thinking that by Sept the madness may have calmed and we can hop flights again .

Looking for recommendations on best short distance travel from east coast for week of kiting ... ? dreaming of islands and flat water lagoons. will probably have a beginner in the crew to cater for also.

maybe within 4-5 hours flight of Brisbane ...

Kitesurfari, shorter than 4 hours flight time, epic wind and flat water.

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Hardcarve1 said..
Kitesurfari, shorter than 4 hours flight time, epic wind and flat water.

... thanks ... that looks like a good option.

Scared of crocodiles though...

Sri Lanka - direct flights from Melbourne or layover at Singapore. A bit longer than 4-5 hours but there are no covid restrictions, it's cheap as chips ($70/night for an a/c room in a hotel with a pool, bar, etc) and the wind is guaranteed. The season runs to end of September so its better a bit earlier as a winter escape.

If I wasn't going to Brazil that would be my destination.

WA, oghhh sorry, nah

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geefix said..

Hardcarve1 said..
Kitesurfari, shorter than 4 hours flight time, epic wind and flat water.

... thanks ... that looks like a good option.

Scared of crocodiles though...

You won't have to worry about crocs there. Great location, middle of nowhere, and epic winds all day long. Kite before breakfast, eat, kite, eat, kite etc etc.

Can definitely recommend the kitesurfari in FNQ. Ant and Paully are amazing hosts, the spot is epic, great winds and it's affordable.

Here is a picture taken from our bedroom:



Christian - KiteBud

Brazil might have to be on the list this year for me.

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cbulota said..
Can definitely recommend the kitesurfari in FNQ. Ant and Paully are amazing hosts, the spot is epic, great winds and it's affordable.

Here is a picture taken from our bedroom:



Christian - KiteBud

Ha, we had the same bungalow. I should have mentioned the hosts Pauly and Ant. Great people, super fun to be around, always willing to help out with whatever. The food is great, more than you can eat at any given meal. I wasn't used to the 24/7 wind and it took me a bit to get used to the howling all night long. But after a couple days I was so tired I slept through every noise.

i think you can pretty much give up on the idea of regular Joe's being able to freely travel overseas again, no matter how many poison needles you subject yourself to.
I've been to AKS and it was great. Ant and Pauly are the best, the place is an oasis and they have a bunch of fur friends who love a pat.
just make sure you take enough booze.
i got on the bus at Cairns with four boxes of beers for a seven day trip. i could tell people thought i was nuts.
but, having done many boat trips in the past, and seeing the forecast was only so-so ( last trip of the season), i saved the day when everyone else ran out.
also, is pretty easy to score weed in Cairns.

The only problem with Ants camp is that 1-2 hours each side of low tide it isn't possible to kite. Which happened to be at around 1400 when I went there.
So we would kite from 6am to about noon (with a breakfast break). Have lunch, and then sit around and wait until around 1600 (it gets dark at 1800-ish).
If I were to go again, I would pick a week where high tide is midday / early arvo.
That said, the price has gone up, a lot, since I went. Appreciate it costs a lot to keep an operation like that running but it might be a barrier for me to go again, at least for a while.

End of September or October you should have good wind in Shark bay (WA)

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Phoney said..
The only problem with Ants camp is that 1-2 hours each side of low tide it isn't possible to kite. Which happened to be at around 1400 when I went there.
So we would kite from 6am to about noon (with a breakfast break). Have lunch, and then sit around and wait until around 1600 (it gets dark at 1800-ish).
If I were to go again, I would pick a week where high tide is midday / early arvo.
That said, the price has gone up, a lot, since I went. Appreciate it costs a lot to keep an operation like that running but it might be a barrier for me to go again, at least for a while.

You should of done ya research, classic seabreeze you blame someone else for the movement of the planet

1. Who was I blaming? Just telling it like it is.
2. I did my research, back then there were only a handful of threads about the place on SB and none mentioned the tides. whatever, by no means did it spoil my trip, it was more just a tip for anyone else planning to visit. Coz when you're shelling out $500/day, you wanna get your maximum money's worth right.

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Phoney said..
The only problem with Ants camp is that 1-2 hours each side of low tide it isn't possible to kite. Which happened to be at around 1400 when I went there.
So we would kite from 6am to about noon (with a breakfast break). Have lunch, and then sit around and wait until around 1600 (it gets dark at 1800-ish).
If I were to go again, I would pick a week where high tide is midday / early arvo.
That said, the price has gone up, a lot, since I went. Appreciate it costs a lot to keep an operation like that running but it might be a barrier for me to go again, at least for a while.

We kited at the lowest tides with no issues at all, you simply need to walk away you can always find deeper water to kite regardless of the tide. Yes, it's more enjoyable with more space at mid to high tides but it's possible to kite at any tide there.

We paid $150 per night for a cabin and $60 for the return transfer from the campsite to the kite spot. If you choose the self-catered option (bring your own food & cook your own meals) you have nothing else to spend. Unbelievable value for money.

Much better winds compared to trying to kite in Cairns or Port Douglas. There was almost no wind for multiple weeks when we were there....but plenty of wind at the Kitesurfari north of Cooktown.

Christian

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cbulota said..

Phoney said..
The only problem with Ants camp is that 1-2 hours each side of low tide it isn't possible to kite. Which happened to be at around 1400 when I went there.
So we would kite from 6am to about noon (with a breakfast break). Have lunch, and then sit around and wait until around 1600 (it gets dark at 1800-ish).
If I were to go again, I would pick a week where high tide is midday / early arvo.
That said, the price has gone up, a lot, since I went. Appreciate it costs a lot to keep an operation like that running but it might be a barrier for me to go again, at least for a while.

