Kitesurfing locations
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Essentially any locale with consistent, steady side-onshore winds (10 to 35+ knots, 5 to 18+ m/s), large open bodies of water and good launch areas are suitable for kitesurfing. Most kitesurfing takes place along ocean shores, usually off beaches, but it can also be practiced on large lakes and inlets and occasionally on rivers. Since kiteboarding relies heavily on favorable, consistent wind conditions, specific geographic locations tend to become popular and sought out by experienced kiteboarders.
Some of the world's top kitesurfing locations are listed below in alphabetic order. Many of these destinations have year-long kitesurfing training and provide equipment rentals. Refer to the linked articles for more information on kitesurfing at specific locations.
[edit] Locations
[edit] Africa and Middle East
- Azemmour beach, Morocco[1][2]
- Dakhla, Western Sahara
- Dubai, U.A.E. Water Sports [3]
- Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
- Port Safaga, Egypt
- Soma Bay, Egypt
- Walvis Bay, Namibia (Location where world speed record for kitesurfing set in 2006)[4]
- Western Cape, South Africa[5]
[edit] Americas
- Long Beach, California
- Canoa Quebrada, Brazil [6]
- Cape Hatteras, NC, US [7]
- Cape Cod, MA, US
- Chesapeake Bay, MD, US
- Coche, Venezuela[8]
- Columbia River, Northwestern US [9]
- Cumbuco, Brasil [10][11][12] [13]
- Corpus Christi, Texas, Gulf of Mexico, US [14] [15]
- Cozumel, Mexico
- East Tawas, Michigan, US
- Fortaleza, Brazil
- Hood River, OR, US
- Ibiraquera, Brazil
- Islamorada, Florida (Whale Harbor)
- Jekyll Island, Georgia
- Jijoca de Jericoacoara, Brazil
- Jupiter, Florida, US
- Kailua, Hawaii, US
- Key Biscayne, Florida, US
- Kitebeach, Martínez, Buenos Aires, Argentina [16]
- La Ventana, Baja, Mexico
- Lake Mille Lacs, MN, US
- Maui, Hawaii
- New Smyrna Beach, Florida
- Playa El Yaque, Isla Margarita, Venezuela
- Punta Rasa, San Clemente del Tuyú, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Punta del Este, Uruguay
- San Francisco Bay Area, California US
- Santa Cruz, CA US
- South Padre Island, TX, US
- Traverse City, Michigan, US
- Tranque Puclaro, Chile
- Las Penitas, Leon, Nicaragua
[edit] Asia
- Bintan, Indonesia
- Boracay Island, Philippines
- Chumpon, Thailand
- Kuantan, Malaysia
- Mui Ne, Vietnam[17]
- Nusa Dua beach, Bali, Indonesia[18]
- Penghu, Taiwan
- Ulsan, South Korea
[edit] Australia and New Zealand
- City Beach, Western Australia
- Geraldton, Australia[19]
- Lancelin, Western Australia[19]
- Merimbula, New South Wales
- Newcastle, New South Wales
- Port Douglas, Queensland[20]
- Port Phillip Bay[21]
- Sandy Point, Victoria[21]
- Tannum Sands, Queensland
[edit] Canada
- Callender Bay, Lake Nipissing, Ontario
- Iles de la Madeleine, Québec
- Nitinat Lake, British Columbia
- Squamish, British Columbia[22]
- Lake Winnipeg, Manitoba[23]
- Shippagan, New Brunswick[24]
[edit] Caribbean
- Cas en Bas, St. Lucia[25]
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines[26]
- Atlantis Beach, Bonaire, Dutch Antilles
- Ocean Park, Puerto Rico[27]
- Cabarete Bay, Dominican Republic [28]
- Silver Sands, Barbados
- Malmok Beach, Aruba, Dutch Antilles[29]
- Providenciales,Turks and Caicos Islands[30]
[edit] Europe
[edit] France
- Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône, Carteau beach
- Aber Wrac'h, Bretagne[31][32]
[edit] Germany
- Eiderstedt, Germany
- St. Peter Ording, Germany
[edit] Greece
- Naxos Island
- Paros Island
- Lefkada
- Prasonisi, Rhodes
- Keros beach, Lemnos Island
[edit] Ireland
- Bull Island, Dublin [33]
- Lahinch, Co. Clare
- Rush, Co. Dublin
- Tramore, Co. Waterford
- Rossnowlagh, Co. Donegal
- Rosses Point, Co. Sligo
- Keel, Achill Island, Co. Mayo
[edit] Italy
[edit] Lithuania
- Elektrenai, Elektrenu Marios "@lake" (electric plant artificial lake)
- Dreverna Kursiu Marios near delta of Dreverna river, Dreverna village near Priekule, Klaipeda district.
