Best Winter Kitesurfing Destinations – Where to Kitesurf in winter

With the winter season in full swing, it is only natural to crave warm beaches and a lot of sunshine. And if one can manage to get some adrenaline action on top of all that, it becomes more amazing. So if you want a lot of sunshine, warm beaches, and also want to try an extreme sport, we recommend you go kitesurfing during the winter season!

If you are from the Northern Hemisphere, you would know how harsh winters can get during December, January, and the rest of the season. But in other parts of the world, you can easily find warm water and even warm air temperatures.

Booking a kitesurfing vacation during the winter season is a win-win situation no matter how you look at it… On the one hand, you get to escape the harsh winters, and on the other hand, you get to enjoy kitesurfing in exotic locations around the world!

As it goes with planning any type of holiday, you will need to decide on what conditions you want. Do you prefer a kitesurfing destination close to your home? Are you looking for a more exotic location with blue water and sandy beaches? Are you going kitesurfing with friends/family or alone? All of these questions become very important when planning a kitesurfing vacation during the winter season!

So are you ready to visit the best kitesurfing destinations in winter? Well, before we get to that, let’s look at some of the benefits of going kitesurfing during the winter season!

4 Reasons for Kitesurfing during Winter Season

What makes the winter season so great for kitesurfing? Well, take a look at 4 reasons:

Warm Temperature

Just the thought of stepping your foot in water gives you cold chills? It is a normal reaction during the winter season, but you can change that by visiting one of the suitable kitesurfing destinations! In pretty much all the kitesurfing destinations which are open during the winter season, you will be able to enjoy warm water and outside temperatures.

So the first and most obvious benefit of going kitesurfing during the winter season is that you get to enjoy warm temperatures without worrying about chilling cold, snow, and all of that!

Make Memories

During the peak winter season, it just seems that things have slowed down as everyone prefers to spend time indoors to escape the low temperatures. And on top of that, the winter holidays are also common around the world! With conditions like these, there’s no better way to make your vacations great than to go kitesurfing!

You will be able to book a memorable kitesurfing vacation during the winter… And if you are going with the family, you can make great memories in an exotic location!

Good Kitesurfing Conditions

In some parts of the world, the kitesurfing conditions may not be ideal due to the extreme winter. However, there are a lot of great kitesurfing destinations which remain open throughout the winter season. In fact, the conditions in these spots are really good for kitesurfing – From winds to waves to a lot of sunlight, you can get the perfect combination!

Experience Local Culture

Does it feel like you will have to spend the winter season indoors and you don’t have a choice? Well, there are a lot of choices actually! When you book a kitesurfing vacation during the winter season in a good spot, you will be able to enjoy amazing local culture and even the local food! If I am asked to compare the two choices (spending time indoors vs. going to an exotic location), I would most definitely go with the 2nd option!

Especially in places such as Sri Lanka, there’s a lot of diversity to experience in different parts of the country. From amazing places to friendly people to great food, there’s a lot you can do during the winter!

Best Kitesurfing Destinations for winter

Now that you have a lot of reasons to go kitesurfing during winter, let’s look at some of the best spots for the winter season:

1. Kalpitiya (Sri Lanka)

Kalpitiya is located in Sri Lanka and is a small fishing town near the northwest coast of the country. The best part about Kalpitiya is that it offers great months for around 8 – 9 months. And even in other months, the winds are more than enough to go kitesurfing! There are not a lot of kitesurfing spots that offer such high wind reliability!

In Kalpitiya, you get a lot of options in terms of water lagoons, and the water is classified as ‘butter flat.’ That’s why Kalpitiya is perfectly suitable for all types of riders (new and freestyle) during the winter season. Since we are talking about the winter season, in particular, the best months to visit this spot in Sri Lanka are December, January, and February.

If you are into wave riding, then Kalpitiya also has something for you – You can find a lot of waves at Donkey point! On Average, you can get waves of around 1 – 2m (small to medium), which is enough for surfing or any other type of water sport. And the best part is that you can get to Donkey point within 20 minutes using local transport such as tuk-tuk.

As for the accommodation situation in Kalpitiya, there are options for everyone – From solo kitesurfers to those traveling with family and friends!

Come to kitesurfing in Sri Lanka with us 🙂

2. Cape Town (South Africa)

Cape Town offers the perfect blend of adventure, city life, and kitesurfing during the winter season! This place offers great winds on pretty much all the beaches near the Blouberg area.

The windy season in Cape Town starts in October and remains in effect till March. So if you go to Cape Town for kitesurfing during the winter season, you will be greeted with good winds and a lot of other kitesurfers. Since the conditions in Cape Town are ideal and beginner-friendly, it attracts all types of kiters (amateurs, learners, and even pros).

And when you are not doing kitesurfing on the waters of Cape Town, you will also have a lot to explore in Cape Town, such as great beaches, amazing food, shopping, sightseeing, and so on.

You can visit Cape Town during November, December, January, February, and March… Basically, this place is ideal for kitesurfing for the entire winter season!

3. Watamu (Kenya)

The 3rd kitesurfing spot is Watamu from Kenya, which also offers superb conditions during the winter season. The best month to visit Watamu during winter is December, January, February, and March. During these months, the wind remains consistent, and the water is butter flat which makes it an even more interesting choice for the kitesurfers.

If we look at the transportation situation, the nearest airport is Malindi which is only 30 minutes away. The next nearest airport is Nairobi, from where it takes roughly 1 hour. In short, it will take only a few hours at best to reach this kitesurfing spot in Kenya.

The lagoons of Watamu (Kenya) feature flat to choppy water and also feature small waves which can go as high as 1m.

4. Boracay (Philippines)

Boracay is one of the Islands of the Philippines and is known as a party island among tourists. But despite all the crowd present in this spot, there is one particular area which doesn’t get a lot of tourists… I am talking about Bulabog beach, located in Boracay, known for its strong winds and very few tourists. For a kitesurfer, that’s like a dream come true as you can surf the wide water lagoons without any interruptions.

The water situation in Boracay is also ideal during the winter season – You can expect flat to choppy water, which is good for all types of riders (beginners and pros). To top it all off, you can also find kitesurfing schools in the Boracay area which means that even those wishing to learn can visit this spot.

5. Mui Ne (Vietnam)

The last spot on our list is Mui Ne which also presents ideal kitesurfing conditions during the winter season. In fact, it is one of the hotspots among tourists and kitesurfers in Vietnam.

During the day, the wind continues to increase due to the miles of white and red dunes present in the area. As for the water, it is usually flat or choppy, and you can easily find a lot of waves if you are into wave riding.

If you are planning to visit someplace during the winter season with family and friends who do not kitesurf, then Mui Ne can be a great choice as well. In this spot, there’s plenty to experience and explore, such as ancient mines, white dunes, fishing, fairy stream, lakes, and so on. 

Conclusion

Who said that winters have to be cold and boring? You can bring the fun back to the winter season by going kitesurfing at one of the above-mentioned spots. In fact, you do not have to limit yourself to the winter spots mentioned above – There are plenty of other spots around the world which open up during the winter season and offer good conditions for kitesurfing.

And since it will be winter season, it will be a good idea to bring your wetsuit with you just in case the water is a little cold. But in general, the temperature will be moderate in most of the famous kitesurfing spots despite the winter season!