Cabarete - Nightlife Part Two.

April 09

The first night I wandered down the beach, absorbing the scene and seeking my muse. It was pretty quiet the night that I arrived. I walked all the way to the end of the strip.

About the half-way point a couple of bars were blasting some Reggaeton. Here's a great example if you're interested: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5zdwImXOuo Lot's of booty griding and shaking. Quite amuzing to watch the white gals shake it next to the locals. OK, there's a few who are competent - and I hate to stereotype... but... or should that be 'butt'!

The music became more contemporary further toward Kite Beach, some top 20 pop and a little bit of rock and roll. Then... at the very last restaurant, I heard it. A DJ. Spinning good music. Perfect end to the stroll. I leaned against a palm tree to check out the scene and hoped to look nonchalant, I eventually couldn't help myself and started dancing.

Then it started to rain. So, everyone crammed under a little canopy where the DJ and the food was and I got to know some of the locals. Cool people. All of the folks I met were expats making a living in Cabarete. One of them, Christin Birkhin, is a realtor in the area and she rents out accommodations for longer term tennants. Gorgeous places worth looking at if you want to stay longer than a month. One of her friends Jens Hocher was there with his camera - you can check out his amazing work at www.jenshocher.com I also met Cristin, an American, a few Dutch people, you get the picture - pretty multi-national.

Andre Buljat was spinning, along with another DJ - I didn't catch his name. They were in Cabarete for a huge party the next weekend. That happened to be Easter, or Semana Santa, and the biggest party of the year in the DR.

OK, I must say, this was just the beginning of the party season for me, and I wasn't ready for the huge party. Yet. Besides, I hadn't planned my visit with this in mind, so all the hotel rooms were booked in town. So, short story is, I rocked off to the mountains for some downtime.

More than 50 000 people, locals and tourists alike, hit this small beach town to party for Semana Santa.

Here's a couple videos of the craziness (I don't know these people - just found their videos on youtube):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjR7O3_KFr8&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NF1q_VzIGqM&feature=related

If you watch the long video, you can see how each of the main bars on the strip are sponsored by one of the big liqour companies and these companies build HUGE stages right on the beach. Funny enough, I met the girl in the blue dress who is latin dancing - she was from Romania (I think)!! Small world. Each of these stages blasts music - and since they are literally a few meters apart, you can imagine the noise!
The second video is pretty poor quality - but then, probably reflective of peoples' general perceptions in the evenings of Semana Santa in Cabarete. Blurry and loud.

I heard that it WAS a crazy scene and worth checking out if you are up for it!! Book EARLY for a place to stay if you are going there over Easter. And be prepared not to sleep if you are ANYWHERE close to the beach. The bars stay open until 4 AM - and people generally blare their music from car speakers 24/7.

Bring ear plugs.