If there’s one thing you can count on from a CrazyFly shoot, it’s consistency! They are guaranteed to have great vibes, stunning scenery, and photos that pop! The 2023 collection shoot just went down in the Dominican Republic, and Liloo Fourré takes us behind the scenes. Click here to experience the adventure…

With wind blowing all year round, it's no mystery why the Dominican Republic is one of the world's top destinations for kitesurfing. While visitors often get caught up in the North Coast mecca of Cabarete, the spots further afield, like Las Terrenas, Las Salinas, Punta Cana and Buen Hombre, offer scenery that is hard to beat. The peak months for wind in the Dominican Republic are between May and August, when it blows every day. That's why, once again, the team at CrazyFly Kiteboarding chose this Caribbean paradise to shoot the 2023 collection.

For this trip, our team included CrazyFly International riders Liloo Fourré (France) and Posito Martinez (Dominican Republic), along with our latest recruit, Lorenzo Calcano. Lorenzo is one of the best young riders in the Dominican Republic and really talented in Freestyle, Big Air, and Foil. He is also competing in the GKA Freestyle World Tour, and we are really happy to introduce him to you! Of course, A CrazyFly shoot isn't complete without Laci Kobulsky (Slovakia), a talented kitesurfer and cameraman, and the one who took all of the photos featured in this article!

This trip started in one of our favourite spots, the beautiful Buen Hombre in Monte Cristi province. Buen Hombre is a fisherman's village and one of the windiest spots in the Dominican Republic. In summer, the average wind speed is 25-30 knots most days. Complete with water that is turquoise blue, flat, and shallow, it's hard to imagine a more picturesque place. It's a spot we know and love, but we were excited to explore further and go on an adventure to discover new spots in the area. Above all, we couldn't wait to ride in spots where no one has ever kited before.

Our team arrived at Kite Buen Hombre, an Eco-Lodge and Kite School situated right in front of the Buen Hombre kitesurf spot, where the staff welcomed us very warmly. This spot is perfect for beginner to advanced level kiters, and the team at Kite Buen Hombre is just so welcoming and nice. They also organise lots of unique kitesurf excursions in the area and around the country, such as boat trips and downwinders. Do you love to do downwinders with a perfect postcard view? This is the place to go! 

On the first days of the trip, we started in the tranquil kite heaven that is Buen Hombre, where we discovered and got to know the new 2023 product lineup. This year, there is a lot of novelty in our new range, and we can't wait for you to discover it for yourself! Our riders were extremely happy with the new gear and couldn't get to the water fast enough to test it all out.

The bay of Buen Hombre, protected by a reef, features shallow water with lush mountainous backdrops. Colourful fishing boats dot the shoreline, and you'll often see the catch of the day come in, available at the local restaurants in the evenings. It's a tiny village with an incredible amount of charm, and we enjoyed every session in this little paradise. 

After shooting for a few days in Buen Hombre, we set off with the team at Kite Buen Hombre to discover incredible and untouched places in the province of Monte Cristi. Far removed from the big tourist centres, the whole province of Monte Cristi has retained an authentic and warm feeling that is hard to find these days. We did some sightseeing in the town of Monte Cristi and even stopped to explore the National Park El Morro, a peak that rises 242 metres (794 feet) above sea level, gracing Monte Cristi's coastal scenery with one of the most striking, unique vistas in the Dominican Republic.

This is one of those few places where no one has ever kited, and we were the first to take up the challenge! Our riders, Posito Martinez and Liloo Fourré, went foiling in the bay of the National Park, surrounded by cliffs and scenery that is hard to imagine you would find in this country. We should probably mention that the National Park gave us special authorization to kite here. Geographically, the spot is very hazardous and only suitable for expert-level riders. We can't wait for you to discover this marvel of a spot in our video.

After a kite session that none of us will ever forget, we headed back to our rustic beach cabins at Kite Buen Hombre to rest and regroup before setting off on our next adventure, a three-day boat trip and kite adventure to Los Siete Hermanos. Sitting 10 kilometres (six miles) northwest of the Bay of Monte Cristi, Los Siete Hermanos consist of seven sandy cays: Toruru, Muertos, Ratas, Terrero, Monte Grande, Monte Chico and Arenas. These spots are untouched by human life, and turquoise water, constant wind, and white sand await you!

We first stopped in Cayo Tuna, where we set up our camp. For two glorious nights, we slept in tents under the stars, only a few metres away from the water. There was no electricity, no water, and no phone signal; it was only us and nature, a real back to basics. During our last night, the team prepared a special local meal and a bonfire for us. What a unique experience! It felt amazing to be away from civilization for a few blissful days. 

During this trip, we explored the rest of the cays and chose the best ones for kiting and shooting: Cayo Ratas and Cayo Muerto. Cayo Ratas is like the other cays, a no man's land. It is where the region's birds make their nests, and there are hundreds! The spot is offshore, flat, and the water is indescribably blue. 

Cayo Muerto is undoubtedly the best of the best for kiting. It is a square-shaped cay, where the wind is blowing perfectly on all sides, so the whole island is kiteable. We can't forget to mention that it has transparent and turquoise flat water, something we were spoiled with during this entire trip. We spent a whole day shooting there, and on the program was big air, kiteloops, freeride and foil from morning till the impressive sunset.

Have you ever imagined yourself as the only person kiting in a heavenly, perfect, dreamy kite spot? If that's one of your dreams, then you should definitely make this trip! 

After these three wonderful days, we returned to our base and continued to shoot in Buen Hombre and its surroundings. A trip to the tropics isn't complete without some tropical weather, and we happened to be there during a tropical storm which hovered over the entire country for a few days with a massive cloud layer. The wind was there, but unfortunately, the sun went into hiding for a few days. That didn't stop us, though! We kept shooting in the cloudy weather and got some intense and moody shots from our video maker, photographer and team rider, the one and only Laci Kobulsky!

We were so happy at the end of the trip to have spent this time with the CrazyFly team, which is becoming something of an annual reunion. We can't wait for you to discover the new range of our 2023 products, the incredible spots of the Dominican Republic, and get to know our new recruit Lorenzo Calcano, who you are going to see more and more of in the international scene.

Stay tuned, and see you on the water!

By Liloo Fourré

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