do not like the cold weather in their home countries during the winter, and stay at Swell Surf Camp for several weeks.

Even during our wintertime, you do not ever have to wear a wetsuit, the water is warm, and leave your warm clothes at home too, just bring plenty of sunscreen.

Staying shorter is also possible, although the minimum stay most of the year is 5 days. At Swell we do not have a set arrival date, so see what flights are available, send us a message and join us for a surf holiday with like-minded adults.

Swell has been open since 2009 & on several external websites such as Google reviews, TripAdvisor and Facebook you can read what our clients say about us.

Here’s a sample review from Vanessa on tripadvisor

 

 

 

 

“I had an amazing trip to Cabarete thanks to Swell Surf Camp! I was extremely nervous doing my first solo trip internationally as a female – especially during the pandemic.

Clare, the owner of Swell, took the time to answer all of my questions leading up to my trip, and provided me with very informative and helpful information for planning my trip logistics.

Once I arrived in Cabarete, I felt so safe and taken care of by Swell! Haudy, the manager on-site, is amazing and she is available to you with any questions or logistics planning you may need during your trip. The surfing instructors I had that week – Neno, Henry, and Daniele – were very professional, experienced, and friendly instructors.

Safety was their top priority. They were very patient, taking the time with each person to make sure they were excelling at their own pace all week. I progressed my beginner surfing capabilities so much thanks to them! They were truly a pleasure to hang out with and made everyone feel welcome and included. I also did kiteboarding lessons with LEK kiteboarding while at Swell which was another great experience.

The food and accommodations at the surf retreat were great. I stayed in one of the private rooms – it was spacious, cleaned daily, and the beds were very comfortable which was important for how much physical activity I was doing each day. 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. Being a directionally challenged person, Swell’s location made it easy to access everything you needed within walking distance – from Cabarete beach, restaurants, bars, shops, etc. Thank you to everyone at Swell surf camps that made this an incredible experience!

I look forward to going back someday soon!”