What to expect at kitespot Hua Hin?
In Thailand, about a 3-4 hours drive from Bangkok (traffic dependent) you will find Kitespot Hua Hin. This is the kitespot all the Bangkok kite surfers go to, to escape from the big city.
Kitespot Hua Hin is not a bigair spot, however you can have great fun and constant wind.
The water is choppy and there is a shore break, but from January the season turns into a thermal wind that calms the sea and gives the daily opportunity to kite in low to mild winds. The beach is pretty busy, plenty of tourists are enjoying the sun and the water. With the needed precautions however, it is nice and safely kiteable.
Hua Hin is the Thai King’s holiday city, with plenty of hotels and accommodation on the beach and nearby. This friendly city is not small, yet offers a charming and friendly Thai environment, great food, drinks and affordable massages for the kitesurfer who visit the place.
Life at Hua Hin is really cheap and there are plenty of other things to do in case there is no wind or in case you have non-kiter friends. There is a decent nightlife in the city center for instance. Huge shopping malls, and absolutely high standard places, to the traditional Thai markets and foods. If you go here, do not be afraid to try the places and foods where the locals line up, it must be good. Dive into the culture as it is fantastic.
Wind conditions
The windy season starts from November, and this time the wind comes from the North- North-East. It can be pretty decent up to 25kn but the average is 12-18kn. This wind blows often from the early morning, the whole day, but has breaks in it, sometimes for days. This part of the season has 1-2 m shore break. The shore break can make entering the water for a beginner somewhat difficult. After a couple of tries most of the kiters get used to it.
Starting mid-January the wind switches to South and to thermal. Because of this change the wind becomes nice, constant and more reliable. From mid-January until May is the best time to kitesurf at kitespot Hua Hin. In this period it’s much easier to get into the water, and the shore brake goes down to almost nothing. You can add 3-6 knots to the forecast these days and eventually kite in 10-20 knots. The wind starts mid-day. This wind lasts until mid or end of May, when the rainy season starts.
Typical kite sizes from 9 -18m depending on the wind. Most used : 12m
Water conditions
During the first part of the season (North wind) the tide is often very high but it does not change significantly through the day. It is wavy (shorebreak) and choppy outside.
When the wind switches to South, the beach becomes way bigger, allowing kiters and beach users to share the beach much easier. Some days there is over 100m between the buildings and the water – this offers a huge smooth and sandy area to rig, and to do beginner lessons.
Launch area
The sand is mostly nice, but here and there you can run into smaller shells. No boots needed tho. Please note – this is a shared beach with non kiters, a lot of Thai people, and people who sell stuff such as coconuts, sunglasses etc. There is a tradition of horse riding here, so horse riders can enjoy the same beach too. You must be precautious with them before launching your kites as the lines are not very visible. Rocks are only present on the beach where kiting is not allowed. The beach is 7 km long where you can kite. This is nice for beginners who are not able to keep height.
Level of riding
There are plenty of lessons running every day, because it is a beginner friendly spot. The wind is side on shore at all times and this makes that safe. However the swimming zones give a hazard for those who drop the kite and drift into them. Make sure you have your kite line cutter for safety!
Hydrofoil riders, freestyle enthusiastic and free riders love the spot
Lessons
Get your lessons at Duotone Center, Kiteboarding School Hua Hin (KBA), or Surfspot.
Facilities
The beach is full of facilities, but often kite schools and rental places only have a tent on the beach and the shop is 100m away. You can get everything here, from a massage to coconuts.