Some adrenaline-thirsty travelers pursue fresh powder, and some seek the perfect surf break. Others strap themselves to a 30-foot kite and skim across the waves, looking for a chance to catch a little air.
“When I’m out on the water I feel like a kid again,” said Jennine Cohen, 43, the founder of Wild Blue Retreats, which leads wellness-focused kiteboarding trips around the world.
Kiteboarding, also called kitesurfing, typically relies on an oblong-shaped board, which riders stand on like a snowboard. An arc-shaped kite attaches to the waist, while a hand-held bar allows riders to direct the kite.
In August, kiteboarding will make its Olympic debut in Marseille, France, reflecting its skyrocketing popularity. In the past decade, according to the International Kiteboarding Organization, which offers a beginner course through its affiliated schools, the number of new kiteboarders certified to ride independently more than doubled, to 50,000 in 2023 from 23,000 in 2014.
The rapid speeds and sometimes soaring jumps may give people the feeling that kiteboarding is dangerous, but when you learn from a certified instructor, it is generally safe as long as you know how to swim, said Frederic Béné, 57, a co-founder of the I.K.O., which represents more than 700,000 kiteboarders, 5,000 certified instructors and 350 affiliated centers in more than 60 countries.
To learn the basics, Ms. Cohen recommends blocking out at least five days for lessons and choosing a destination with consistent side-onshore wind (blowing toward land rather than out to sea), flat water, experienced instructors, and accessibility to launch spots with a sandy bottom and minimal waves and crowds.
Here are six places to get your feet wet:
Hood River, Ore.
Nestled in the Columbia River Gorge about an hour east of Portland, Hood River, Ore., is a U.S. mecca for kiteboarding. During the summer, breezes funnel through the gorge, producing winds that regularly blow 10 to 35 miles per hour, while river temperatures range from 55 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit. “Hood River is a great place for a beginner to learn because the consistency of conditions allows riders to get on the water a lot, which speeds up the learning curve,” said Sensi Graves, 35, founder of Strut Kiteboarding, which hosts women-focused camps in the town (two-day weekend experiences including food, instruction and yoga classes start at $750). Other options include Cascade Kiteboarding, Doug’s Water Sports, and Brian’s Kiteboarding, Windsurfing & SUP. Off the river, Hood River offers mountain biking, hiking, breweries, wineries and more.
Cabarete, Dominican Republic
The professional kiteboarder Robinson Hilario has traveled the world perfecting his skills, but the culture and wind conditions of Cabarete, his hometown in the Dominican Republic, always tug him back. In 2023, Mr. Hilario helped found Kite Kingdom, which offers seven-day camps that include I.K.O.-certified instructors, beachfront accommodations, meals, yoga and stretching sessions (from approximately 165,000 pesos, or about $2,800, per person). Cabarete’s consistent 13-to-28-m.p.h. winds, 80-degree water and year-round season draw both novices and professionals. “Cabarete really turned me into an athlete,” said Nicole Gallub, 45, originally from Washington, D.C., who took beginner lessons at Champion Kite School Cabarete (from 4,130 pesos an hour per person). Visitors can also ride horses, rappel waterfalls, take dune buggy rides, and enjoy beachfront restaurants and bars. Cabarete is about 30 minutes away from Puerto Plata Airport, which has direct flights to Miami, New York and Boston.
La Ventana, Mexico
The turquoise, consistently 68-degree waters of the Gulf of California and steady 12-to-35-m.p.h. winds draw kiteboarders to La Ventana, on the Baja Peninsula, from November to April. Marie-Christine Leclerc, 41, and her husband, Mark Bavis, 50, run Elevation Kiteboarding, which in 2005 was one of the village’s first kite schools (beginner lessons start at 1,100 Mexican pesos, or about $61, plus tax, per person per hour). Other schools with I.K.O.-certified instructors include Saladita, Evolution Kiteboarding and Chilochill. Ms. Leclerc recommends booking Jet Ski-assisted lessons (about 515 pesos more per hour than a regular session), in which instructors ride slightly behind students, providing corrections through radio-equipped helmets. Elevation Kiteboarding caters to children, who require shorter lines and smaller kites. (Kids need to be at least 8 years old or 80 pounds, whichever comes first.) Visitors can also fish, go whale watching, mountain bike, enjoy live music or take yoga classes. La Ventana is just over two hours from Los Cabos International Airport.
Preá, Brazil
Once a sleepy fishing village, Preá is now a kiteboarding hot spot. The area, on the northeast coast of Brazil, is popular for consistent, warm winds that blow roughly 35 m.p.h. between June and January and water temperatures of 80 degrees most days. “Preá is a paradise for kiteboarders,” said Daniel Machado, 49, manager of Preabeach Experience (beginner lessons start at 365 reais, about $67, an hour per person). Other options include Rancho do Peixe and Rancho do Kite. Off the water, there’s plenty to do in the area, including quad and buggy rentals, horseback riding, and swimming in freshwater lagoons. International travelers can fly directly from Miami to Fortaleza-Pinto Martins International Airport, about three and a half hours from Preá, or take a regional flight to Jericoacoara, only 10 minutes away.
Tarifa, Spain
The small Andalusian beach community of Tarifa has a reputation as the kiteboarding capital of Europe. The town, about 90 minutes from the international airport in Málaga, has more than 300 windy days a year and more than 60 internationally accredited kiteboarding schools. Water temperatures stay between 62 and 72 degrees, and winds average 25 m.p.h. “Our students range from doctors and chefs to schoolteachers and digital nomads,” said Giuseppe Salvini, 45, a co-founder of Kite Progress (private lessons start at 60 euros, about $65, an hour per person). Mr. Salvini recommends booking lessons at a school that offers a private boat, which allows students to practice away from other kiteboarders and to quickly retrieve lost gear. Other schools include KTS Tarifa and Free Your Mind, which offers a course geared toward women. Beyond water sports, travelers can wander cobblestone streets, hike in the Peña Mountains, take a sunset horseback ride at Bolonia Beach or kick back at a beach club.
Essaouira, Morocco
On Morocco’s Atlantic coast, Essaouira, roughly 115 miles west of Marrakesh, is renowned for its strong, reliable winds and historic charm. The windy season typically runs from April to October, with consistent 20-to-35-m.p.h. breezes from June to August and approximately 65-degree water year-round. “To learn kitesurfing, normally you need around 12 hours minimum to be able to ride your first couple of meters independently,” said Nasser Abdelouahad, 44, who owns Explora Watersports and Essaouira Surf House, a kite school and beachfront accommodation. “This typically happens between five days and a week.” Explora offers multiday packages for beginners, including lessons, six nights’ accommodation, equipment rental, breakfast and one traditional Moroccan dinner (group rates from 6,000 dirhams, about $595, per person); one-on-one lessons start at 650 dirhams per hour. Bleukite and Kite & Surf Essaouira, other locally owned outfitters, offer beginner kiteboarding packages as well. Visitors can also ride horses or explore Essaouira’s bustling UNESCO-listed medina.
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