Caribbean Weight Loss & Fitness Camp in Cabarete, Dominican Republic

The day-to-day here runs on a fairly fixed rhythm. You'll train in the gym or in a group fitness class in the morning — functional training, strength work and conditioning, with the trainers scaling movements to your level. Yoga shows up too, often in the late afternoon on the deck, either guided or as self-practice. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all served on the property, so you're not budgeting or hunting for food; the kitchen cooks farm-fresh, largely vegan and vegetarian meals around a balanced calorie target, and the team will talk through nutrition with you over the week if you want that.

What makes this different from a standard fitness holiday is that the trainers are residents, not visiting instructors. They live on site with the group, eat with you, and are around through the day. That's the model here: encouragement and education rather than a timetable you're left to follow alone. Groups tend to be small and mixed in ability — one guest's review describes the trainers adapting classes to everyone's needs and abilities, and another mentions training with Gio on gym routines in the mornings.

The property is part of Zen Cabarete, an eco-wellness camp on Kite Beach. There's a gym with a lot of equipment (note: guests have flagged that some of the metal gear shows rust from the sea air), a yoga loft/deck with ocean views, a pool, gardens with fruit trees and herbs, and a restaurant looking out over the water. Rooms are simple but large, with balconies overlooking the garden, and Wi-Fi works well in the rooms though less reliably in the common areas. Honest expectations matter here: reviews are overwhelmingly positive about location, staff and food, but more than one long-term guest has pointed out that the buildings themselves need maintenance and aren't polished-hotel condition. If you want a spotless four-star room, this isn't it; if you want to be on the beach training and eating well, it is.

Cabarete itself is a small international town built around kitesurfing and surfing. The programme sits on the quieter end of Kite Beach, where the water entry is safer and the crowds thinner, but you're within walking distance of beach restaurants, shops and bars. Afternoon kiteboarding lessons are a genuinely popular add-on — several guests describe mornings in the gym and afternoons on the water. There are also farm excursions as part of the camp's activities, and local beach restaurants the team will point you toward.

Who tends to book this? A mix — solo travellers, pairs, private groups (one reviewer called it ideal for booking a private group), and remote workers who train in the morning and work or hit the beach in the afternoon. Guests have ranged from parents travelling with a non-kitesurfing child to people on a two-week weight-loss push. The through-line is people who want a structured, healthy week by the sea without it feeling like a bootcamp punishment.

What's included

- Accommodation on the Zen Cabarete property on Kite Beach - Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily (plant-forward, farm-fresh) - Daily gym and fitness training sessions with resident trainers - Fitness classes adapted to your level - Yoga sessions on the ocean-view deck - Nutrition guidance and talks with the team - Farm excursion - Access to the pool, yoga deck, gym and gardens - Use of the grounds, fruit trees and herb garden

What's not included

- International and domestic flights - Airport transfers (arrange with the team) - Travel insurance - Kitesurfing and surf lessons and equipment rental - Alcohol and drinks outside meal service - Personal expenses and souvenirs - Optional meals at local restaurants - Spa or massage treatments - Additional excursions