Anyone recommend a good place to learn in the Caribbean?

[ScatmanRon]

Hi guys, first post here so apologies for jumping straight in with a question. I've just spent the last half hour reading some very informative threads about the Caribbean and which islands are great for kitesurfing but I was wondering if anyone could recommend a good place to learn?

I spent about 12 hours last summer in Dahab with one-on-one lessons and I was getting up on the board by the final 2 hour lesson (but not for long!!) I will definitely need some coaching this summer - any hot tips?

I will be in the Caribbean for 3 weeks, end of jul/start of august. I'll be travelling alone so looking for somewhere amazing but not too remote!

Massive cheers if anyone can help

[golis]

Turks and Caicos is very nice for beginners. The best beach with side-onshore wind is huge, shallow, and beautiful blue water. That time of year you will get good wind probably 2/3 of the days. The one downside is the island is pretty pricey, but there are really good houses to rent right on the kite beach I would recommend. Talk to Teri at kiteprovo.com. She gives great lessons-she had my daughter, who is 13 up and riding in 3 or 4 days.

[ScatmanRon]

Thanks for the advice golis. Will check it out now. Houses on the kite beach sound perfect!

[Habi]

Puerto Rico is your best bet , cheap and easy access from anywhere in the U.S. ( no passport need it to travel from mainland ) , summer in the island is full of activities during this time !!! we are the biggest city in the Caribbean , so you'll find anything you want , we get mostly flat conditions anywhere ( no surf ) and plenty of WIND .... and yes !!! you can stay right on the beach !!!

If you need more info. send me a message I'll help you !!!!

[ScatmanRon]

Cheers habi, I've pm-ed you. Am off to do some research on the islands. As you can tell I know very little at the moment!

I'm travelling from the uk if that makes any difference (apart from the cost of the flight!)

[islandstylen]

www.kitesurfingstlucia.com ...... cas en bas beach in st lucia.
sweet spot with great instructor.
july/august is not the best time of year for wind in the caribbean. best chance for wind would be los roques or auba/bonaire area.
hurricanes can turn up and bring a bit of a dampener on everthing this time of year. hotels should have some good deals around this time though.
dec to june is best time for the eastern caribbean. although the fact you have 3 weeks is good, you should get some wind in that time whatever island you choose to go.

[TheKiteLife]

The Caribbean is one of the best places to learn to kitesurf in the world. I am originally from the island of St.Croix which is beautiful, good wind and has one of the best instructors in the industry. Because of this, St.Croix is one of the destinations on www.TheKiteLife.com. In the next week, I will also be adding a school on St.Kitts and one in the Cayman Islands. I am close friends with all 3 owners/head instructors of these schools. They are all VERY VERY good instructors.

Basically The Kite Life is a network of like minded schools that I created after traveling the world as a kite instructor for several years. These instructors have a deep passion for their students.

I have done all the leg work for you to create the ultimate kitesurfing vacation; from the accommodations, to the car rental, to the lessons you may need.

St.Croix is part of the US Virgin Islands, which like Puerto Rico does not require a passport. But unlike Puerto Rico, everyone speaks English. The info for St.Croix is on the site. But if you want more info on the Cayman Islands or St.Kitts schools, feel free to contact me directly: gabe@thekitelife.com

Enjoy,
Gabe

[loupiot77]

the best is Cabarete Dominican republic and you can

infos here http://cabarete-dr.com/welcome_us.html

good luck

[TheKiteLife]

Basically every spot in the caribbean is the best for various reasons.

If you are looking for great nightlife, a wide variety of schools and lots of kites on the water, then Cabarete is defintly your best choice.

If you are looking for a big island with lots of other activities, including surfing, caves, rain forests, shopping malls, big cities, etc, then Puerto Rico is your best choice.

If you are looking for a quieter holiday and take lessons with smaller schools to improve your riding at a faster place, then look to one of the smaller more tropical islands.

Hope this info helps,
Gabe
www.TheKiteLife.com

[Boardhedz]

sorry to jump in on this . . . . but the Mrs. has just booked a two week holiday in Aruba, Eagle Beach, in October (direct flights from Manchester) . . . . . I understand it's only a short bus ride to the Fishermans Hut Beach which I think is the nearest kite beach . . . . has anyone been there?, is it worth me taking a couple of kites?

cheers for any info.