Image credit: Andym5855's Flickr
Something that adds even more charm to this sport is the exploration and the traveling that come along. Going on a kitesurfing holiday is one of the most refreshing things you can do as you end up seeing new places, meeting new people, and exercising your body all the while doing what you love.
To help you make the first step towards your first kitesurfing trip, I’ve put together five steps to help you before you head off on your windy adventure.
1. Find a Destination
When it comes to kitesurfing, there will always be one requirement that puts anything else in the backseat. It has to be windy. So, tan lines and nightlife aside, the first thing you need to do is to find out where there are winds during the time of your trip.
Luckily this is easy enough with a simple website I set up some time ago. GlobalKiteSpots.com will give you a list of early season, peak season, and late season destinations for any given month. This chart is based on the prevailing trade winds that are very reliable. Certainly, there are local variations and areas in the world where it’s hit or miss all year around, but as a starting point, this will point you in the right direction.
2. List your needs
Once you’ve compiled a shortlist of possible destinations for your kitesurfing holiday, it’s time to look at any other needs. Budget is of great importance. Sure you can go to South Africa in February and have all the wind you want, but if you’re flying from Europe you might find kitesurfing in Egypt closer to your budget, and still quite likely to give you wind for your bucks.
Other things to consider are air/water temperature, waves vs. flat water, kite schools/ rental availability, nightlife, things to do on windless days etc. All these things you can easily find out online with a little help from our friend Google, which leads us into our third step.
3. Research Local Spots
Maybe you’ve narrowed down your surfing trip destination to the Canary Islands. Now you need to find which island to aim for, and what local spot you can head to. A quick Google search should give you a list of local kite centers and schools, and usually there are also plenty of threads on forums such as Kite Forum and Kite Crowd. On my website, I also put up reviews of every spot I visit as well.
4. Find a Cheap Flight
For finding the cheapest flight, head to Skyscanner and put in destination and dates. Usually, it’ll be a low budget airline like Ryanair or Easyjet. Bear in mind that if you’re bringing your own gear you’ll have to pay extra for sports equipment, and price and weight limits differ among airlines. For example, Ryanair charges £50 one way and allows up to 20 kg, whereas Easyjet is, or at least used to be, more generous allowing up to 32 kg for £35 one way.
5. Find a Good Value Accommodation
Where do you want to be based? Maybe it makes sense to try a few different spots during your trip. For finding good and cheap accommodation there are obviously local hotels, easy enough to find via booking websites. If you want to be really close to the spot, the local kite centers quite often provide some basic accommodation in close proximity to the water.
And there you have it. Follow these these steps and have an amazing time on your next kitesurfing vacation!
Check out our extensive offer of kitesurfing camps and take your pick! There’s still plenty of summer left for you to have the adventure of a lifetime!
