March 28, 2010
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Hey, all you wind addicts:
Have you ever been to this famous windsurfing mecca before? If yes, your time has come to pack up your gear and get back with your prays to the “Temple of Winds“. If no, April is a great time to check it out for the first time, you too can learn to pray at the Temple. April brings the strong consistent trade winds and the kiters and windsurfers come out of hibernation. Now, lets go to Maui!
Maui, Hawaii islands:
Hawai'i is the most isolated archipelago on Earth so in Maui you can really "get away from it all". Composed of two volcanoes connected by the Central Valley, Maui provides quite a panoramic settings for your windsurfing (kitesurfing) adventure. The lush rain forests of Hana, cascading waterfalls, the arid eroded crater of Haleakala volcano, and pineapple plantations create the variety of Maui landscape which impresses every visitor.
In April the island is transformed into the “Temple of Winds“ with 15 to 35 knots of consistent winds every day. Advanced windsurfers should pray at the Main Temple: Ho’okipa Beach Park, just past Pa’ia town. Kitesurfers and beginner/intermediate windsurfers have the other religious sites to visit: Kanaha Beach Park in the western part of Maui and the beaches of Kihie in the south.
Ho’okipa Beach (or simply Naish beach) is the best for radical wave windsurfing. The waves reach up to 8 m (25 feet). There is only one launch spot right across from the lifeguard station. Beware the currents are strong and the rocky launch and landing are quite dangerous - not for the inexperienced! The wind direction is normally side on shore. A good spot for your “cheerleaders” (non-windsurfing family or friends) is the hills on the both sides of the beach where they can truly enjoy the wave riding show.
In most people’s mind the image of Maui is associated with an image of a “killer wave”. Well don’t worry, there are many places where it is generally pretty flat like Kanaha Beach. It is a good spot to improve your sailing, and, if you are ready, start getting out in the smaller waves beyond the reef. Beginner lessons are run early in the morning before the trade winds pick up. The beach drops off quite quickly so it could be a bit challenging to learn beachstarts and waterstarts.
Lower Kanaha is a large designated kiting area simply called Kite Beach. No kitesurfer can hit the water until 11am. If you are a kiter you can just take it easy with a cup of Kona coffee or go explore the island’s nature sites until 11am. Bring your smallest kite - you will need it! Normally you will use kite sizes in the range of 6-9 metres. It can blow 35 knots for days. Although the conditions are sometimes challenging for beginners, it is still a good place to learn. Maui is called the Harvard of Kitesurfing.
All windsurfing and kitesurfing shops and schools are located in Kahului town. Here you will get access to the very latest gear and meet kite and windsurfing celebrities. Many pro and team riders sell here their used gear as new equipment comes out. If you were planning to buy new or used gear, it might be worth waiting until you arrive in Maui.
The most popular type of accommodation for wind and kitesurfers is a cottage rental in the nearby towns of Wailuku and Paia. Consider also renting in Kihei at the south part of the island. Check out this link for more info
A car rental is a must while in Maui. It will give you the easy access to sailing beaches and many other activities such as surfing, snorkelling, hiking, kayaking or just check out a stunning sunrise from the top of the volcano Haleakala.
Check out more destinations in April at our Top Wind Destinations Page
Happy Sailing,
Windresorts Administration.
We don’t sell travel, our goal is to provide unbiased info and advice on wind destinations in the Caribbean.
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