Samui Island, more commonly known as Koh Samui, is a landmass located off the eastern coast of the Gulf of Thailand. It’s popular among locals and tourists alike, thanks to its pristine beaches and spectacular landscapes. However, those are not the only thing that Koh Samui has to offer, as it has recently become Thailand’s capital for extreme water sports. Kiteboarding is one of the things Koh Samui is known for. In this article, we will tell what you can expect from it.
The popularity of kiteboarding in Samui
Kiteboarding and kitesurfing first became popular in Koh Phangan—an island located around 12 km from Koh Samui before spreading to its mother island within the past few years. The sport is an exciting combination of paragliding and surfing, as the surfer holds on to the kite and they let the waves and wind guide them around. Samui is a popular location for this sport because the sea around the area is not too rough for surfing, nor is it too mellow. The wind is almost always strong in the area due to its geographical landscape. This creates a perfect environment for kitesurfing as it allows people to have fun and stay safe while doing so.
The best time for kiteboarding is from November to February, as that’s when the wind is at its strongest with very little chance of rain. The worst season for it is from April through May, as that’s when the rain will start picking up and the heat is at its most extreme. If you want to try kiteboarding, Hua Thanon, Maenam, and Nathon are the best places to visit.
Look for IKO-licensed services
If you want to learn to kitesurf, you can take lessons from one of the many licensed businesses in Koh Samui. The International Kiteboarding Organization (IKO) is an organization that licenses kiteboarding course providers around the world, and many shops in Thailand are qualified to teach this sport.
Most day courses will set you back around 4,000 baht per person, depending on the course provider.
Each class will consist of two to four students, which is the perfect number, as it allows the instructor to pay equal attention to everyone. If you want a more authentic and exciting experience, we recommend that you take one of the three-day courses which cost around 12,000 baht. You will learn pretty much everything you need to know, which will give you a solid foundation to perform at a higher level in the future. Once you get the hang of it, you can quickly learn new tricks or go into rougher waters to sharpen your skills.
Where are the best places to kiteboard?
Some places you can contact for kiteboarding in Samui include Koh Samui Kiteboarding (KSK), Kiteboarding Asia (KBA), and One2Kite.
One thing you have to keep in mind is that you will most likely have to rent equipment, including a board, kite, and suit, every time you plan to go kiteboarding. The equipment isn’t easy to find anywhere else, as it’s not exactly the most popular sport. Therefore, you will need to talk to the shop to see if you can rent equipment from them.
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