wakeupstokedI’m sure you know this ongoing personal quest for the best spot, the most constant wind, the most interesting culture etc. Even after I saw and heard already of quite some great spots around the world it seems there is so much more to explore.
As I’m very curious I asked other kitesurf bloggers what their favorite kitesurf spots were and why – and some of the answers totally surprised me! I got loads of new inspiration for my next kitesurf travels and my neverending kitesurf bucket list grew even longer. I hope you get inspired by reading this as much as I did!
1. Daniel and Nina > Los Roques, Venezuela
We are Daniel and Nina — freelance Designer & Teacher / Kitesurf Instructor-Couple from the lovely Ruhrarea, “Ruhrpott”, in Germany.
We are addicted to all kind of boardsports from kiting to surfing to skateboarding and our collection of boards of all kinds is growing steadily. We love to live the vanlife and do roadtrips through Europe during the year in our campervan, or on the weekends to the Netherlands, were we kind of have a kite-base and buddies at the Kiteboarding Club Workum. We write about our mantra that #lifeisbetterbarefoot and our surf-related journeys on our blog Soulmush.
Photo credit: Soulmush
Los Roques has been by far the most awesome kite destination we have been to. Imagine deserted picture-postcard beaches, turquoise colored water in endless shades and butter flat water whilst the wind is blowing steadily and year-round with around 15-20 knots. Los Roques is definitely one of the most beautiful places you could experience kitesurfing and compared to it’s Carribean competitors it is also quite cheap.
The archipelago Los Roques, which is a national nature preservative consists of around 40 islands and around 200 sandbanks. The biggest island and the place to live is Gran Roque. From there you’ll go on your daily kite expeditions by private or cooperative boat transfer. You can surf on the inner Archipelago with coral reefs and butter flat water or get some waves on the outer reefs.
You also can do long downwinders from Sebastopol in between the outer reef line or just kite all day with perfect conditions and no other people in the water at the lonely beaches of Krasky, Frazisqui or, our favorite, Cayo de Agua. With some luck you might find a private accommodation on one of the islands which gives you an even more unique Los Roques experience.
Update: Check out the full spot guide on Los Roques here. After hearing this I had to go there myself and check this gem out!
2. Bettina > Galicia, Spain
Betti is a freelance editor on a trip around the world. She’s always on the search for wind and for interesting stories. She has been writing for kite magazines since 2012. On her blog Beachtube you’ll find travel guides, you can have a look at old articles that have been published in magazines, you can read interviews or find information about her kite trip around the world.
She’s currently in: Dominican Republic
Her next travel destinations: Cuba, Martinique
Her next stories that will be published: a background report about the King of the Air and an interview with Ruben Lenten
Photo credit: Beachtube
The longer I am on a trip around the world, the harder it gets to say, which place has impressed me the most. The countries I visited are so different and in their own way beautiful, that it’s almost impossible to compare them. How can you decide whether waves in Tel Aviv are better than flat water in Brasil’s Ilha do Guajirú? Well, I can’t.
What I can say though is that kitesurfing in Galicia was very special to me. Galicia is a magical place not many people know about. It’s the most northwestern state of Spain. On the map you’ll find it just above Portugal. Galicia is characterized by its untouched nature, its deserted beaches, the turquoise water of the sea and the divine conditions for kitesurfing. People there are proud, but friendly.
I went to this distant corner of the world with my old camper van called “James” and going there was an adventure in itself. Not only due to the beautiful views behind each turn on the serpentines, but also because my 30 year old bus had a hard time getting up the mountains. But finally we made it to Ancoradoiro, halfway with a maximum speed of 40 kilometers per hour. Bright sunshine and a breathtaking view over the kite spot Ancoradoiro awaited.
Altough there was wind of 20 or even 25 knots, only one kitesurfer was on the water. That’s how it was every day. In Galicia the sea is yours, the only company you get – if you’re lucky – are dolphins. Whether you’re looking for monster waves or flat water: There’s the perfect kite spot waiting for you, just choose between Ancoradoiro, Traba, Playa de Area Maior, Ría de Abelleira, Rostro or Carnota. Do not miss out on seeing this beautiful corner of the world.
3. Daniel > Cape Town, South Africa
Daniel started kitesurfing 2.5 years ago and every journey from then on has been dedicated to practice his new hobby. But nevertheless he also likes to do other sports activities when he’s traveling. His other big passion is the creative process of filming and taking pictures.
Every now and then he publishes a little movie or pictures of wherever the wind takes him. His blog Addictventure (the addiction of adventure) is his personal playground where he brings all of his passions together and wants to share what he sees and learns.
Photo credit: Addictventure
It’s a pretty hard question for me to give only now favorite kitespot because let’s face it: the world is full of beautiful places and nearly every spot I traveled to had its pros. Depending on what you are looking for in a kitespot (untouched nature, a lot of likeminded people to connect to, restaurants and bars to party, no-wind-activities…) this can vary.
So I asked myself “What is the place you would beam yourself to, right now, if this would be possible?”. And it would definitely be Capetown because it has it all!
