I am planning a trip OS in November and would like to go windsurfing. I am thinking about Thailand but could be Malaysia.
I went to Pattaya last year and used a windsurfing centre (Blue lagoon)operated by an Aussie from Adelaide, facilities were great but Pattaya is not so great!

I am a novice and would like to have some lessons as well.
Any recommendations?

Hi Doggerbank.
I may be biased, but a couple of weeks in the Cocos Islands would lift your sailing a couple of levels, as well as improving your SUPing & pizza appreciation.
10 km runs across the lagoon, 90% on waist deep, 27degree water......
The only problem(for you) is that we run the tours from mid June to mid Sept, our winter, so you would have to adjust your plans.......

Cheers.
Jez

Check out Borakay Philippines, looks like the ultimate spot to work on technique.
Onshore wind, large bay, offshore reef to slow the swell and chop.
Very similar setup to Kailua Bay Oahu Hawaii where windsurfing first really took off.

This is where he stayed. Not sure when it's windy there but I am sure a bit of research wouldn't be hard to find out.
www.windsurf-vietnam.com/

I have a similar problem. I did a 6 hour course at Sandringham 6 weeks ago. The same course I'd done 15 years before. (The gusty wind, slippery longboards, beat up shins and sunburn put me off for 15 years).

www.planetwindsurfholidays.com
www.club-mistral.com
www.planetwindsurfing.com
www.clubvass.com
www.velawindsurf.com
www.harry-nass.com

Understandably enough, most of these are targeted at the European or American customer.

I'd like to go for 2 months in the Northern summer. At first I thought I'd go to Maui. SUP in the morning, windsurf in the afternoon, and I'll be like this guy in no time.



(Hey, it's only 2 out of 4, so it's possible). But, you need a car, and I think there are cheaper and more beginner-friendly places.

Now I'm thinking either Greece (Vasiliki?) or Egypt (Dahab?). I'm leaning towards Dahab. The water is warmer and there are heaps of hotels and gear rental centres. OTOH, some say 27 degree water and 40 degree air can be too much of a good thing, and don't they have a permanent revolution or something?

Duck gybes and duck tacks after 2 months of everyday sailing at Dahab is possible surely? Right?

MrCranky said...

Now I'm thinking either Greece (Vasiliki?) or Egypt (Dahab?). I'm leaning towards Dahab. The water is warmer and there are heaps of hotels and gear rental centres. OTOH, some say 27 degree water and 40 degree air can be too much of a good thing, and don't they have a permanent revolution or something?

I thought Dahab was very gusty when I was there, and there is a huge wind shadow off of the beach for a way out, so I am not sure I would recommend it for someone starting out.
It is also off-shore, so may not be good if someone has trouble staying upwind, even though there are plenty of rescue boats around.

The weather was great though.

FormulaNova said...

MrCranky said...

Now I'm thinking either Greece (Vasiliki?) or Egypt (Dahab?). I'm leaning towards Dahab. The water is warmer and there are heaps of hotels and gear rental centres. OTOH, some say 27 degree water and 40 degree air can be too much of a good thing, and don't they have a permanent revolution or something?

I thought Dahab was very gusty when I was there, and there is a huge wind shadow off of the beach for a way out, so I am not sure I would recommend it for someone starting out.
It is also off-shore, so may not be good if someone has trouble staying upwind, even though there are plenty of rescue boats around.

The weather was great though.

I thought they had a shallow lagoon with side-shore. Oh well... Are the other places in Egypt worth going?

Please consider Dahab. It IS beginner-friendly.

We had a thread about the Dahab experience posted here February, 2011. If you search for this via Google (eg search for "Seabreeze Windsurfing Dahab"), you'll find it.

As I understand it, the internal search in Seabreeze only looks back 12 months, although there may be a way to tweak it.

Bristol said...
Please consider Dahab. It IS beginner-friendly.

We had a thread about the Dahab experience posted here February, 2011. If you search for this via Google (eg search for "Seabreeze Windsurfing Dahab"), you'll find it.

As I understand it, the internal search in Seabreeze only looks back 12 months, although there may be a way to tweak it.

Thanks, I have read that thread. It's what started tipping me in favour of the Dahab option. But bloody hell! The Northern summer is almost here, and I still can't make up my mind. I am aware of the power of Google, and have been using it to search Seabreeze. Google is the best way to search even the Microsoft website.

For a beginner you want onshore wind, endless waist to chest deep warm water, an offshore reef giving a wide protected lagoon for long flatwater reaches, cheap plentiful gear and lessons and not on the other side of the world.
Borakay Phillipines is one example.

Beaglebuddy said...
For a beginner you want onshore wind, endless waist to chest deep warm water, an offshore reef giving a wide protected lagoon for long flatwater reaches, cheap plentiful gear and lessons and not on the other side of the world.
Borakay Phillipines is one example.

According to this

www.planetwindsurfholidays.com/resorts/philippines/boracay

it's the low season there in June/July. Maybe OK for a total noob like me for a week, but 2 months?