- Juodkrantė, JKR Kite beach Lithuanian seaside resort village located on the Curonian Spit. A part of Neringa municipality.
- Nida, Lithuania is a seaside resort town, located on the Curonian Spit.
- Monciskes, small seaside village near Palanga and Palanga International Airport.
- Šventoji, best Lithuanian wave spot called "Jaws". Where Šventoji River flows into the Baltic Sea near Šventoji settlement north of Palanga.
- LT Spot links.
[edit] The Netherlands
- Noordwijk Beach, The Netherlands
- Katwijk, The Netherlands
- Oostvoorne, The Netherlands
- Rockanje, The Netherlands
- IJmuiden, The Netherlands
- Renesse, The Netherlands
- Zandvoort, The Netherlands
- Callantsoog, The Netherlands
- Makkum, The Netherlands
- Harlingen, The Netherlands
- Muiderberg, The Netherlands
- Mirns, The Netherlands
- Workum, The Netherlands
- Neeltje-Jans, The Netherlands
- Borssele, The Netherlands
- Monster, The Netherlands
- Westland, The Netherlands
- Hindeloopen, The Netherlands
- Kamperland, The Netherlands
[edit] Poland
- Bay of Puck, Poland
- Rewa, Poland
[edit] Portugal
- Guincho Beach, Portugal
[edit] Spain
- Ayamonte, Isla Canela near Ayamonte, Spain
- Castelldefels, Barcelona, Spain
- Costa Calma, Fuerteventura, Canary Isles, Spain
- Lanzarote Famara [35]
- Tarifa, Spain [36][37]
[edit] Sweden
- Fortuna Beach Rydebäck, Sweden
- Lagan Båstad, Sweden
[edit] Switzerland
- Lake Silvaplana, Switzerland [38]
[edit] Turkey
[edit] United Kingdom
- Aberdeen, Scotland
- Ainsdale, England
- Allonby, England
- Blackpool, England
- The Bluff, Hayle[40]
- Camber Sands, East Sussex[41]
- Daymer Bay[42]
- Fleetwood, England
- Hill Head, England
- Hayling, England
- Littlestone-on-Sea, New Romney, Kent[43]
- Minnis Bay, Thanet, Kent[44]
- Newborough, Anglesey Wales.
- Poole Harbour[45]
- Southend, Essex[46]
- Weymouth, Dorset
- Worthing, West Sussex
- Portland Harbour, Dorset
[edit] Pacific
[edit] Rest of the World
[edit] Restrictions
Kite surfing is restricted or banned in some locations. This is generally the result of safety and liability concerns, excessive general beach traffic and poorly organized practising of kiteboarding. Bans have been reversed when kitesurfers have organized, prepared riding guidelines and negotiated with authorities for resumption of this sport. The primary reason why many experienced kite boarders stress safety and adequate quality professional instruction is to keep their sport from being banned or unduly restricted at their favorite location.
Not all locations will have explicit bans posted. Usually a simple warning from a park ranger, lifeguard or other official will let you know that kite surfing is not allowed. As a general rule, if you see other kiteboarders on the water, it is probably permitted. When new to an area or visiting be sure to ask about area restrictions and precautions before rigging up and riding. This simple courtesy should aid you in having a better riding session, avoid friction with locals and help to preserve kiting access for all of us. If riders offer suggestions, including not using a certain sized kite, relocating to a safer launch or not going out in current conditions, take what they say to heart. Ignoring well intended advice can cause unnecessary accidents and incidents.
[edit] External links
[edit] Spot Guides
- TheWindMap - Wiki of worldwide windsurfing and kitesurfing spots
- www.LocalKiteSpots.com - Color Maps and 6 day wind forecasts for Kite Spots. Local Launch Info & Directions.
- Kitebeaches.com - Kitesurfing and Windsurfing guide, by riders for riders.
- Kiteatlas.com - Kitesurfing spots guide featuring riders-contributed maps, pics and accurate info on spots and schools worldwide.