While Cape Town is known for its superb kitesurfing conditions with high wind probability, I most appreciate about it that it has such a big variety of spots. You should rent a car to be flexible. If you want waves you go to one of the many beaches in Capetown (Sunset Beach, Dolphin Beach, Kite Beach, Doodles Beach, Big Bay etc) but if you prefer some days of flat water as well, you drive 1.5 hours North of Capetown to Langebaan lagoon (Main Beach and Shark Bay). Langebaan is a small town with different types of accommodation. Nightlife is not big in Langebaan though.
On some days there is wind on the reservoir dam called Brandvlei. It’s located a 2-hour-drive East of Capetown. You find flat, sweet water and you can kite there in boardshorts quite often. It’s good for a day trip because there is no accommodation there.
My last tip for flat water is Witsand (which you can see in the picture above). It’s located at a river mouth 3 hours away from Cape Town and if the wind blows from East it has butter flat water. You can stay there for some days or as long as the wind blows. Check out the Hotel Breede River Lodge for accommodation and restaurant.
But not only these alternatives to the wave spots in Cape Town make it my favorite kite spot. There are so many great things to do when there is no wind in Cape Town, especially for outdoor enthusiasts. Like climbing Table Mountain or Lions Head, eating and shopping at the Old Biscuit Mill market, enjoying a coffee at the waterfront, go for wine tasting or a safari, snorkeling with seals at Hout Bay or going for a hike at the Cape of good hope to name only a few. This all makes Cape Town for me my number one kite destination.
4. Sarah > Lo Stagnone, Sicilia, Italy
Sarah is from Duisburg, Germany. On her Blog live-surf-travel she is writing about her passion for boardsports, traveling and spending time with the people she meets around the world. She always tries to enjoy her life every single moment and loves to share her experiences with you.
As a Graphic Designer, she says, you have to be creative and trend-setting – what could be more inspiring than to go out and see the world, meet people and go surfing?
Photo credit: live-surf-travel
I’ve seen a lot of different spots since I started kitesurfing and for sure, almost all of them had a unique character! But three years ago, when we decided to go to Sicily with our T5 – we were really surprised by this island and the friendly people we met! We had a little apartment in Marsala, 5 minutes away from the Spot Lo Stagnone. Although it was winter we met some other Kitesurfers and had a great time together – went surfing, visited Trapani and the old town on the mountain, Erice.
Lo Stagnone has a great flat water spot with a huge meadow for setting up the kites. There is enough space to do great jumps or to learn new tricks. Directly on the waterfront there are some newly built apartments for kitesurfers, which you can find on kite-bnb for example. Everything is nearby and you spend your time with locals and other kitesurfers on the cosy terraces while playing the guitar or talking about a windy day.
The Sicilian food is great: They have really good fish- and rice-meals and fresh oranges or lemons to pick up everywhere along the road. If you ever search for a spot that is close to Germany and easy to reach, then go and try it! If you like to see more pictures of our trip to Sicily – come and visit me on live-surf-travel – I would be pleased to meet you there!
5. Stefan > St. Peter-Ording, Germany
Stefan is the author and founder of travelonboards. On his blog he gives tips, information and everything else you need to know about surf- and kite-travel! Most of the time he lives and kitesurfs in the North of Germany.
But after a two-year-surf- and kitetrip around the world he can’t stay in one place for too long, so he packs his kiteboardbag whenever there is time and heads to some beach somewhere around the planet.
Photo credit: travelonboards
My favourite kite-spot is my also my homespot: St. Peter-Ording at the northern coast of Germany. Well, some of you might think – what the hell is he talking about? Ok, ok – there are no palmtrees around, no crystal clear water or kitesurfing only with your boardshorts on. Most of the time when there is wind, its also cold and rainy with pretty big, mushy waves around. But you know what – I don’t care!
Of course I DO love warm water and a caribbean kite lagoon, but the conditions at St. Peter-Ording are really unique, this place makes you feel the power of nature very purely. After a kite session with strong winds and cold weather you feel newly born, your body is like after a heavy workout, the mind is pure and fresh.
And then, on the right day, when the sun is out, this place could be anywhere in the world: green shimmering water, flat water or nice waves, a beach as big as a small city. Also, one big plus is that you can drive with your van to the beach and hang out right next to the water all day long. If the wind is really strong onshore and the tide is very high, there is not a lot of people who go for a session. But YOU should – at high tide the huge beach, where the cars usually park, runs full with water and you are the one kiting on the “flat-water-parking-lot” all by yourself!
6. Hanna > Ulcinj, Montenegro
Hanna is a travel addict since she went off to live in Argentina for a year at the age of 15. Her other passion, kitesurfing, seems to be based in her roots as she grew up in Flensburg, right beside the Baltic Sea, with perfect conditions for kitesurfing. She tries to combine those passions whenever possible.
Two years ago, she started writing for salt in my hair, a beautiful blog for travelers, surfers and everybody else who loves adventures. The team consists of individuals, weekend wanderers, explorers, ocean lovers, mermaids, photographers, outdoorholics, yoga lovers and roadtrip enthusiasts. They all have one thing in common: they have a desire for adventures and they love the little things in life, which make them happy and let them look around corners. Their curiosity and interest in other cultures is the basis of their salt in my hair stories.