We kited at the lowest tides with no issues at all, you simply need to walk away you can always find deeper water to kite regardless of the tide. Yes, it's more enjoyable with more space at mid to high tides but it's possible to kite at any tide there.

We paid $150 per night for a cabin and $60 for the return transfer from the campsite to the kite spot. If you choose the self-catered option (bring your own food & cook your own meals) you have nothing else to spend. Unbelievable value for money.

Much better winds compared to trying to kite in Cairns or Port Douglas. There was almost no wind for multiple weeks when we were there....but plenty of wind at the Kitesurfari north of Cooktown.

Christian

That was our observation as well. I was able to foil at low tide as well. South of the lagoon there is a deeper section that can be foiled in any tide, and it starts to run parallel to the beach. It's mostly sand. I did hit the reef once at the very end of the lagoon but it was more of a careless mistake on my part.
I thought Kitesurfari was excellent value for money. It's wild place, one I have never been to and I saw wildlife I had not seen before. One morning there was a jabiru in front of the camp. I had never seen one in the wild before. Seeing a prehistoric looking 6 foot bird dancing around in the shallows was something I will never forget.

Talking about places overseas and on the east coast. You're not considering Western Australians...

How dare you!!

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bjw said..
Brazil might have to be on the list this year for me.

Yeah after two years being locked up at home why would you do a domestic holiday now.!!

Just returned from a month in Srilanka at Kalpitya 3hrs north of airport. I flew from Sydney direct to Colombo 11hrs, maybe shorter from Brisbane. Next season is June, July, August and is a great spot, big lagoon for beginners to experienced riders (flat water) or down winders just out front of camp at Kitesurfinglanka. Food is incredible, staff awesome and lots to do when there's no wind. Set in an idyllic coconut plantation the perfect spot. No problems with flying, get the visa $35US, Australian Health Declaration form, Vaccine certificate, PCR day of leaving at Sydney airport and that's it. On leaving Srilanka they come to the camp to give the PCR test and that's it, on return I walked straight through customs nothing to declare, kitebag was first out couldn't believe it. Brazil next stop

It all sounds great, but what if you don't want to ruin your immune system with the experimental mRNA jab and as the result you don't have "Vaccine" Certificate

sounds like a marketing post, wind there can be iffy, and a tuk tuk ride to the over crowded kitespot.
if i was going for a flat water kite holiday
I'd go to aks.
if i was travelling through sri lanka, I'd rent gear if it was windy whilst i was there, then move onto way better adventures to be had there.
like getting vibed out by Israeli surf kookmandos and watching fat russians on creased soft top rentals nearly down at a-bay.
try and find real lanka food on the tourist trail or for once, pretend like your not a total piece of crap with the arse hanging out of your pants and try and wheel the lanka princesses over cocktails at the GalleFace.

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Cezar said..
It all sounds great, but what if you don't want to ruin your immune system with the experimental mRNA jab and as the result you don't have "Vaccine" Certificate

Then you can go to Canberra, wave a Freedom placard around while you kite at Lake Burley Griffin and also do your own research

yeah, channel 9, channel 7, channel 10, ABC, SBS

do your own research, haha haha haha

Indo will be open after April with no quarantine. Be good to see the tourists come back. Aug to late Oct is sensational at Lakey Peak for wave riding. Hit me up if you need any info.

Come to PNG if you want a real adventure! 4hrs flight from Bris, trade winds every day, fresh fish, lobster and coconuts. A great crew of locals and expats

I have recently moved to Egypt and am living on the Red Sea Coast in Marsa Alam. I'm blown away (pun intended) by conditions here. Glass flat reef lagoons, clean solid wind, and the place is practically deserted. I have an 8, 10, 12 and 17 with me and have needed all of them over the last 5 weeks. Yes its more than a few hours from Aust but this place needs to go on the bucket list. Safe, friendly and cheap, and epic kiting.

Australian Kite Safari for us again this year, kite Dawn to Dusk, yes ?? Eat, sleep, kite, party,, Repeat. Enjoy the great atmosphere and hospitality and yes take your refreshments etc, great Value.
Another suggestion is to fly from Cairns to Cooktown and see the Daintree and Great Barrier Reef, approx$120 one way, you have to be at Hinterlands Aviation by 9.00 and departs at 10.00 am , a 40 min flight, transfer to the Top Pub, have Lunch etc while Ant Picks you up, or Paulie picks you up in the bus with everyone else. Whatever works in with the tides etc they are very obliging to help either way. We now fly to Cairns the day before to do the tourist stuff and stop a day after to recover. Nothing like Kiting in the lagoon at Dawn and Sunset I say.

I will go to Egypt this summer.

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Green Cherub said..
Come to PNG if you want a real adventure! 4hrs flight from Bris, trade winds every day, fresh fish, lobster and coconuts. A great crew of locals and expats

hey GC, is this only flat water kiting?
Looks like some waves way off in the distance of that pic.
cheers

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Simsurf said..
I have recently moved to Egypt and am living on the Red Sea Coast in Marsa Alam. I'm blown away (pun intended) by conditions here. Glass flat reef lagoons, clean solid wind, and the place is practically deserted. I have an 8, 10, 12 and 17 with me and have needed all of them over the last 5 weeks. Yes its more than a few hours from Aust but this place needs to go on the bucket list. Safe, friendly and cheap, and epic kiting.

Shhhh. Make sure you try Tondoba bay just south of Marsa, nice little lagoon there and the seafood restaurant is some of the best food i ate in Egypt. Soma bay is worth a trip too. I had some great sessions there when i was working at the mine, made it worth working at the place.

Lizard Island is the place to go.

Overseas at the moment and it is not too hard if vaxxed. Just get a express PCR test at the airport and print everything before departure, and get there early.