Last updated: September 2026 · written by the team who kite these spots.
Long-haul kitesurfing gets you steady wind and warm water when the UK is cold and grey. Cape Verde and Brazil run through our winter. Mauritius and Rodrigues run through our summer. Zanzibar and Sri Lanka both have two seasons, so one of them is usually on. Work out when you can travel, then pick the spot.
Cape Verde: winter wind without the long flight?
Cape Verde is the shortest flight on this list. Sal is about six hours direct from the UK, and the trade winds blow most days from December into April, around 15 to 25 knots. Kite Beach and the bay at Santa Maria are flatter water for freeriding and lessons. Ponta Preta is a proper wave over reef, for experts only. Water sits at 21 to 23°C in the peak months, so pack a shorty or a 3/2. More in our kitesurfing Cape Verde guide.
Brazil: is the downwinder coast worth the trip?
Northeast Brazil is the one experienced kiters keep going back to. The season runs from around August to December, strongest September to November, with steady trade winds of 18 to 28 knots almost every day. Cumbuco has flat-water lagoons for freestyle and a choppy beach for everything else. The draw is the coast itself: you can ride downwind for miles, and the classic run heads up from Cumbuco to Prea and Jericoacoara. Water is warm at 25 to 28°C, boardshorts all season. There are no direct flights, so reckon on 13 to 15 hours via Lisbon, Madrid or Paris. More on kitesurfing Brazil.
Zanzibar: what do the two seasons give you?
Paje sits on a shallow reef lagoon on the east coast, and it runs twice a year. The Kusi wind blows from the southeast from about June to September, strong and consistent at 18 to 25 knots, best in July and August. The Kaskazi comes from the northeast from mid-December to March, lighter at 12 to 20 knots and easier to learn on. The lagoon is flat and works best around mid to high tide; at low tide it gets shallow and awkward. Water is 25 to 28°C year-round, so boardshorts. No direct flights: you connect through Doha or Nairobi. More on kitesurfing Zanzibar.
Sri Lanka: does Kalpitiya suit a first long-haul trip?
Kalpitiya has a big shallow lagoon with standing-depth water and no reef, which makes it one of the easier places to learn or clock up hours far from home. There are two seasons. The southwest monsoon from mid-May to mid-October is the stronger one at 20 to 25 knots, and a lighter winter season from mid-December to mid-March runs 15 to 20 knots. The open sea is close by when you want to leave the lagoon. Water is warm, around 28 to 30°C, boardshorts. SriLankan flies direct to Colombo in about eleven hours, then it’s a road transfer up the coast. More on kitesurfing Sri Lanka.
Mauritius and Rodrigues: when do they turn on?
Both run through our summer. Le Morne, on the southwest tip of Mauritius, has a flat lagoon in front of the beach and the One Eye wave off the reef for experts. The southeast trades blow from May to October, 15 to 30 knots, strongest in July and August. Water drops to 23 to 24°C in the winter peak, so a shorty is worth having. Mauritius is about twelve hours direct. Rodrigues is a ninety-minute hop further out, with a huge shallow lagoon and far fewer people. It’s remote and it’s windy, and it suits kiters who want space more than nightlife. See our guides to Le Morne and Rodrigues.
The trips at a glance
| Destination | Best months | Wind | Flat / wave | Flight from UK |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Verde (Sal) | Dec–Apr | 15–25 kn, NE trades | Flat + expert wave (Ponta Preta) | ~6h direct |
| Brazil (Cumbuco–Jeri) | Aug–Dec | 18–28 kn, trades | Flat lagoons + downwind coast | 13–15h, 1 stop |
| Zanzibar (Paje) | Jun–Sep & Dec–Mar | 12–25 kn (Kusi stronger) | Flat reef lagoon (tidal) | No direct, 1 stop |
| Sri Lanka (Kalpitiya) | May–Oct & Dec–Mar | 15–25 kn | Flat lagoon + open sea | ~11h direct + transfer |
| Mauritius (Le Morne) | May–Oct | 15–30 kn, SE trades | Flat lagoon + expert wave (One Eye) | ~12h direct |
| Rodrigues | May–Oct | Strong, up to ~35 kn | Huge flat lagoon + reef | ~12h + 90-min hop |
Who this isn’t for
Long-haul kite trips reward a bit of experience. A few of these will overface you if you’ve only had a handful of lessons.
- Ponta Preta in Cape Verde and One Eye in Mauritius are expert waves, not learning spots.
- Brazil’s wind can blow hard for weeks at a stretch, which is tiring if you’re not used to it.
- Zanzibar’s lagoon runs on the tide, so you can’t ride any hour you fancy.
- None of it is cheap once you add the flight.
If you want an easy first kite holiday, Cape Verde or the Kalpitiya lagoon in the lighter season are the gentler picks.
Common questions
When is the best time to kitesurf long-haul from the UK?
It depends which half of the year you can travel. For our winter, look at Cape Verde and Brazil, plus Zanzibar and Sri Lanka in their lighter seasons. For our summer, Mauritius and Rodrigues are on, along with Zanzibar’s strong Kusi wind and Sri Lanka’s southwest monsoon.
Which is best for a beginner?
A flat, shallow lagoon you can stand up in. Kalpitiya in Sri Lanka and Paje in Zanzibar (at the right tide) both fit, and Kite Beach in Cape Verde is manageable. Stay away from the waves at Ponta Preta and One Eye until you’re well past that stage.
Do I need a wetsuit?
For most of these, no. Zanzibar, Sri Lanka and Brazil are boardshorts water. Cape Verde in winter and Mauritius or Rodrigues in the July and August peak sit in the low 20s, so a shorty or a thin 3/2 keeps you comfortable.
Which has the most reliable wind?
Brazil in its main season is about as consistent as kitesurfing gets, with wind almost every day. Zanzibar’s Kusi and Rodrigues are close behind, both strong and steady through their windy months.
Are there direct flights?
Some. Cape Verde is about six hours direct, Sri Lanka around eleven hours direct to Colombo, and Mauritius roughly twelve. Zanzibar and Brazil need one stop, and Rodrigues is a short hop on from Mauritius.
