Has anybody kited in Koh Samui/ Bo Phut?
Is there any spots/ wind for kiting?
Any other good things to do/see?
Thanx
Bo Phut is no good for kiting. The next bay around, Maenan has a kite shop and people kite off the point in a SE trade wind. A better spot is down near Lamai Beach where the Kiteboarding Asia shop is. Beautiful shallow bay next to the Samui Orchid Resort http://www.samuiorchid.com/index.php. I was there in February but did not kite.
About 5 years ago, I worked on Koh Samui as a kiting instructor.
My advise: Go somewhere else if you want a kite trip. The wind is very fickle.
If you are going there for some other reason, I would only pack your BIGGEST kite and board combo. (I personally wouldn't bother though.)
In the unlikely event it is windy enough to entice you to kite, you used to be able to rent stuff from the kite school.
Rental expensive: $100 US per day.
I've been to those islands 4 times, stayed 2 months once - never seen much wind!
when i was there in November there was no wind - even if you did manage to get out you would be on constant look out for the 100's of out of control jet skis that are out there
Spent 6 months in Thai, i've deleted it of my list of kiteboarding spots. Just no wind at all. Having said that, the spot south of Lamai is a stunningly beautiful spot... just no wind =)
Ahhh Ive been dissappointed 3 or 4 times there and still visit but not for kiting
I would go in july/august which are supposed to be good but it never really picked up more than 10 knts
Feb/march are the better months with the thermals and a large kite
For more of a garantee of wind check out vietnam (do a search as tonnes of topics about it) or even sri lanka if your game
We just had the best NE season (Nov-Mar) since i started kiting here 5-6 years ago ... Samui Orchid is one of the best kite-spots in Asia - when it blows that is - IMO.
I used my 12mtr (I'm 85kg) more than ever (normally 16mtr due lite winds) ... had a few 'perfect' days with just only 2 or 3 other real kiters out every time (mostly are euro learners there with KBA). But fickle it is no doubt - I wouldn't come here for a kite holiday, as you never know when it will blow - gotta be johnny-on-the-spot to get it on. Waves out on the reefs out the back of the Orchid didn't get the much swell this year (wind too east, not enough north in it) - usually I have the waves all to myself !
SW Monsoon has just started - last year it was actually pretty good for our 'off-season'. Once again, gotta be johnny-on-the-spot to get it on. SW usually wind picks up really quickly before a thunder-storm - blows like all f..k for 30mins or so and then pisses down rain for 10-15mins then the wind drops right off ... Nathon is the main spot, Lipa Noi ok if wind more from west/northwest. Maenam also ok, but it's sorta offshore unless a lot of north in the wind.
Puppet:
You might consider Phuket in July ... last coupla years not so good, but maybe this year better ... once again it is pretty fickle, but if you are lucky, some nice waves to be had if you get wind. General weather is not as good as Samui this time of year with lots of squalls and thunderstorms with the wind. I'll be hopefully be heading over there shortly as soon as I get some good reports ...
And here is a real roughy ... had a mad Qld mate go over to Koh Tao to give the SouWesters a go last year ... thought he was nuts, but amazingly he got lots of wind real early mornings/late arvos and kited nearly every day for a coupla months - just him and his wife kiting ... Rocky bay ... I remember him telling me the locals couldn't believe it and told him many times - "we never see wind here, only since you come we see wind like this" ... can be lucky sometimes i spose ...
You could always extend a stop over in Phuket if you are transiting through on your way to Koh Samui. Where in Phuket would you recommend Buzz, Phuket is quite a large island.
it's no secret anymore ... Nai Yang beach up near the airport ... have seen guys kiting Patong as well ...
Bangkok Air flies Samui-Phuket - about 30mins - $50 or so i think ...
Nice honest reports Buzz
Appreciate a tell it as it is senario
Hope the wind blows well for thailand this year and hope it will be good for me in songhla if i can manage to get there in summer
Good winds
Not a great place fo wind, try Koh Lanta. Had wind and waves there before but a long time ago now in June - July.
The wind is pretty sketchy in Sout East Asia, so it’s not exactly the place to come for a kiting specific holiday, but of course there are other reasons to visit. Generally the wind blows from the west in the middle of the year, and from the North East at the end/begining of the year. Here’s my take on Samui and Phuket:
Koh Samui,
During the NE Monsoon (Dec-Feb) most people seem to ride at the SE corner of the island adjacent to the ‘Samui Orchid Resort’ (Just south of ‘Maret’ if you look it up on Google Earth), However, I’m sure you can ride at other spots around the island.
There’s a flat water, shallow, sandy lagoon with a reef out the back. Great for beginners. Tidal area.
During the westerly’s (mid year) people mainly ride on the north Western corner of the island.
FYI, flights to/from and accommodation are generally more expensive than Phuket.
Phuket
When the Westerlies are blowing (Mid year), most of the kiting in Phuket happens at Nai Yang beach in the north western part, just south of the airport. It’s a half moon shaped bay with a sandy bottom, and rocky points/reefs at either end. There’s a couple of decent shops with newer equipment www.kitesurfthailand.com www.kiteboardingasia.com I recommend you check with them as far as rentals, and typically in asia they want to see an IKO card or equivelent before giving you any gear without a lesson.
Pros:
> Sometimes you can get some decent waves on the reefs at either end of the bay, but the southern reef is the go.
> Plenty of space in the bay, particularly if you make you way upwind away from the beach. Typical open water / choppy conditions with some swells moving through.
> As the wind tends to blow more from the SW, there is also some flatter water available in the southern end of the bay. (Make your way out towards the southern point to get the clean wind and flat water, just inside the waves)
> Two fairly well-stocked shops right on the beach.
> There’s a lot to do in Phuket on no wind days. (i.e. Partying, Cable park, diving, shooting range, golf, etc)
Cons:
> If the wind gets too southerly, it can get real gusty near the beach – gotta make your way out the back to get the clean wind.
> The westerlies tend to bring a lot of logs and other crap up onto the beach (This is not the time of year to see the beautiful beaches of Phuket! They are really nice when the wind is blowing off-shore i.e. NE Monsoon season, but not when the westerlies are blowing.)
> There are some local fishing boats moored near the beach, and a number of mooring ropes floating on the surface.
> Nai Yang is a drive from the main area of Patong, about 45 minutes. You can stay at Nai Yang in ‘cheap and cheerful’ to ‘5 star’ hotels, but there aint much else there.
During the North east Monsoon Season (Dec – Feb) most people ride at Friendship beach, which is a tidal and the wind normally only blows in the morning and afternoon, so the timing to ride can be a bitch. It's a really nice spot when it’s ‘on’ though, and great for beginners as you can touch the botoom / stand up pretty much anywhere.
