Kiteboarding is now a mainstream worldwide sport, with beaches across the US, Australia, Brazil, South Africa and the Caribbean crammed with kiters on any given windy day. It always baffles me how people don’t end up regularly crashing into one another with the amount of water-traffic seemingly acting in pure chaos as kites and lines and riders fly around. But kiteboarding in the Bahamas is still pretty low key, which is surprising because we’re so close to the US. Throughout the islands, we have so much space and so many amazing flat-water opportunities, and you probably won’t even see another kiteboarder on a windy day, depending on which island you are on. The local crew is fairly small, I’d say we probably have 20 or so kiters in Nassau, and on an average crowded day there might be 4 or 5 people out riding at the same time.

The one downside is that the majority of the country is located on the northern edge of the trade winds, so it’s not as consistent as it might be further south in the Caribbean. But the plus side is that it’s nothing like kiting in Maui or South Africa, with 30-40kt winds threatening to rag doll you if you make one wrong move. Here it’s pretty cruisy and not as much of an extreme sport as it is in higher wind regions.

So where do you start? Where should you go? What time of year do you visit? I get quite a few inquiries about kiteboarding in The Bahamas because of my Kiteboarding in Harbour Island post several years ago, so that’s the reason I decided to sit down and compile all of our knowledge and experience of the local riding scene into a blog post.

Now, most people use the terms kiteboarding and kitesurfing interchangeably. But I use the two terms to describe two styles of kite-sports. I am a kiteboarder. I typically use a twin tip board, which is great for flat water riding and jumping. Mark is a kitesurfer. He rides a strapless surfboard and goes out to the reef to surf waves. Don’t worry, we still love each other.

Although there is opportunity for both kitesurfing and kiteboarding, most of the riding you’re going to be doing throughout the islands is kiteboarding. There’s some pretty epic flatwater spots and I’ve included some videos so you can see how amazing it truly is here, and the best part is knowing that you don’t need to travel all the way to the South Pacific to get to these exotic and picturesque locations. So get settled in as I go over some hints, suggestions, and resources, and reveal a few of our favorite spots.

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The best time for kiting is November through April when the north winds blow in from the cold fronts affecting the continental US. Since we’re sub-tropical bordering on tropical, the winter months can be quite cool (average temps in the 70’s, but can get down into the 50’s), so you might want to consider a light wetsuit, farmer John/Jane, or a rash top.

I recommend that you at least wear a light rash top for sun protection. A lot of people use sun hats that clip under your chin, and even sports goggles. The sun reflection on the water can be intense. For your kite kit, I recommend bringing at least two kites if you can. Mark regularly rides a 12m kite. I’m typically on the 10m, sometimes on the 8m in proper cold fronts. Rarely do people ride anything smaller than an 8m or a 6m here. We used to have a beast of a kite, a 16m, that we used in super light winds, but that has since been retired.

Check Windfinder Nassau for the wind forecast. Typically the wind forecast is about 5kts higher than it actually is for the Nassau forecast. If it says it’s going to be blowing 15kts, it will probably only be 10-12knts, so don’t get your hopes up about having an epic ride. But in Eleuthera and Exuma, it’s pretty spot on. Also, be sure to check the Tide Chart for Nassau and the Tide Chart for Eleuthera. For The Exumas, you can use the Nassau tide chart, keeping in mind that the tides are 20 minutes prior to the listed tides for Nassau.

You won’t find kiteboarding shops in the Bahamas, and unless you book a kite vacation in Exuma, Cat Island or San Salvador, there’s no place to rent gear, so you’d better bring your own kites, board and harness if you want to kite while you are here. Heat Wave Surf & Swim sells a variety of techy watersports gear, with one location in Sandyport on Cable Beach, and one at Harbour Bay on East Bay Street in downtown Nassau.

Alright, now to discuss kite spots. Just keep in mind that you can probably go just about anywhere, pump up your kite, and have a great, uncrowded session, but here are a few of our favorite spots.