- Forces-of-Nature - UK Kitesurf beach guide
- wannakitesurf.com - an atlas of kitesurf spots based on a surf-spot atlas design
[edit] Location specific - non commercial
- Varna Kitesurfing - Kiteboarding in Varna,weather,photos&videos gallery.
- ChicagoKitesurfing.com - Kitesurfing info in the midwest region of the United States.
- Kiteboarding in Michigan - Kiteboarding & snowkiting location map for Michigan
- Outer Banks Kiteboarding - Information on Kiteboarding on the Outer Banks.
- NZ Kiteboarding - New Zealand kiteboarding community and magazine.
- www.kitesurfers.co.nz - Wellington, New Zealand, gallery, locations.
- kiteforum New Zealand - New Zealand kiteboarding locations and forum.
- NKV - Kitesurfing locations in The Netherlands according tot the NKV or Dutch Kitesurf Association.
- Kiteboard in Greece - Greek kitesurfing locations, news, gallery and forum
- KitesurfingAfrica.org - Kitesurfing in Africa
- LAKAWA - Minnesota kiteboarding resources
- Kitesurfing locations in Italy
- Kitesurfing in the Caribbean
- www.seabreeze.com.au - Australian kitesurfing news, weather and gallery.
- kitesurfing.com.au Sydney, Australia area daily kitesurfing weather forecasts, kitesurfing news, photo galleries and and other kitesurfing related information.
- Extreme-sports - Lithuanian kitesurfing, windsurfing, snowboarding news, weather, forum, locations and gallery.
- Hooked-on Kitesurfing Kitesurfing Dominican Republic
[edit] References
- ^ Azemmour Things To Do - Travel Guides, VirtualTourist.com
- ^ Azemmour Plage
- ^ Dubai watersports
- ^ Walvis Bay Speed week www.ikiteboarding.com
- ^ Cape Kite Surfing www.uncoverthecape.co.za
- ^ Canoa Quebrada kitesurf
- ^ Cape Hatteras Kiteboard Photography www.railgrab.com
- ^ First Kitesurf School on Isla Coche, Venezuela Opens
- ^ Kitesurfing on the Columbia River
- ^ Kitesurfing Holidays www.waveriders.biz
- ^ Cumbuco Kitesurf
- ^ Cumbuco Wind Forecast
- ^ Cumbuco.com - The largest english portal for Cumbuco
- ^ Kite Corpus kitecorpus.com
- ^ Kiteboarding at Corpus Christi TX
- ^ Kitebeach School (in Spanish)
- ^ Henry Brett Kiteboarding in Mui Ne, Vietnam
- ^ Bali Kite Surfing Tours
- ^ a b Windsuring in Western Australia
- ^ Kiteboarding FNQ information, Windswell, Port Douglas
- ^ a b Victorian location guide, Kiteboarding Victoria
- ^ Squamish Windsurfing Society
- ^ Grand Beach Kiteboarding
- ^ Kitesurfing Schools Worldwide (kitesurfingschool.org)
- ^ Original Official Guide to St. Lucia - Activities
- ^ Kitesurfing Grenadines
- ^ San Juan Condado Ocean Park Beach
- ^ Dominican Republic Kiteboarding
- ^ Windsurfing & kitesurfing travel: Caribbean Aruba
- ^ ProvoKiters
- ^ UCPA Aber Wrac'h Bretagne Kitesurf
- ^ WindGURU: France - L'Aber Wrac'h
- ^ Bull Island / Dollymount www.kitebeaches.com
- ^ 2006 Kiteboard Pro World Tour event, Lake Como, Italiaspeed.com, June 6, 2006
- ^ Kitesurfing Lanzarote, www.extremesportscafe.com
- ^ "the Wind Capital" www.tarifa.net
- ^ Kitesurfing Tarifa; Kite surfing, Kite courses and holidays
- ^ "Lake Silvaplana", www.wannakitesurf.com
- ^ [1], www.kiteboard-gokova.com
- ^ "The Bluff", www.windwatcher.net
- ^ "Kite Zones" Kites on Board
- ^ "Daymer Bay" www.surf-wax.co.uk
- ^ "Littlestone on Sea" www.kentkitesurfingclub.co.uk
- ^ "…members also into kitesurfing." Minnis Bay Windsurfing Club
- ^ "Tuition and Lessons from Poole Harbour Watersports", www.pooleharbour.co.uk
- ^ "Southend-on-Sea" Essex Kitesurfing Club
- ^ Windsurf and kitesurf, New Caledonia Tourism