surf yoga holiday
Caribbean
Surf & Yoga
in Paradise.

The Caribbean's Boutique Surf Retreat.

Beginner-friendly waves at first light, sunrise at the beach, palm trees, mellow waves.  Since 2009 Swell has been the #1 rated learn to surf holiday.

From the guidebook

Think of Swell as the anti-surf camp.

There’s plenty of surfing, of course, but the similarities to other surf camps end there. For starters, the rooms are stylish — more boutique surf retreat than reggae-loving surfer digs. Then there are the legendary breakfasts: omelets, pancakes and crepes, fresh-squeezed orange juice, and fruit bowls.

Structured surf lessons take place each morning — an instructor alongside you and the head surf coach watching from shallow water, ready to offer learn-to-surf tips between riding waves. If you are serious about learning to surf, then Swell should be on top of your destination list. Highly recommended!

Frommer’s Travel Guides Guidebook review
01What we do
Dominican Republic

A premium surf holiday for adults who want to learn or progress their surfing

good waves
Sleep Swell

We teach people to surf with professional coaching, at your own pace.  A surf retreat that pairs comfortable accommodation and proper instruction with the relaxed, social atmosphere of a surf camp.

We built Swell as a surf retreat based on our own travel experience — a bed you can sink into, delicious meals, and incredible staff: the kind of place that makes you feel at home the moment you walk in.

2009
Open since
65%
Travel solo
30 Mins.
Airport
02The surf

Ideal conditions
to learn or to progress your surfing

Surfing Surfing the warm water in Cabarete
Progress your surfing
Warm water · Fun waves

Surf lessons

We’ve been teaching surfing since 2009, and in that time over 9,000 guests have learned to surf with us. Our structured method is built to get you standing on the surfboard and progress in a way that’s safe, efficient, and most of all, enjoyable.

We coach you at your pace so you’ll always know what you’re working on and why it matters for your next step. You won’t get moved on too quickly, or be left behind. Our surf coaches work in small groups and adjust to how fast each person picks things up.

Whether you’ve never stood on a surfboard or you’re already surfing a bit and want to progress, we have a coach for you.

  • Consistent waves
  • Waves for different levels
  • Quality equipment
  • Warm water
  • 2 Sessions per day
  • Small groups
  • Experienced instructors
  • Lessons in english
  • Year round surf season
  • Since 2009
Surfing
Season Year-round
J F M A M J J A S O N D
Water & air No wetsuit
Water 27°C · 81°F
Air 28°C · 82°F
Ages Mostly 30 to 65
20 30 40 50 60 70
Solo travelers Majority
65% Most guests arrive on their own — and leave with new friends
As seen in
03The stay

Sleep (s)well.

A purpose-built surf retreat: a place to sleep in comfort, meet fellow travellers, chill between sessions and eat delicious, home-cooked meals.

The rooms
The rooms
The freshwater pool
The freshwater pool
Relaxing spaces
Relaxing spaces
The communal hub & garden
The communal hub & garden
Calm palette, generous beds
Calm palette, generous beds
Fresh, delicious food
Fresh, delicious food

In the air-conditioned private rooms, you will have a California king-sized bed (2mx2m), or you can elect to have twin beds if you are bringing someone along. Each room has its own ensuite shower/WC, a ceiling fan and crisp 100% cotton sheets.  After an action-packed day in or on the water, you can sleep as well as you should. We have kept the palette calm and relaxing.

At the centre of our surf retreat is the communal hub — an open living room with free WiFi and lots of space to lounge around.  There’s a huge dining table where guests eat together.  You’ll always find time to enjoy a game of pool with fellow guests, or relax completely on the sofas and chairs.

Outside, a freshwater pool sits in a beautiful, palm-shaded garden, with ample loungers for the down time between sessions.

  • Ensuite · AC · ceiling fan
  • 100% cotton sheets
  • Fresh breakfast & dinner
  • Restaurants minutes away
  • Communal area with WIFI
  • 24/7 staff onsite
  • Fresh water pool
  • Set in tropical garden
  • Walk to restaurants & shops
  • No need for a car
ACCOMMODATION INFO
The pool
The pool
Slow hours
Slow hours
The rooms
The rooms
The communal hub
The communal hub
Five minutes away
Five minutes away
04Getting here

Easy & hassle free
3 Different international airports

Puerto Plata (POP) has nonstop flights from Miami, New York, Boston and Toronto. From the terminal Swell is just a twenty-five minute drive down the coast road — and our driver will be waiting for you at arrivals.

