Author: Kristin Vincenzo

You’re going on your first kitesurfing holiday! You should be thrilled! Traveling is a big part of what makes kitesurfing so special. Be excited, but don’t let your excitement distract you from the preparation necessary to make your first kitesurfing holiday your best holiday! Kiting is fun… hiccups are not, and we’ve got some tips to make your trip prep easy. 

Choosing Your Kitesurfing Destination

If you haven’t chosen your destination yet, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. As we mentioned in a post about the best place to learn to kitesurf, each kiteboarding spot is slightly different. Some conditions seem easier than others for beginners, but all conditions offer opportunities to learn and practice important skills. 

If you need suggestions for the best places to learn and enjoy kitesurfing, check out our Destinations guide for travel inspiration. 

Booking Your Kitesurfing Lessons

If you haven’t planned your lessons yet, have a look at the IKO Centers available at your destination. This way, you can make sure that you will be learning in a structured and organized environment with a qualified IKO Instructor. Check out 3 Reasons Why You Should Learn To Kite At An IKO Center. 

Keep in mind, lessons aren’t just for beginners. If this is your first time kiting away from your local spot, taking a lesson on the first day at any new location is an excellent way to familiarize yourself with the area. Ask your instructor about the local spot etiquette, any unmarked obstacles or dangers, and even the secret spots that only the locals know about.

Finding the Best Accommodation for a Kiter

One of the best things about this sport is the people who do it, so stay with or around other kiters! Kiters can be one of your best resources for spots and advice about kiting in the area. Do some research and find out, for example, if there is a local Facebook kitesurfing group that has recommendations on places to stay where you’re going. The IKO’s Facebook page is a great resource, as well as your “home” kiting group or even a “destination” group to offer recommendations for where to stay. 

The hotel or guesthouse you decide on might be located in the town near the spot, but there is a difference between AT the spot and NEAR the spot. Sometimes that difference might be a 20-minute walk every morning with your kite equipment (or a 10-minute car ride which brings up the cost of traveling) versus walking out of your bedroom and setting up your kite with your morning coffee in hand.

Photo: Abu Soma Riders

Something else to think about when deciding on your accommodations is whether they provide a place to store your gear or whether you will have to sleep with your sandy equipment next to your bed every night. You’re on vacation, so make it easy on yourself! Ask your IKO Center if they have storage and leave your gear safely on the spot. You’ll appreciate the convenience.

If you need some help deciding on accommodations, especially If you’re a beginner, contact your IKO Center at the destination to get recommendations. They may have accommodations for students, which is crazy convenient, or they may be able to tell you about local kiting guesthouses or hotels where kiters usually stay. If you’re traveling by yourself, the school may even be able to connect you with other students who are looking to share accommodations. A lot of the best kiting spots are remote, so you want to make sure you’re staying around people and feel safe.

Booking Flights for a Kitesurf Trip

To find the best prices for flying you and your equipment, try searching for the best flights on travel sites like Expedia.com and Google Flights. There are also apps like SkyScanner, Kayak and Trivago that offer information on cheap flights. 

Keep in mind that some of the best kitesurfing spots are remote and far from international airports. Your IKO Center can offer advice about which airport is the most convenient and potentially the cheapest to fly into, so make sure you ask them before booking a ticket.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Before purchasing tickets, check the airline websites to find out about extra costs for bringing equipment. A cheap ticket isn’t as cheap if you have to pay $100+ dollars extra to bring kitesurfing gear or a surfboard. Here is a post from The Points Guy on some extra charges for bringing sports equipment on your flight. 

Booking Transportation to Reach the Kite Spot

If you’ve booked lessons with an IKO Center, contact them to ask about transportation options from the airport. They know the area! So take advantage of the local knowledge and see if they can either recommend a shuttle service they trust or advise you on whether or not you need to rent a car. 

Also, the hotel or guesthouse where you are staying can definitely advise on the best way to get from the airport. Keep in mind that many of the available transportation options may not accommodate kitesurfing equipment. For example, a taxi or a bus might not have the available space for all your gear. One reason more to get expert advice from someone at the destination.

How Long Should Your Kitesurfing Holiday Be?

Every budget is different, and vacation times vary from company to company and country to country. If you are able to do it, we recommend at least one week for just lessons. Two weeks is ideal because it gives you time to both learn and have time to practice your new skills.

Kitesurfing can be a challenging sport to learn, and nothing helps you get better than time on the water with an IKO instructor. If you’re going on holiday to learn how to kitesurf, you can assume it will take you about 3 to 6 days of lessons to get your kite handling and board skills to the point where you can try going out riding on your own.

After that first week, you’re going to want more days on the water to practice the skills you learned and create some muscle memory. Ask your IKO Center for supervision with an Assistant Instructor. You’ll have the freedom of kiting on your own with the safety of a trained person when you need it. 

Photo: White Dune Kiting

When Should You Make Reservations for Your Kite Holidays?

Traveling can be stressful, even if you’re traveling for fun. Do yourself a favor and book 3 to 6 months in advance so you can get the best prices on airfare, accommodations and lessons. The travel industry now has access to powerful technologies and the days of last-minute deals or price drops are over. If you wait, you will likely pay a lot more than you should for your travel services and you risk having less choice. You don’t want to get stuck in a bad hotel or miss out on a day of lessons because everything was booked two weeks before you got there.

Remember, if you have any questions about any part of your planning, contact your IKO Center. They don’t just teach kitesurfing lessons, they are a resource for the entire kiting and traveling experience! 

Now check out part 2 of 3 of this Ultimate guide about traveling with your kitesurfing gear.

Banner: Cabrinha / James Boulding

Author: Kristin Vincenzo