Some adrenaline-thirsty travellers pursue fresh powder, and some seek the perfect surf break. Others strap themselves to a 10m-wide kite and skim across the waves, looking for a chance to catch a little air.
-Advertisement-
“When I’m out on the water, I feel like a kid again,” said Jennine Cohen, 43, the founder of Wild Blue Retreats, which leads wellness-focused kiteboarding trips around the world.
Kiteboarding, also called kitesurfing, typically relies on an oblong-shaped board, which riders stand on like a snowboard. An arc-shaped kite attaches to the waist, while a hand-held bar allows riders to direct the kite.
Kiteboarding recently made its Olympic debut in Marseille, France, reflecting its skyrocketing popularity. In the past decade, according to the International Kiteboarding Organisation, which offers a beginner course through its affiliated schools, the number of new kiteboarders certified to ride independently more than doubled, to 50,000 in 2023 from 23,000 in 2014.
The rapid speeds and sometimes soaring jumps may give people the feeling that kiteboarding is dangerous, but when you learn from a certified instructor, it is generally safe, as long as you know how to swim, said Frederic Béné, 57, a co-founder of the IKO, which represents more than 700,000 kiteboarders, 5,000 certified instructors and 350 affiliated centres in more than 60 countries.
To learn the basics, Cohen recommends blocking out at least five days for lessons and choosing a destination with consistent side-onshore wind (blowing toward land rather than out to sea), flat water, experienced instructors, and accessibility to launch spots with a sandy bottom and minimal waves and crowds.
Here are six places to get your feet wet:
Hood River, Oregon, the United States
Nestled in the Columbia River Gorge about an hour east of Portland in Oregon, Hood River is a US mecca for kiteboarding. During the summer, breezes funnel through the gorge, producing winds that regularly blow 16kmph to 56kmph, while river temperatures range from 12°C to 18°C. “Hood River is a great place for a beginner to learn because the consistency of conditions allows riders to get on the water a lot, which speeds up the learning curve,” said Sensi Graves, 35, founder of Strut Kiteboarding, which hosts women-focused camps in the town.
Other options include Cascade Kiteboarding, Doug’s Water Sports, and Brian’s Kiteboarding, Windsurfing & SUP (stand-up paddle). Off the river, Hood River offers mountain biking, hiking, breweries, wineries and more.
Cabarete, Dominican Republic
Professional kiteboarder Robinson Hilario has travelled the world perfecting his skills, but the culture and wind conditions of Cabarete, his hometown in the Dominican Republic, always tug him back. In 2023, Hilario helped found Kite Kingdom, which offers seven-day camps that include IKO-certified instructors, beachfront accommodations, meals, yoga and stretching sessions.
Cabarete’s consistent 21kmph-to-45kmph winds, 26°C water and year-round season draw both novices and professionals. “Cabarete really turned me into an athlete,” said Nicole Gallub, 45, originally from Washington, DC, who took beginner lessons at Champion Kite School Cabarete.
Visitors can also ride horses, rappel waterfalls, take dune buggy rides and enjoy beachfront restaurants and bars. Cabarete is about 30 minutes away from Puerto Plata Airport.
La Ventana, Mexico
The turquoise, consistently 20°C waters of the Gulf of California and steady 19kmph-to-56kmph winds draw kiteboarders to La Ventana, on the Baja Peninsula, from November to April. Marie-Christine Leclerc, 41, and her husband, Mark Bavis, 50, run Elevation Kiteboarding, which in 2005 was one of the village’s first kite schools.
-Advertisement-
Other schools with IKO-certified instructors include Saladita, Evolution Kiteboarding and Chilochill.
Leclerc recommends booking Jet Ski-assisted lessons, in which instructors ride slightly behind students, providing corrections through radio-equipped helmets. Elevation Kiteboarding caters to children, who require shorter lines and smaller kites. (Kids need to be at least eight years old or 36kg, whichever comes first.)
Visitors can also fish, go whale watching, mountain bike, enjoy live music or take yoga classes. La Ventana is just over two hours from Los Cabos International Airport.
Prea, Brazil
Once a sleepy fishing village, Prea is now a kiteboarding hot spot. The area, on the northeast coast of Brazil, is popular for consistent, warm winds that blow roughly 56kmph between June and January and water temperatures of 26°C most days. “Prea is a paradise for kiteboarders,” said Daniel Machado, 49, manager of Preabeach Experience.
Other options include Rancho do Peixe and Rancho do Kite.
Off the water, there’s plenty to do in the area, including quad and buggy rentals, horseback riding, and swimming in freshwater lagoons. International travellers can fly directly from Miami, Florida in the US to Fortaleza-Pinto Martins International Airport, about three-and-a-half hours from Prea, or take a regional flight to Jericoacoara, only 10 minutes away.
Tarifa, Spain
The small Andalusian beach community of Tarifa has a reputation as the kiteboarding capital of Europe. The town, about 90 minutes from the international airport in Malaga, has more than 300 windy days a year and more than 60 internationally accredited kiteboarding schools.
Water temperatures stay between 16°C and 22°C, and winds average 40kmph. “Our students range from doctors and chefs to schoolteachers and digital nomads,” said Giuseppe Salvini, 45, a co-founder of Kite Progress.
Salvini recommends booking lessons at a school that offers a private boat, which allows students to practice away from other kiteboarders and to quickly retrieve lost gear. Other schools include KTS Tarifa and Free Your Mind, which offers a course geared toward women.
Beyond water sports, travellers can wander cobblestone streets, hike in the Pena Mountains, take a sunset horseback ride at Bolonia Beach or kick back at a beach club.
Essaouira, Morocco
On Morocco’s Atlantic coast, Essaouira, roughly 185km west of Marrakesh, is renowned for its strong, reliable winds and historic charm. The windy season typically runs from April to October, with consistent 32kmph-to-56kmph breezes from June to August and approximately 18°C water year-round.
“To learn kitesurfing, normally you need around 12 hours minimum to be able to ride your first couple of meters independently,” said Nasser Abdelouahad, 44, who owns Explora Watersports and Essaouira Surf House, a kite school and beachfront accommodation. “This typically happens between five days and a week.”
Explora offers multi-day packages for beginners, including lessons, six nights’ accommodation, equipment rental, breakfast and one traditional Moroccan dinner.
Bleukite and Kite & Surf Essaouira, other locally owned outfitters, offer beginner kiteboarding packages as well. Visitors can also ride horses or explore Essaouira’s bustling Unesco-listed medina.
-NORA WALSH/The New York Times
-TheStar