Beaglebuddy said...
No way am I going to a muslim country especially with what is happening in Egypt right now. That place has had terrorist attacks before, you are a target there. Plus it's said to be kind of a spooky sail as the backdrop is just the ocean, you are sailing straight out into an open sea.

Nah, its not spooky. There are heaps of people about, and the rescue boats are common.

Dahab is different, in that the locals seem to like you for the income it brings. I think the people there are less intense than the Caironese, and the ones I met seemed nice. Cairo is chaotic, but the people in Dahab are much more relaxed.

There were bombings there only a few months before I went, but the stories were that it was people from the big cities trying to discourage tourism. Without tourism, Dahab would be just a couple of fishing boats.

Its quite intense to realise that you really are in a Muslim country when you hear the call to prayer at 5am or earlier.

If I went again, I would try and fly direct into SSH, as I didn't like the aggressiveness in Cairo, where they seem to think all tourists are rich and deserve to pay. It was nice in Dahab to be able to offer a tip for good service instead of have it demanded of you in Cairo.

FormulaNova said...

Beaglebuddy said...
No way am I going to a muslim country especially with what is happening in Egypt right now. That place has had terrorist attacks before, you are a target there. Plus it's said to be kind of a spooky sail as the backdrop is just the ocean, you are sailing straight out into an open sea.

Nah, its not spooky. There are heaps of people about, and the rescue boats are common.

Dahab is different, in that the locals seem to like you for the income it brings. I think the people there are less intense than the Caironese, and the ones I met seemed nice. Cairo is chaotic, but the people in Dahab are much more relaxed.

There were bombings there only a few months before I went, but the stories were that it was people from the big cities trying to discourage tourism. Without tourism, Dahab would be just a couple of fishing boats.

Its quite intense to realise that you really are in a Muslim country when you hear the call to prayer at 5am or earlier.

If I went again, I would try and fly direct into SSH, as I didn't like the aggressiveness in Cairo, where they seem to think all tourists are rich and deserve to pay. It was nice in Dahab to be able to offer a tip for good service instead of have it demanded of you in Cairo.

Yes of course the people in Dahab are nice and don't want to kill you but what's to stop extremists from going down there to try to kill some westerners?
No thankyou.

FormulaNova said...

Beaglebuddy said...

FormulaNova said...

Beaglebuddy said...
No way am I going to a muslim country especially with what is happening in Egypt right now. That place has had terrorist attacks before, you are a target there. Plus it's said to be kind of a spooky sail as the backdrop is just the ocean, you are sailing straight out into an open sea.

Nah, its not spooky. There are heaps of people about, and the rescue boats are common.

Dahab is different, in that the locals seem to like you for the income it brings. I think the people there are less intense than the Caironese, and the ones I met seemed nice. Cairo is chaotic, but the people in Dahab are much more relaxed.

There were bombings there only a few months before I went, but the stories were that it was people from the big cities trying to discourage tourism. Without tourism, Dahab would be just a couple of fishing boats.

Its quite intense to realise that you really are in a Muslim country when you hear the call to prayer at 5am or earlier.

If I went again, I would try and fly direct into SSH, as I didn't like the aggressiveness in Cairo, where they seem to think all tourists are rich and deserve to pay. It was nice in Dahab to be able to offer a tip for good service instead of have it demanded of you in Cairo.

Yes of course the people in Dahab are nice and don't want to kill you but what's to stop extremists from going down there to try to kill some westerners?
No thankyou.

Yeah, true. Its a shame that some idiots are ruining what is an ideal setup where the locals get a good income, and it doesn't conflict with their way of life.

Unfortunately, there are crazies everywhere, and you could have the same problem anywhere. Dahab is very spread out though, so it would be unlikely, albeit not impossible.

come in Croatia,Viganj
www.apartmanimarko.com

June, July windsurfing novice holiday - I'm in a real bind.

Club Mistral suggests Dahab ("Wind Shadow? - Only right in front of the hotel, but just out it's perfect! Offshore? - We have boats to catch you!") and Alcati, Turkey. Mauritius is another option, "you may also be able to learn to surf there, but you'll need a wetsuit". Anyone been there? How cold does it get?

How trustworthy are sports travel companies with their recommendations? Could they be pimping stock they need to move?

The options I've considered so far:

Dahab. Off-shore wind, wind shadow at the beach. smartraveller.gov.au says "You should reconsider your need to travel to the Governorate of South Sinai (except for Sharm el Sheikh, where you should exercise a high degree of caution)." Great.
Maui. No clubs operating right on the beach. Need to rent a car. Expensive. Not exactly beginner-friendly.
Bonaire. A very expensive ticket, and missing a connection from LA would be a royal pain.

Bonaire can be done for about the same price as Europe.
Book with American Airlines head office in Ireland,pay with card for free travel insurance.The flights across the US and into the Caribbean are well priced.
When you board your Qantas aircraft in Sydney,you will have paid half of what the guy sitting next to has .He will have 23kg luggage allowance but you have 2x30kg with an option of another 30kg more for $50,so take all the gear you want and don't rent .You could have a stopover in LA and take kids to disneyland.
A very special place with beautiful people and an experience you will never regret doing.