Surf, Surfskate and Recovery Camp on the North Coast of the Dominican Republic

A typical day starts early, because the wind picks up on this coast in the afternoon and the cleanest surf is in the morning. You meet at the shop across from Playa Encuentro, grab a board, and paddle out with your coach. Beginners work on the basics — paddling, popping up, reading the waves — in the reform or white water. Intermediates and advanced surfers head for the main break and work on turning, positioning and wave selection. Most days there's a video camera on the beach, and the session is followed by a debrief where you sit down with Justin and go through your own footage frame by frame.

Afternoons shift to land. Surfskate sessions on the ramp and around the property train the same body mechanics as surfing — compression, rotation, weight transfer — without needing a wave. Movement classes cover mobility, stretching and strength work for surfing, and there's yoga and general exercise classes on the schedule (a family of five who stayed here did the skateboard classes, surfing, yoga and exercise sessions). Recovery rounds things out with sessions aimed at keeping shoulders, hips and backs from seizing up after a week of paddling.

The El Encuentro Surf Lodge sits just across the road from Parallel Surf, which is where most guests stay. It's described in reviews as comfortable and relaxed rather than flashy — exactly what you want when you're sandy and tired at the end of a surf day. Meals, drinks and laundry are handled nearby in Cabarete and at the lodge.

What separates this from a standard surf school is that surfing is only a quarter of the programme. The surfskate ramp, the movement coaching and the recovery work are all treated as part of the same skill, and the crew — Justin, Sebastian, Brandon, Matti and the shop team — is consistently described in reviews as welcoming, organised and genuinely in tune with what's happening in the water. One reviewer noted an instructor blocking a stray board heading for an 8-year-old student, which tells you something about how closely they watch the water.

The location is Playa Encuentro, about a ten-minute drive from Cabarete on the north coast. It's a reef-and-beach setup with waves for most levels, warm water year-round, and a strip of surf shops and cafes along the road. The lodge is directly opposite the surf operation, so you can walk to your board in under a minute.

What's included

- Surf sessions with coaching in the water, split by level - Video analysis and debriefs with your coach - Surfskate sessions on the ramp - Movement, mobility and strength classes for surfing - Recovery sessions - Yoga and exercise classes - Surfboard use and equipment - Accommodation at El Encuentro Surf Lodge - Access to the Parallel Surf shop and facilities

What's not included

- Flights - Airport transfers - Travel insurance - Most meals and drinks - Personal expenses - Tips - Optional extras such as additional board rentals or excursions - Transport to and from Cabarete