Photo credit: saltinmyhair
Choosing my favorite kitesurfing spot is a tough call as there is something beautiful about all the spots I already surfed. I really liked the area around Flensburg, the little Fjord, because you can always find a spot that is suitable for the current wind direction.
Living in Flensburg meant being able to go out on the water whenever there was wind, after school, after university lectures, after work, because it was just so close by. I also really enjoyed Cabarete, in the Dominican Republic, because it was the first time I was able to go out on the water without a wetsuit. Still, my favorite spot so far is in a very different corner of the world and I just discovered it by chance.
Last year, I planned travelling through the Balkans with a friend and in one article about Montenegro I heard about this amazing kitesurfing spot, Ulcinj. I had to try it out, and it was totally worth it! Not only did we have wind all the days I spent there, also the temperatures were perfect and it was not too crowded on the water.
If you want to take a rest after your kite session, you can rent these beautiful little lounges. And if you really want to experience something of Montenegro, try out some of the restaurants in Ulcinj or even better: In Ada Borjana, just above the Albanian Border, where you get great fish.
7. Gitte > Soma Bay, Egypt
Gitte is 31 years old and lives in the Ruhr Area in Germany. She was born at the isle of Usedom at the baltic sea and started kiteboarding in August 2014. She is not that much of a pro-kiteboarder yet but she loves to learn and progress.
She started her own kitemag Forty Knots, because she is tired of reading all the ads and pro-tips in the existing kite magazines. She misses all those small things that make kiteboarding what it is, like tips about cameras, tips for starters or kite introductions. That’s what Forty Knots is standing for.
Photo credit: Forty Knots
In August 2014 I went to Soma Bay in Egypt for the first time. I’ve been to El Gouna before, but didn’t like it that much. I landed in Hurghada, a small bus picked us up and brought us to The Breakers Diving & Surfing Lodge. Arriving one hour later my first impression was overwhelming! The very best thing of this hotel is the reef next to your room. No wind? No problem! Just go snorkeling directly next to the hotel. Yeah!
At the spot you find big chillout-beds with shadow roofs, a big terrace and a rooftop terrace, both with shadow places. You get nice food and put the bill directly on your room. And you have the best beach boys in the world. Storage rooms are also big enough and save. You have a shadow place for your kites and all the people try their best to satisfy you.
And the water? Ok, let me tell you about the bad thing first: there is a very small flat water area and most of the time offshore wind. BUT in my opinion it’s very conducive to learn kiteboarding! You learn faster and are way more concentrated. You have rescue boats, of course, and two rescues are included when you rent a storage box.
Another great thing about the spot is the extrem wide kite boarding area. There is no swimming area at all. Therefore you can use the whole spot for kiteboarding. Every saturday and thursday they make a downwinder to a lonely, white island.
I also recommend the “Chicken Loop” for lunch at the kitehouse and a wrap made by Ali. 🙂
Update: I also had to check out Soma Bay in 2018, so here is my take on this beautiful spot.
8. Melanie and Juergen > Punta Trettu, Sardinia
On Lifetravellerz Melanie and Juergen write about their kite trips, road trips, sports and good food. With their VW campervan “Luigi” they discover the most beautiful spots in Europe. In winter they explore destinations all around the world – always looking for wind and awesome beaches!
Photo credit: Lifetravellerz
To name a favorite kitespot is not as easy as it sounds. Wave or flatwater, oversea or a spot within Europe? That is why I have chosen a kitespot we have traveled to in the last year. My favorite spot is called Punta Trettu in Sardinia, Italy. Punta Trettu is a flatwater spot with the best free- and wakestyle conditions I have seen and kited in recent years. You will find that spot in the southwest of Sardinia. It works perfectly with northwest and southwest winds. Both are the typical winds on the Italian island.
What makes this kitespot so special? Shallow water as far as you can see and enough space for everyone. West of Punta Trettu located just upwind is the island of Sant’ Antioco. This geographical fact is the reason why the water between these two islands is very low. This creates even wind speeds beyond 6bft with a small wind wave. In case you don’t like that wind wave there is still a solution. Just go behind the peninsula there you will find flat ironed water again.
In the summer months of July and August people are saying Kitesurfing is forbidden there. We have not been to Punta Trettu during this period. Anyway we would recommend either spring or autumn as the best months for a trip to Sardinia.
Punta Trettu is located a few kilometres away from the next town, right on the spot there is no supermarket. There is only a kitebar of the local kiteclub. An “unoffial” parking space for campervans but no public sanitation facilities.
For this reason we have chosen to stay at Camping Tonnara on the nearby island of Sant’ Antioco. The campsite is very nice, perfectly located and at least good price-performance ratio in the lower season.
> Did you get that inspired that you are planning and booking your next kitesurf holiday right away?
Then check out my article on how to pack and travel best with kitesurf luggage.
powered by Borlabs Cookie