Need help planning your great winter getaway? Life can be tough enough, let alone having to figure out what corner of the planet is warm and windy. It’s like trying to pick a favourite child …or biscuit. Fear not though, in your greatest time of need, we are here, sometimes, unless it’s above 12 knots then we are very busy finding excuses to leave the office. But regardless of our dodgy work practices, let us park your thinking cap and relieve you of your burden with our specially designed pages of winter travel information, wit and wonder. Well, maybe just information, but it’s the thought that counts. So if you fancy swapping your booties for board shorts then read on as Jane Faughnan from Sportif Travel and Marcus Bull from Planet Windsurf pick their favourite winter destinations and we provide micro-guides to a selection of windsurfing spots that don’t need seven layers of neoprene for a session in January!
CHOICE PICKS…
JANE FAUGHNAN
SPORTIF WINDSURF HOLIDAYS WORLDWIDE
www.sportif.travel | 01273 844 919
TOBAGO – CARIBBEAN
Best for Flat water / All Levels / Value
Tobago in the Caribbean has direct UK flights with steady northeast trade winds from December to June. Winds average 15-25 knots with warm air and 21°C water temperatures for sailing in board shorts. With idyllic palm fringed beaches and a vast, turquoise lagoon, Pidgeon Point is ideal for all levels of windsurfer, having side-shore, flat water freeride and freestyle conditions and an offshore wave spot. The windsurf centre stocks the latest equipment from JP, Fanatic, Neil Pryde and North and now offers foiling equipment plus bioluminescence tours, kayaks, mountain bikes, Hobie Cat sailing, SUP, scuba diving or kitesurfing. Book early for carnival week. 1 week BB starts at £899 including flights and transfers.
TOBAGO – PRO COACHING CLINICS with Peter Hart and Jem Hall are January, February and March 2020.
LE MORNE – MAURITIUS
Best for flat water and waves / All-inclusive / Luxury
Iconic Le Morne, on the southwest Mauritius coast, with its unique lagoon and offshore reefs, provides some of the widest range of sailing conditions in the world. You can stay in all-inclusive hotels, directly on the spot with a specialist Fanatic-Duotone windsurf centre right by the beach and launch spot. Conditions are good from April to December with an average of 70%+ days force 4. Choose from 4 and 5* luxury hotels right on the spot, offering spa, kids clubs, tennis and golf, plus there’s surfing, SUP, kitesurfing and scuba diving. Additional spots for twin centre holidays include Belle Mare and Bel Ombre. 1 week all-inclusive starts at £1299 including flights and transfers.
MAURITIUS – PRO COACHING CLINICS with Peter Hart and Jem Hall are October to November 2019 and 2020.
JERICOACOARA – BRAZIL
Best for waves / Pro coaching / Adventure
As Brazil specialists, Sportif offer the very best locations – Jericoacoara, Icaraizinho and Gostoso. The season is from September to January with conditions so good, Peter Hart and Jem Hall and many pros head there each year for training weeks throughout the season. Sportif have the widest range of accommodation from local style pousadas to luxury hotels next to streets of sand, iconic sand dune views and samba party nights. The centre has the latest equipment from JP Australia, Starboard and Neil Pryde rigged on 90% RDM carbon masts. Less crowded Icaraizinho has a mix of flat water and easier waves from September to December. Gostoso’s good for mixing windsurfing, kitesurfing and SUP with Jericoacoara having windsurf only sailing spots from directly in front of the centre. 1 week BB starts at £1199 including flights and transfers.
BRAZIL – PRO COACHING CLINICS with Peter Hart and Jem Hall are January and November to December 2020.
Sportif Travel offer 60+ windsurfing destinations worldwide, ATOL protected holidays – flights, accommodation, transfers + discounted rental and instruction packages, clinics and camps + cultural and extended tours. Latest spot reviews, conditions and videos online.
Tel: +44 (0)1273 844919 | www.sportif.travel
MARCUS BULL
PLANET WINDSURF HOLIDAYS
www.planetwindsurefholidays.com | 01273 921 001
LANGEBAAN, SOUTH AFRICA
Between November and March, South Africa is the place to be for windsurfing, providing the perfect escape from the icy cold winter in the northern hemisphere. Winter in the UK means summer in South Africa, where warm temperatures and consistent winds combine – making for epic windsurfing conditions. Offering stunning scenery, sunny days, world-class food, amazing natural and cultural sites, luxury accommodation and all at great value for money prices, you can’t get better than a holiday to South Africa. Planet’s favourite spot is Langebaan Lagoon which is located just up the coast from the vibrant city of Cape Town. Langebaan boasts a tranquil atmosphere and a vast flat water lagoon that lies within a marine protected area, as well as some small wave sections. It is the ideal place for learning to windsurf or improving your skills. A great windsurf centre and a number of fantastic hotels make this the perfect place for a relaxed windsurfing holiday. And off the water you can combine your windsurf holiday with a city stay or big five safari, all for far less than you would imagine.
GOSTOSO, BRAZIL
For the more adventurous traveller, Gostoso in Brazil is a real hidden gem just waiting to be discovered. There are very few places on the planet that combine an exotic locale with affordable luxury accommodation, amazing culture and world-class windsurfing conditions. Gostoso in Brazil is one such rare spot. This lesser-known windsurf resort boasts 90% wind reliability from October to March, making it one of the most reliable windsurfing locations on the planet during the UK winter (Brazilian summer). Planet offer small luxury boutique hotels, or stunning windsurf beach bungalows, combined with fantastic centres stocking the very latest JP / Neil Pryde gear. Here you can windsurf right in front of your hotel on uncrowded waters. The wind averages between 17 and 30 knots and direction is side to side offshore and there are a variety of conditions from shallow flat water through to small clean waves. Generally the wind in Gostoso is more manageable when compared with the ballistic wind found further north, up in ‘Jeri’. Planet Windsurf work with two different windsurf locations, depending on your accommodation choice and windsurf level. Enjoy a superb Brazilian atmosphere, great food, great people, and of course, great windsurfing in Gostoso.
CAPE VERDE
If you don’t have the time or budget to head south for the winter, then there is really only one place to go where daily sunshine can be found and clean, consistent, reliable winds blow every day. And that is Cape Verde, or Cabo Verde as it’s also known. This dreamy destination is perfect for sun seekers and windsurfing fanatics. Located off the coast of northwest Africa and south of the famed Canary Islands, Cape Verde offers a unique holiday destination in the northern hemisphere winter months. Situated only a 5 hour flight from the United Kingdom, Cape Verde is the only super reliable short haul destination for a windsurfing holiday from November to March. Windy and warm, the islands of Boa Vista and Sal offer a variety of conditions to suit any skill level. Take to the flat water or master the waves while enjoying the latest and best equipment from our partner centres. The team at Planet has travelled to these islands extensively and can suggest the very best hotels to match your travel needs and budget.
For more on Planet Windsurf Holidays hand picked and personally visited destinations, see their innovative website (www.planetwindsurfholidys.com) for an immediate on-line quotation, or get in touch for expert impartial advice on +44 (0)1273 921001 or [email protected]
FEATURED MICRO GUIDES
AFRICA:
Flag Beach – Corralejo, Fuerteventura, Canary Islands
René Egli – Sotavento, Fuerteventura, Canary Islands
Tenerife Windsurf Solution – El Medano, Tenerife, Canary Islands
AMERICA:
Club Ventos – Icaraizinho, Brazil
Club Ventos – Jericoacoara, Brazil
Dunkerbeck Pro Center – Sorobon, Bonaire