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alexrider wrote:Koh Phan Ngan.

Many pleasant resorts right on the beach near Thong Sala, either side of Holiday Beach Resort.


Flat enough?

Looks nice!

How is the wind what time of year is the best wind?
How strong is wind and how manny days can u kite/week?

They're all flat waterspots in Thailand because there is no frickin wind. Oh I wish I could say differently but that is the case. You have to be light, have a big booard, a big kite, and even then you will barely be able to launch on most days even during the so-called wind season, which is now in the Gulf.

I went to Kho Phagnan last month and was barely able to keep up wind. Really a pain in the ass to lug your equipment all the way there (plane, boat, bus, train etc). Oh sure, go to Kho Phagnan for the full moon party and if it happens to be windy as hell rent some gear and go kiting. But don't kid yourself, it's no kiting destination.

Even Hua Hin is a pretty weak location for kiting most of the time. I wish I could say differently. If it were, I'd be there every weekend.

Northwest Sri Lanka has the goods in terms of wind all monsoon season. It just has zero infrastructure. You are either being ripped off by the few people catering to westerners or you are renting a room from an illiterate fishing family and still getting ripped off.

Vietnam has a short but relatively wind season, very reasonable accomodation but is a pain to get to.

Taiwan puts up some sick wind stats. I've yet to make a trip, but that's the one to go to.

ChickenTikka wrote:They're all flat waterspots in Thailand because there is no frickin wind. Oh I wish I could say differently but that is the case. You have to be light, have a big booard, a big kite, and even then you will barely be able to launch on most days even during the so-called wind season, which is now in the Gulf.

I went to Kho Phagnan last month and was barely able to keep up wind. Really a pain in the ass to lug your equipment all the way there (plane, boat, bus, train etc). Oh sure, go to Kho Phagnan for the full moon party and if it happens to be windy as hell rent some gear and go kiting. But don't kid yourself, it's no kiting destination.

Even Hua Hin is a pretty weak location for kiting most of the time. I wish I could say differently. If it were, I'd be there every weekend.

Northwest Sri Lanka has the goods in terms of wind all monsoon season. It just has zero infrastructure. You are either being ripped off by the few people catering to westerners or you are renting a room from an illiterate fishing family and still getting ripped off.

Vietnam has a short but relatively wind season, very reasonable accomodation but is a pain to get to.

Taiwan puts up some sick wind stats. I've yet to make a trip, but that's the one to go to.

+1

Cheers
Caesar

kygen wrote:

alexrider wrote:Koh Phan Ngan.

Many pleasant resorts right on the beach near Thong Sala, either side of Holiday Beach Resort.
Flat enough?

Looks nice!

How is the wind what time of year is the best wind?
How strong is wind and how manny days can u kite/week?

It's good, but definitely not nuking, as far as I remember.
March on- wards is not as good because if low tied exposing the coral.
For more details, ask Cuttlebone Pascal (the cool manager):
http://www.cuttlebone.net/

+2 for what Chicken said, he took the words right from my mouth as I was reading the thread before I got to his post.

I did get Sri Lanka and it's flat water lagoons good for 6 days in early January, mostly on 9-12 meter kites. With that said I understand that during the winter time wind can play hard to get there.

Ryukyu Islands, Japan. Ishigaki and Miyakojima both have some pretty unbelievable flatwater spots according to the research I've done. Bit of a language barrier there but from what I've seen, it's worth learning to sign what you want. Or at least buying a phrase book. 9-12m kites should do the trick for most riders I would think.

Bagasbas Beach in Daet, Camarines Norte Province, Philippines. It has a waist-deep flat water lagoon and lots of places to stay just a short walk away.
The season is from November to March.

Flat water and consistent wind

Winter season (November — March)

Many islands in Philippines like:
— Boracay, real flat on low tide (2 hours a day), now its from 6am to 8am. If you can wake up early, that is for you. Wide choice of accommodation. Good kitesurfing infrastructure. No-wind attractions. Good for going with girlfriend — nice beaches. Overprices and overcrowded. Most developed and easy-going kitesurfing destination in Asia.
— Daet / Bagasbas. I've hear, that it's not crowded, more wild, more wind, less sunny.
— Many other islands (like Cuyo) with reef protected lagoons, but in other things they are overall wild destinations.

Vietnam
— Phu Qyu. Small and "wild", island in the middle of sea, wind is nuking like hell, waves up to 3-4m. No infrastructure, no internet, serious problems with electricity. If there is big waves (which is quite often), ferry stops to go, so you're stuck for 1,2,3,4 weeks (who knows?).
— Cam Ranh. Far from accommodation, lake, no infrastructure, no kiters, wind is gusty (due to mountains).

China / Hainan. Don't know much about this spot.

Summer season (May — September)

Sri Lanka
— Kalpitiya, going there in 1 month. Very big lagoons with flat water, wind should be consistent due to Venturi effect, very wild, almost no infrastructure.

All year round destination

Taiwan
— Penghu islands. Wind is nuking (too much very often), all year round destination (again Venturi). Some spots with flat water. Not very warm there.

Flat water because of no wind
— Bali. Sometimes you can get some wind for 12m².
— Thailand (all spots). Sometimes you can get even for 9m² kite, but most of the time you're sitting on the beach and waiting for a miracle. You can have kiteboarding as a bonus, but going for only kiting there would be frustrating experience. Nice infrastructure in some spots (Hua Hin) — big choice and low prices for accommodation, wide beach, lots of shops and schools.

dandaka wrote:Flat water and consistent wind

good info!

I am on my way to check out the north of the Philippines.
All info will be posted soon on www.splocs.com
Looks like there are some really nice river mouths.