• Mui Ne beach
• Kite boarding
• Kite boards
• Kites
• Airwaves
• Jibes
• Wind Chimes
• S.I.K.

Vietnam: Flying on a Kite

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a . . . kite board?

When you first look up in the sky at Mui Ne beach, it's hard to tell what the heck all those tiny colored crescents are, way out over the water. But as your eyes adjust, you'll see each nylon sail has a person attached to it, skimming along the surface of the waves below.

Thanks to a combination of reliably excellent weather (this area boasts the lowest annual rainfall in Vietnam) and strong crosswinds, this gorgeous 12-mile expanse of beach on the South China Sea is fast becoming one of the world's hot spots for kite boarding, also called kite surfing.

The sport, a high-octane version of windsurfing, involves strapping your feet to a short surfboard and harnessing your body to a large kite. Riders (if they're doing it right) cruise along the water, lifting off every so often and coming back down with a splash.

For most of Vietnam's history, Mui Ne, located about 120 miles northeast of Ho Chi Minh City in Phan Thiet Bay, was just a sleepy fishing village you passed by on the way to Nha Trang, southern Vietnam's big party beach.

But the tourist industry's taking off now, with dozens of resorts and guesthouses springing up along the main road; when you arrive by train or bus (there's no local airport) you'll invariably be greeted by a throng of locals trying to convince you that their hotel is the one for you. As is the case all over Vietnam, prices in Mui Ne are incredibly reasonable, though there are also high-end options for those who want to splurge.

Once you've settled in, the lessons can begin. Courses are available for all levels, and beginners need not worry about being thrown to the waves straightaway; the first lesson starts on land, where you can get used to the feeling of the harness on your body and the pull of the kite.

Two of the four main kite-boarding schools, Airwaves and Jibes, are attached to resorts and offer combo accommodation/lesson packages. The other schools, Wind Chimes and S.I.K. are solely focused on kite board instruction. Rentals and lessons can be arranged through these four companies, either by the hour or by the day, though one kite boarder told us before lifting off that you should plan on putting in a few days at the very least.

Or, you can just sit back and watch the spectacle unfold between the surf and sky. No lessons required to do that.

 

Posted on August 07, 2006