Nassau

Nassau isn’t exactly the best spot for kiting in the whole of The Bahamas, only because the wind typically comes in from the east or northeast in the wintertime, and the island, being an oblong shape east to west, means the majority of beaches are side-shore to the wind. From our northern beaches, it’s a lot of out and back, instead of skirting the shoreline as you would on other islands. The best spot, really, is in front of Atlantis on Paradise Island, but trying to figure out how to get down to the beach if you aren’t a guest can be difficult, and the beaches are usually packed with tourists. But we do have a few spots that if the wind is right, you can really have some fun.

Saunders Beach

Saunders Beach is just west of the downtown area near Arawak Cay. It gets slightly better wind direction than farther west on the island and has a wide beach for launching. However it’s right in the harbor, so you’ll get boat traffic, cargo boats and cruise ships passing through so keep a watchful eye. There’s a reef offshore that offers decent kitesurfing.

Best wind direction: NE, E, NW

Go Slow Bend

The local riders will often be seen at Go Slow Bend, showing off to traffic passing by. It’s a little spit of rock jutting out at the point between Saunder Beach and Goodman’s Bay. Tricky to launch, and the wind can be gusty and inconsistent if you get too far into Goodman’s Bay in easterlies.

If you’re comfortable with going downwind and tacking back up, you can access this area and into Goodman’s Bay from Saunders Beach.

Best wind direction: NE, E

Sandyport Beach

This is a small crescent beach utilized by a few local riders. There’s not a whole lot of space to launch and it gets quite choppy, but it’s a great central location for those in Cable Beach. Watch for boats entering and exiting Sandyport.

Best wind direction: NE, E, NW

Love Beach

Love Beach is on the northwest side of the island. Best at mid to low tide because the beach gets a little cramped at high tide and there are casuarina pine trees lining the shoreline. If it’s high tide with some swell, the waves will be pretty heavy as they crash onto the shore and difficult to get off from the beach. If there are people hanging out on the beach it’s even more challenging to launch your kite. There are a few rocks right off of the beach that you’ll have to dodge your way through to get out. If the wind is too far into the east it can be tricky to launch because the wind is lufty and if you’re not careful you can drop your kite into the casuarinas. Once you get out, it’s smooth sailing and the reef is right offshore making for great kite surfing. There’s also a local beach bar right there, so you can get a cold beer after your session.

Best wind direction: NE, E, NW

Jaws Beach

At the very western tip of the island near Clifton Heritage Park is a pretty stretch of beach that’s usually fairly vacant. When the waves are peeling they wrap around the south end of the island creating fun rollers in an otherwise fairly flat, protected bay. You’ll have to keep an eye out for the rare westerlies in order to utilize this beach.

Best wind direction: NW, W, SW

South Beach

On the southeast of the island is South Beach, also called Blue Hill since it’s at the end of Balliou Hill Road. It’s about the only shallow flat water riding in Nassau. It’s best at mid tide, you’ll find it’s just sand flats at low tide. The wind from the south isn’t often, so we don’t ride there as frequently, but it’s a super fun spot when the crew is out in force. Great spot for learning and beginners.

Best wind direction: SE, S, SW

Eleuthera, Spanish Wells & Harbour Island

Eleuthera, Harbour Island and Spanish Wells have prime locations to capture the north and east winds. Pull off to any of Eleuthera’s ambling stretches of powder soft beaches along the eastern edge of the island and you’ll find few crowds and ample room to launch your kite. It depends on where you are on the island – north near Gregory Town is better in NE and E winds, and south of Governor’s Harbour and Palmetto Point is better in E or SE. If you want to kitesurf, head to Surfer’s Beach near Gregory Town.

Best wind direction for Eleuthera beaches: NE, E, SE

Spanish Wells has a beautiful beach on the north end of the island, meeting at a sandy point to the west. The water is shallower so it’s decent flat water riding. You can find affordable Airbnb vacation home rentals in adorable colonial cottages.

