Heading down to Bahia Salias for some (hopefully) nuking wind! Wanted to know whether it's more fun (for a 28 year old single guy) to stay at the kitehouse or blue dream hotel. I'm heading down with a buddy of mine who doesn't kite, so figured the better spot to just hang out would be appreciated on his part.

many thanks!

how bout Cometa Copal Kitesurfing(that's me!!!)....beachfront villas or hilltop cabinas, villas are the closest you can be....
pool, wifi, onsite restaurant (opening soon)
www.puro-viento.com
lguardbl@gmail.com
cheers
bob

How are the winds on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica in comparison?

I have heard great things about the Cocles area (near Puerto Viejo) for being a little more off the beaten path, beautiful, cheaper, and worth the extra drive. But how is the wind in comparison?
map link

carib side is beautiful, but no real wind for kiting maybe a day here and there...i have had kiters from there, come here...
also, have caught other beaches with wind, just not everyday like here

Blue Dream Hotel!!!

Nicola started the kiting in Playa Copal. Has the most infrastructure and is there every year. TheKiteHouse is not there every season.

His hotel has a full restaurant and bar.

Yes, I am biased as I worked there a few seasons back. Cometa Copal is also fine. But Blue Dream is a bit nicer and more set up.

Between those choices I would pick walking distance to the beach as the main priority

I really like the Blue Dream. Nicola is a great guy and has done a lot to make the area very kite friendly. Last time I was there was several years ago, but when I was there, people would usually drive from the Blue Dream hotel (Playa Papaturro) to Playa Copal, about two miles away (Nicola would shuttle people back and forth for free, I don't know if this has changed). I was the only one kiting at the beach right at the Blue Dream- it is better kiting there (I've been there several times and kited both beaches a good amount). Sandier, cleaner wind, and since most people would drive downwind to kite, you can always do a downwinder and get a ride back.

If you are there in the winter, you will get nuking winds. During one three week stretch in January I was on my 7 every day except for two (when the wind died down enough for a 9).

Why would even consider going to Bahia Salinas for kiting? Yes it is very windy during windy season but extremely gusty. And I mean from 10-30 in 10 minutes. Choppy water, no waves, dark water so you cannot see the sting rays and sea irchins... regardless where you stay in bahia Slainas you will be in the middle of nowhere. The website for Blue Dream is fancy but it is a horrible place for kiting. People that like it must never have been to a good kite destination like Hawaii, Venezuela, Peru, Brazil or Dominican Republic. My 2 cents is to go to another place.

let's look at it from this point of view: if you're looking for a place where you have to wait for wind, if you want to kite with 12mt o bigger kites, if you want to kite among many kiters...don't come at Bahia Salinas. BUT: if you want to have every day more then 20 kns (between December and April) all day long, use maximum a 9mt kite for 80% of the days, average 15/25 kiters in a wide area (it's a bay with 4 beaches from where you can kite), super flat water at the reef and at the island Bolanos, 4 feet wind waves at the end of the bay to play with, 50 kms of downwinder in a day in open ocean, kite with giant turtles, well, you are at the right place For these reasons I've been kiting here every season for the last 12 years.
Water is a bit muddy close to the shore, but at 300 mts from the beach is clear, especially at the reef and the island, where you can see the bottom of the sea while you're kiting.
The sting rays are annoying yes: but consider that we have 2/3 cases per month with an average of 20 people in the water every day. So, about 0.5% of chance to get one. It's painful but with hot water over the sting, pain is gone in 1 or 2 hours and you're back in the water.

C U in the air
Nicola
www.bluedreamhotel.com

As someone who has kited there a few times and many other good spots in the world I had to chime in as Kitloco is being harsh. This is a great high wind spot with wind every day. I remember kiting over to a beautiful island over there and getting some nice flat water spots. Being in the middle of nowhere for me was part of the appeal. So yes if you want a party town, mellow kiting with big kites then this is not for you but it is an awesome spot all the same and I think everywhere has pros and cons. Also I stayed at the Blue dream which was great (this was a few years back).