KITEBOARDING 101

Are you looking for some adventure during your vacation to Los Cabos? Do you love enjoying the free, open waters of the ocean? Then adding a day trip to Los Barriles for kiteboarding to your itinerary might be for you. Los Barriles is approximately a one-hour trip from the Los Cabos area. Kiteboarding is actually one of the fastest growing watersports in the world, and there’s no better place to try it than the beautiful waters off the coast of Mexico! Keep reading to learn more about kiteboarding and get some tips for beginners:
 
WHAT IS KITEBOARDING?
Kiteboarding is a surface water sport combining aspects of wakeboarding, snowboarding, windsurfing, surfing, paragliding, skateboarding and gymnastics into one extreme sport. This adventure sport consists of using a large steerable kite to pull yourself around on a board on top of the water. The kites are controlled by lines that connect to a harness worn around your midsection. Like a sailboat, you can go any direction you want except directly into the wind.
 
KITEBOARDING FOR BEGINNERS
If you’re new to kiteboarding, keep the following tips in mind:

1. Start with Some Lessons.
Like any new sport, the best thing you can do is start off learning from a professional. Not only will lessons ensure your safety and the safety of those around you, but you can cut your progression time in half with the help of a professional. During your lesson, you will learn the safety systems, kite setup, launching and landing, the wind window and power strokes, water relaunching, self-rescue and body dragging. Lifestyle Villas can hook you up with the best kiteboarding companies in Los Barriles.
2. Understand Ideal Weather Conditions.
A good instructor will help you understand the ideal weather conditions for kiteboarding. There are a variety of websites that offer detailed wind and weather conditions. However, there may be wild swings from the on-beach reading compared to the forecast. Therefore, local knowledge is important. Once you visited a new kite beach several times, you’ll start to get an idea of what the forecast actually translates to in that area. Keep in mind that if you end up at a busy beach, but no one is out on the water, there’s probably a reason.
3. Get the Right Gear.
Whether you’re renting some gear to participate in one of the best activities southern Mexico has to offer or you’ve decided to take up kiteboarding and purchase gear, make sure you get the right items for you. There are three fundamental pieces of gear needed for kiteboarding. You have the harness, the kite, and the board. When choosing a kite, the key thing for beginners is to look for simplicity, re-launch and wind range. When sizing a board, it’s important to take both your weight and skill level into consideration. Beginners will want to start with a larger board. If renting gear, your instructor will be able to help you choose the best items for you. If purchasing gear, talk to an expert who can combine your needs with your budget.
4. Practice and Be Patient.
Don’t be too anxious to get out on the water. You need to make sure you can handle your kite before heading out too far. Make sure that you don’t venture any farther from shore than you can handle swimming back in from in case all doesn’t go as planned. Just like any other sport, with practice, kiteboarding will get easier. You won’t become a kiteboarding expert overnight, but you will develop basic proficiency a lot faster if you practice the different techniques as you learn them.
 
Book your Los Cabos adventure to include kiteboarding and more by contacting a Lifestyle Villas specialist today! We’ll not only hook you up with the best activities in the area, but also the best accommodations in Mexico. Check out our Los Cabos luxury villas on our website and give us a call at 1-888-655-9589 to make your reservations.
 
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