Direct gateway Airport code Airport to Swell Status
Puerto Plata POP 25 minutes Pick-up included
Santiago STI 1 h 20 minutes Pick-up optional
Santo Domingo SDQ 3 h 35 minutes Pick-up optional

Puerto Plata (POP) is the closest airport to us but it isn’t the only one. Two more international airports sit within an easy drive: Santiago (STI) is about an hour and a half away, and Santo Domingo (SDQ) around three and a half — both worth a look if the fare or the timing happens to work better for you on the day you want to travel.

Whichever you choose, we’ll help you line up the transfer so the final leg is sorted before you touch down. There’s a full breakdown of routes, drive times and transfer costs/options on the Getting here page.

Final leg · POP → Swell 25 minutes by private transfer
GETTING HERE & OUR LOCATION
06Good to know

Questions,
answered.

Anything we’ve missed? Write to us — Swell's owner, Clare, will get back to you within a day.

Since 2009, our ISA-certified instructors have taught over 9,000 adults how to surf. Teaching first-time surfers is what we do at Swell, and it’s all we do.
Before we opened, we spent time looking for the right place to learn. We surfed Costa Rica, Panama, and Nicaragua, but the north coast of the Dominican Republic won out: consistent waves, safe conditions, and a beach break that suits people standing up on a board for the first time. It’s still where we teach today.
Every guest gets a coaching plan built around where they’re actually at. Our instructors are qualified to get you up and riding safely, and to make the week genuinely fun while they do it.

Most guests stay 7 nights.  Ideally Saturday to Saturday, but Saturday arrivals are not essential. A full week is enough to genuinely progress, and the rhythm of the week — surf, eat, sleep, repeat — is all we need to say.

About 65% of the clients who come to Swell for an adult surf camp holiday travel solo.

As a result, it’s easy to meet like-minded travelers from all over the world. We surf together, we have breakfasts and dinners together, so if you are looking for a social surf camp when on a solo surf trip, then a stay at Swell will be a great option for you.

Have a look at reviews on external sites like Tripadvisor and Google, and you will see the social aspect at Swell as the no.1 recurring theme. And it’s not just the single and solo travelers 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.

The average age of our clients varies from week to week, but generally speaking, we attract more of a 35 to 50+ year old crowd than the 18 to 24-year-old crowd.

Yes — Swell is adults only in character. Most guests are between 30 and 65, and plenty stand up on a surfboard for the first time in their forties or fifties. It’s a very different crowd from the 18–24 party-hostel surf camps.

That shapes everything: private ensuite rooms, proper beds, home-cooked breakfasts and dinners, and coaching that meets you at your pace rather than dragging you along.

Nearly. Your room, breakfast and 3 x dinner in a week, surf coaching, all equipment and the Puerto Plata airport transfer are included. Lunch, drinks and day trips are not — We have several places that serve great lunch food within 50 to 150 mteres from Swell. Typical lunch prices vary from $5 to $15  usd.

It means no surprise costs on the parts that matter, and freedom on the parts that don’t.

From our guests

Don’t take our word for it.
Take theirs

4.9 300+ Reviews
Megan S
Age
43
From
San Diego
Level
Beginner
Travelled
Travelled solo
If I could give Swell 10 stars I would!! My partner and I visited Swell at the end of March 2026. We had an absolutely amazing trip. The rooms are clean and spaceship. The A/C works great and had warm water to shower. The WiFi is spotty in the upstairs rooms but works perfectly in the downstairs communal room. The staff is above & beyond!! The meals were some of the best I’ve had. The surf instructors are phenomenal.. they work with your experience and levels of surfing and join you for breakfast & dinner nights. The yoga is great mostly long holds and stretches which are great after 2 sessions of surfing. Haudy is the best. She runs the place and without her Swell wouldn’t be Swell. I highly recommend doing the canyon tour with Helmut. And last but not least the people that I stayed there with honestly became my family for the week. I honestly want to come back!
Tripadvisor April 2026
Aerial view of the cove at Swell, Cabarete
Plan a trip join us at Swell
POP
25 Min
SWELL
Easy travel → arrive any day of the week

Watersport paradise

Tell us your dates, how many people you are thinking about coming with, and we’ll send you a custom price and availability quote; almost instantly. Hasta pronto, see you soon.

Any day Arrival
Limited Availability
367+ REVIEWS
5 nights Minimum stay
PLAN YOUR TRIP ASK US A QUESTION