This is my first post after riding & lurking since Nov 2007. I mostly ride lakes around Dallas with occasional trips to SPI.

I'm planning a 7 - 10 day trip with my wife either week of 12 Sep or 26 Sep. First priority: happy wife. Second priority: riding flat water. What does happy wife mean? Party scene doesn't matter, beautiful area for her photography does. I'll get more riding time if we stay a *very* short walk from the beach. A few good activities nearby would help a lot too.

I'm considering hatteras, south texas, and caribbean. Open to other locations - must be reachable on American Airlines (frequent flyer miles). I've seen the thread on vacation destinations by month and recognize that September isn't exactly prime kiting time in the caribbean, and it's hurricane season - but my wife automatically likes the exotic factor better than south texas.

My alternate option is a cruise from puerto rico through St Thomas, St Kitts, St Marten, St Lucia, and Barbados. I'm not sure whether it's even worth bringing the kites on that trip - but it does provide beautiful beaches for my wife's photography - and it gives us a chance to scope out the islands for a later trip to spend a week in one of them.

Any suggestions?

maybe maui? the kiting depends on your taste; but the photo ops will be awesome.

Hi arete,

how about Cabarete in the Dominican Republic? There is some flat water on kitebeach and very flat water in La Boca a rivermouth a 10 min away from Cabarete. If you like to try out some wavekiting there is nice waves out on the reef if you go a little further out on Kitebeach. Hurca Season i in full effect already but we did have god wind for kiting nearly every day for the past weeks.
Also when there are storms, they never come to this side of the island. If it really comes closer it hits the south of the island (Haiti/ south coast DR). The only thing we notice when there is a storm somewhere on the ocean, is a great swell and some good wind Check out some pics of the last tropical storm passing by http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set= ... 784&type=1

Cabarete has also a lot to offer apart from kiting. Nice restaurants, some shops (jewelery, clothes etc. for happy wife ) beautiful beaches to explore, waterfalls etc. So this would be perfect for your wife to get some good caribbean shots.

You can reach Cabarete bestflying into Puerto Plata which you can reach with American Airlines.

If you are interested have a look at www.hookedcabarete.com. We are a nice little boutique hotel in Cabarete (only 5 min by foot from the beach) where you can meet up with other active people (we get manly kiters and surfers staying with us) or just relax in the breautiful garden.

If you need any more information, regardless wether you wantto staywith s or not, just let me know.

Hang loose
Nino

Yeah I have these same goals each year, usually in October, but it's just hard to find anywhere in the Caribbean that's reliable in October. So we moved our trip later into the year, St. Thomas one year, Aruba last year, probably Tulum or Turks and Caicos this year in February.

It is really hard to find a place with hotels nearby and things to do to keep the wife happy where you can still kite.

Aruba fits this, but it's really gusty and can be a pain in the arse.

I also think Maui is good. For photography it is marvelous for surfing it is not that bad.

Hi if you still looking we got here in Cumbuco a perfect locations with a premium accommodation, 100% wind, massage, good food and restaurant , wave and flat ............
here you can check the accommodations ...I friend of us did no make to this trip so we still have availability, so let me know if we can help you !!!
Marco
http://www.extremecontrol.net/index.php ... 33&lang=en

try puerto plata is cheap and has a great flat water spot unique for pics.
www.kiteclubpuertoplata.com