SeasonMapWhat's on in Puerto Plata (Sosua), Dominican Republic through the year
Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic has 5 curated events through the year — 1 festival, 1 natural spectacle, 2 seasons and 1 hazard season. The ones to plan around: Carnaval and Independence Day (February) and Humpbacks on the Silver Bank (January). February is its peak-crowd month.
Updated September 2026 · every event curated and sourced · dates for 2026 where they are announced, the usual window where they are not
Best time to visit Puerto Plata (Sosua): weather, crowds and notes →
Puerto Plata (Sosua) events and crowds by month
| Month | What starts | Crowds |
|---|---|---|
| January | Humpbacks on the Silver Bank | Busy |
| February | Carnaval and Independence Day | Peak crowds |
| March | — | Busy |
| April | — | Busy |
| May | — | Shoulder season |
| June | Hurricane season, Cabarete wind season | Shoulder season |
| July | — | Shoulder season |
| August | — | Shoulder season |
| September | — | Quiet |
| October | — | Quiet |
| November | — | Quiet |
| December | Winter high season | Busy |
January in Puerto Plata (Sosua)
Puerto Plata (Sosua) weather in January →Busy — Winter high season, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it
- Nature
Humpbacks on the Silver Bank
15 Jan – 31 Mar · usuallyWhale seasonThousands of North Atlantic humpbacks calve on the banks off this coast in late winter. The dependable boats leave from Samaná, a long day each way from Puerto Plata, or from a liveaboard out of Ocean World.
Still on: Winter high season (15 Dec – 15 Apr (usually))
February in Puerto Plata (Sosua)
Puerto Plata (Sosua) weather in February →Peak crowds — Carnaval and Independence Day, Winter high season
- Festival
Carnaval and Independence Day
1–28 FebCarnivalCrowdedParades go out every Sunday through February and build to the twenty-seventh, which is Independence Day. Each town runs its own characters and its own costume workshops; the fireworks are municipal, not touristic. Source ↗
Still on: Humpbacks on the Silver Bank (15 Jan – 31 Mar (usually)), Winter high season (15 Dec – 15 Apr (usually))
March in Puerto Plata (Sosua)
Puerto Plata (Sosua) weather in March →Busy — Winter high season, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it
Nothing new starts in March.
Still on: Humpbacks on the Silver Bank (15 Jan – 31 Mar (usually)), Winter high season (15 Dec – 15 Apr (usually))
April in Puerto Plata (Sosua)
Puerto Plata (Sosua) weather in April →Busy — Winter high season
Nothing new starts in April.
Still on: Winter high season (15 Dec – 15 Apr (usually))
May in Puerto Plata (Sosua)
Puerto Plata (Sosua) weather in May →Shoulder season — an ordinary month
Nothing new starts in May.
June in Puerto Plata (Sosua)
Puerto Plata (Sosua) weather in June →Shoulder season — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month
- Hazard
Hurricane season
1 Jun – 30 NovThe north coast catches storms tracking up the Mona Passage and Georges crossed the whole island in 1998. Big resorts stay open through it and discount hard from August. Source ↗
- Season
Cabarete wind season
1 Jun – 15 Sep · usuallyThe thermal wind at Cabarete, twenty minutes east, is at its most reliable through the summer: flat water in the morning, kite and sail conditions from lunchtime. The rest of the year it is a wave beach instead.
July in Puerto Plata (Sosua)
Puerto Plata (Sosua) weather in July →Shoulder season — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month
Nothing new starts in July.
Still on: Hurricane season (1 Jun – 30 Nov), Cabarete wind season (1 Jun – 15 Sep (usually))
August in Puerto Plata (Sosua)
Puerto Plata (Sosua) weather in August →Shoulder season — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month
Nothing new starts in August.
Still on: Hurricane season (1 Jun – 30 Nov), Cabarete wind season (1 Jun – 15 Sep (usually))
September in Puerto Plata (Sosua)
Puerto Plata (Sosua) weather in September →Quiet — school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it, one of its worst months for weather
Nothing new starts in September.
Still on: Hurricane season (1 Jun – 30 Nov), Cabarete wind season (1 Jun – 15 Sep (usually))
October in Puerto Plata (Sosua)
Puerto Plata (Sosua) weather in October →Quiet — one of its worst months for weather
Nothing new starts in October.
Still on: Hurricane season (1 Jun – 30 Nov)
November in Puerto Plata (Sosua)
Puerto Plata (Sosua) weather in November →Quiet — one of its worst months for weather
Nothing new starts in November.
Still on: Hurricane season (1 Jun – 30 Nov)
December in Puerto Plata (Sosua)
Puerto Plata (Sosua) weather in December →Busy — Winter high season, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it
- Season
Winter high season
15 Dec – 15 Apr · usuallyWinter-sun seasonCrowdedBook earlyCharter flights from Canada and the north-east US fill the all-inclusives along Playa Dorada from mid-December. The town side of the bay, and the cable car up Isabel de Torres, get busy with them.