Best wind direction for Spanish Wells: NE, E, NW

Harbour Island has three miles of beautiful pink sands beach to the east, and shallow flats of Girl’s Bank to the west. The winds from the east and northeast make this spot a perfect place for cruising up and down the beach, grabbing the full attention of the beach-goers and beachside lunch diners.

To read more about kiteboarding in Harbour Island click here  

Best wind direction for Harbour Island: Any

Abacos

Treasure Cay Beach is a stunning spot for kiting and the Treasure Cay Beach Resort is a great spot to base yourself. The beach is a powdery soft sandy beach that stretches for nearly 3 miles. With east winds you’ll be able to cruise up and down the beach and enjoy shallow water riding at the sandbar on the southeastern side.

Check out Bahamas Kite and Surf, which offers a vacation rental kitehouse and lessons.

Best wind direction: NE, E

Exumas

The Exumas are an untouched kiteboarder’s dream. There are 365 islands stretching 140 miles northwest to southeast. The northern Exumas are only one hour’s boat ride from Nassau. Otherwise you can fly into the main settlement of George Town in the southern end of the island chain. There’s some great kiteboarding spots in Great Exuma, on both the east and the west side. To the west is Moriah Harbour, which offers shallow, flat water riding. On the east side you’ll find kitesurfing opportunities in Emerald Bay

If you have a boat, or are on a liveaboard cruiser, you’ll be able to take advantage of the endless opportunities to ride. Be very cautious and don’t attempt to kiteboard alone in the remote areas though. The tide rushes in and out of the cuts, and I’ve dropped my kite before and gotten swept away with the tide once, barely making it back to shore. We also came across a kite couple who were stranded on a sandbar as the tide was rising. One of them was driving the dinghy and the other was kiting. There were some kite issues with a tradeoff and they both ended up stranded. If it wasn’t for us coming along (in a very minimal boat traffic area!) they might have gotten swept out to sea.

Exuma Kitesurfing is an outfit based in George Town that offers kite vacation packages, lessons, and an insider scoop on some of the best spots, especially if you are just learning.

Cat Island

For a kite vacation, head to Greenwood Beach Resort on southeast Cat Island. This is a great off-the-beaten-path locale for kiters that are enthusiastic about gliding through uncrowded, crystal clear turquoise water. Professional kiteboarder, sports coach and resort manager Antione is there to instruct all levels if you are keen to learn. The winds are predominantly onshore with the ability to cruise up and down the shoreline for 8 miles. On the south end of the island is shallow, flat water riding at Port Howe, and a great spot for beginners. The resort offers a variety of kites in their kit include Cabrinha and North brands, as well as boards, harnesses and wetsuits.

The resort itself is modest and low-key, some of the rooms have AC and some don’t, which is fine in the winter months when it’s cooler. It’s a great budget option for those looking for a more social hostel-feel, and family-style environment, with the privacy of your own room. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served family style with an honor bar system. The resort is directly on the beach, and co-manager Pauline offers SCUBA trips for dive enthusiasts.

 

 

San Salvador

San Salvador is probably the most remote spot you’re going to get to, but you’ll be in good hands with San Salvador Kitesurfing. You can book a private or semi-private lesson, or rent gear with a IKO or PASA certification card. Stay at Club Med Columbus Isle or Guanahani Resort.

 

 

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And now for your viewing pleasure are a few of my favorite videos of kiting in The Bahamas.

 

Pro kiteboarder Charlotte Consorti has spent a decent amount of time traveling and kiting in The Bahamas. Here’s a video on kiting in the Great Exuma area.

 

 

A video with pro kiteboarder Charlotte Consorti on kiting in Cat Island

 

 

 

A video of Jonathan Knowles of San Salvador Kitesurfing

 

So that’s it! Hopefully this inspires you to book your next kite vacation to The Bahamas! Don’t hesitate to reach out to us with any questions about kiting in The Bahamas. Happy flying!

For more in-depth travel information on accommodations, restaurants, sites and activities throughout the entire Bahamas, be sure to check out my travel guidebook, Moon Bahamas.