5 Best Flatwater Kitesurfing Destinations

Kitesurfing Magazine asked Craig Cunningham to share his top 5 flat water destinations. As part of the North international team, Craig Cunningham has travelled all over the world over the past six years, most of the time looking for wind and flatwater. Here’s a quick run through of his favourite flatwater spots.

1. Kalpitiya, Sri Lanka

The easiest decision on this list was to put this at the top spot. Kalpitiya really surprised me and is definitely my favorite flatwater spot in the world. Not only is there a two-kilometer long sand bar with straight offshore wind, but the wind is like a blow-dryer; it doesn’t steadier than this. I had heard that Kalpitiya was a bit gusty but if you venture away from the main lagoon you can find flatwater and steady wind for days. I went on a short boat trip with www.srilankakite.com and they took us to my flatwater paradise.

2. Magdalene Islands, Canada

Under rated is all I have to say about the Magdalene Islands. What a beautiful spot. On any wind direction you can have your choice of multiple spots with every different type of condition. Kickers from the right, kickers from the left, waves right or left and of course flatwater everywhere. My favorite sessions from here were in small ponds just on the edge of the ocean and we had them all to ourselves.  I was seriously impressed with this place for kiteboarding and being in my home country I’ll be going back for sure.

3. Cape Hatteras, USA

If this isn’t on your list of spots to go, it should be. The epic center of kiteboarding in North America, Cape Hatteras is a kiteboarder’s paradise. The downwind possibilities are endless as are the flatwater spots. My favorite place to ride on Cape Hatteras Island is the Real Slick, especially when the park is fully set up. Sometimes you can be in the best spot in the world and still have the feeling that something is missing; not in Hatteras. The best flatwater isn’t found in the slick though. The Planet of the Apes or New Inlet downwinders offer much larger slicks.
http://kitesurfingmag.com/cape-hatteras-kiteboarding-downwinder-guide/

4. Atins, Brazil

The majority of people traveling to Brazil congregate in the north-east coast in the Ceara state. But with the lagoons getting so busy I would bet in the next few years a huge movement to the north will begin. The spots are insane and super quiet compared to the chaos of iconic spots like Cumbuco, Taiba and Uruau. The freshwater lagoons in the north are plentiful and if you want some flatwater with guaranteed wind everyday you should think about checking out Atins next fall.

5. Fehmarn, Germany

The kiteboarding scene is huge in Germany, but I didn’t realize they had so many great spots. With a little local knowledge scoring flatwater sessions all over the north of the country is a possibility. This is exactly what happened when I spent a few weeks there and couldn’t believe all the different places to ride. My favorite spot in Germany was behind this breakwall in Fehmarn. With directly offshore wind blowing over the three meter wall it was butter flat. With a few little cafes right at the launch it’s definitely a convenient spot.

Craig Cunningham is sponsored by North Kiteboarding, Ion, Rockstar, and Makulo.

This article originally appeared in Kitesurfing Magazine’s Summer 2015 Issue #1. Check out the Free digital version here.