First off, I'm not sure if this is the right place to put this, but I couldn't find anywhere else that seemed to be a better fit.

I'm looking at heading out to Aruba with a friend to go kiteboarding. By that time I'll most likely have taken some lessons and will have a splitboard and LEI. My friend on the other hand, will have no previous kiting experience when he gets here.

Any suggestions about how to do this? If we were both experienced it looks like Kite Inn is located right by a beach with nice steady on-shore winds. However, I hear this isn't a good place to learn which might rule it out.

Over by Fisherman's Huts there are a bunch of kite places and hotels to stay. I hear the wind here is gusty and off-shore (especially over by the high rises), but it's at least consistently windy and this is where everyone offers lessons.

Right now we're looking at staying with Armando's Kite Shack and getting my friend lessons and rental gear there, but I'm looking for other people's opinions about Aruba. I'm also not set on Aruba at all, it just seems like a nice spot since it looks beautiful and has wind every day.

I'm remember Aruba was always a wind mecca for windsurfing and now years later a few friends have gone there to kiteboard but all had similar comments that it wasn't the best location for kiteboarding. The wind predominant wind direction was offshore to kite board and the best place to go you have to be taken by boat out and across a reef to get to it. The few friends that commented on it were all seasoned kite boarders, not pro riders but they know what they are doing and said it wasn't quite as "user friendly" as they hoped. They all had gone late winter so perhaps wind directions will be different when you are there.
Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos, Cayo Guillermo in Cuba is great ...

OBX is closer, cheaper, has shallow (like knee deep) water and plenty of places to get lessons. After I started going to OBX I never went back to Aruba.

Photo of a recent day.

I took lessons from Armando and they know what they are doing, provide boat support and gear. Fishermans huts is shallow quite a ways out so you can walk back but bring booties. It does blow offshore but as long as you have the boat support its kind of nice. I went last may and was consistently blowing over 30 but can be gusty especially down past the high rises. Other side of the island is onshore but there is surf and it can be quite crowded, not a great place to learn. The cost of lessons was considerably less than in the States. I'm sure there are better places but I haven't been there to kite yet. Dominican this winter

Yeah, Aruba is looking surprisingly affordable. I can get a room for $1,100 for two weeks, flights are remarkably cheap, and lessons are almost a third of what they are where I live. My understanding is the constant wind and boat support largely make up for the fact that the wind is offshore.

OBX looks like it could be nice, but so far (in my first 10m of looking) I can't find anywhere under $100 a night (and many places seem to be twice that). I'll keep looking there, but not sure what my friend will think. He's more interested in the tropical island bit than the kites.

At OBX most times people group together in a house, usually 6-8 people. Went last month - cost about $350 total for a week including food. But, you need to get into the right house, for sure. I'm surprised you can find a bargain like that in Aruba, but sounds like winner.

I had a great 2 hour basics and body dragging lesson at the fishermans hit ...Aruba Pro Kitesurfing. Off shore, a bit gusty and worse, lulls, but the people are awesome, the shallow water is great and the gear, all Slingshot is newish and sweet! If I had another day, I'd have been up and riding. Love Aruba but still unsure if it's the best learning conditions...Cape Cods Air Support is my next outing in August.
Hope you enjoy...land kiting skills translate very well to the water - Jim

others to think about, lots to do in Mexico and cheap and easy to get there. Cancun, Tulum down south, or over on east side of Cozumel.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g150813-d144338...

http://mexicancaribbeankitesurf.com/


http://www.cozumelkiteboarding.com/


http://kitesurfvacation.com/?page_id=2192&lang=en



I can't endorse any of these guys, I'm a land based static flier, but here's some new ideas for you.........I like to support those local guys, they work hard!