Guide · Beginners
Learning to kitesurf in Bo'ao: a beginner's guide
Kitesurfing looks hard, but it's learned in clear steps, and technique matters far more than strength. This is how a course with us works, from your first kite to riding on your own.
Why Bo'ao is a good place to learn
Bo'ao has flat-water lagoons right next to open beach. Flat, shallow water makes the hardest part of learning, getting up on the board, far easier, because you can stand up and reset when you fall. The east coast also has one of the longest wind seasons on the island, from October to July.
The four steps
We teach to the standard of the International Kiteboarding Organization (IKO), used by schools around the world.
- Discovery. Safety, the wind window and flying a kite on the beach.
- Body drag. Steering the kite in the water so it pulls you along, and getting back to your board.
- Water start. Getting up on the board and riding your first metres.
- Independent. Riding upwind, self-rescue and launching on your own.
At the end you get an IKO card that records the level you actually reached. You can carry on at any IKO centre in the world, and once you reach Level 2 you can rent gear there.
Which course to choose
- Not sure yet? Start with the one-hour Discovery Lesson.
- Want to ride: the 3-Day Beginner Course takes you from kite control to riding on the board in nine hours.
- Want the fastest route: the 3-Day Private Course gives you an instructor to yourself.
- Want to leave independent: the 5-Day Intensive adds upwind riding, transitions and self-rescue.
Everyone progresses at a different speed, and the wind decides some of it too. That's why we keep groups to two students per instructor.
What we provide
All courses use current Slingshot kites and boards. Every student also gets a helmet, a life jacket and an impact vest, plus boots at spots with pebbles. You only need swimwear, sun protection and water.
Languages
Our instructors are IKO certified and teach in English, German and Chinese.