Kitesurfing FAQs
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME FOR KITESURFING?
April through October is the trade wind season here in the Cook Islands. A S.E. breeze is the typical direction making nice cross-on shore kiting in Muri lagoon. Any wind outside of these months is a bonus but not uncommon.
Because the land mass is so small here we don’t tend have have an obvious afternoon sea breeze. When the wind is on, IT’S ON.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO PICK UP KITESURFING?
We structure our lessons to keep you safe, having fun and progressing quickly.
Generally, it takes about 6 hours of private instruction to get the feel of getting up and riding short distances on the board.
Click for more info on lesson structure:
There are certain stages of progression that you will need to cover to be good kite surfer:
The first lesson begins with a beach based portion to cover the location assessment, gear set-up, safety systems and flying theory. We progress to the water for basic piloting skills and drills; this will give you a feel of what it is like to control the kite. All the gear, equipment and instruction is provided for each lesson.
The second lesson perfects your flying skills and teaching you more advanced skills such as body dragging, moving left and right through the water and letting the power of the kite pull you along. This will stimulate the senses and have you craving more.
The third lesson we will introduce the kite board. You will learn to body drag to retrieve your board and also body drag with the board to understand how to navigate around the water. Finally it's time to put the board on your feet and get up on top of the water. You will learn the water start stroke, body position on the board and how to stay up riding. If you have experience in board riding e.g. surfing, snowboarding or wake boarding then this stage should feel familiar to you.
Kite surfing is a very rewarding sport, however it does take a bit of commitment to get the hang of it. Be careful, once you've got the kiting bug you’ve got it for life!
WHAT IF THERE IS NO WIND ON MY SCHEDULED LESSON?
Our instructors will make a judgement call prior to starting the lesson. If the conditions are poor we don’t want to waste your time or money so we will try our best to reschedule your lesson for a time that suits you. If you are leaving the island or there is no suitable time a full refund will be given for cash payments and a full refund less 5 % processing fee for credit card/electronic payments.
Please review our cancellations policy for your information.
Tour FAQs
DO I NEED TO HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE?
People of all abilities, including complete beginners, are most welcome. In fact, most of our guests are beginners but experienced paddlers also enjoy our tours.
WHAT'S UP WITH SUP YOGA?
No experience in yoga or paddling is necessary or required to join; all abilities are welcome! The SUP Yoga class begins with an introduction to paddle boarding and paddling out to our secluded and sheltered lagoon studio. The class combines a mixture of seated and standing poses. Standing is not required. Every class is slightly different and customized to the group.
WHAT LEVEL OF FITNESS DO I NEED TO PARTICIPATE IN ONE OF THE TOURS?
Stand up paddle (SUP) requires only a basic level of fitness because you can go as easy or hard as you like. As long as you can take a leisurely walk you are fit enough to come along. And SUP is one of the best & most enjoyable ways to improve your fitness! Open ocean sea scooter tour require you to be a confident swimmer.
WHAT SHOULD I BRING ON TOUR?
Drinking water, togs (swimwear), towel, hat, sunscreen, glasses strap & change of clothes.
WHAT FOOD AND DRINKS ARE INCLUDED IN THE LAGOON EXPLORER?
A locally made ham, fish, chicken or veggie sandwich, water and/or cold soda. Lunch is served after the tour back at home base. Kick back in the sunshine and put your feet up, you’ve earned it!
WILL I GET WET?
We certainly hope so! It's all part of the experience but some make it through the tour staying dry. If it's a nice warm day your guide will encourage a swim so come prepared!
WHAT IF ITS WINDY OR RAINY?
The lagoon is very suitable for stand up paddle boarding because it's calm, waist deep and sheltered from the waves beyond the reef. The climate in Rarotonga is tropical so we are often presented with unexpected rain showers, however we often find that it could be pouring with rain one minute then blue skies and sunshine the next.
Your guide has good local knowledge of weather and will assess the weather forecast prior to the tour and if the forecast is for a shower or two and not too cold then the tour will go ahead. If the guide thinks it will be too rainy then the tour will be cancelled and you will have the option to either re-schedule to another day or receive a full refund.
I'm on my own, can I book a tour? Are there minimum tour numbers?
Yes, go right ahead, you can book a tour for just one person. Our tours have a minimum number of 4 persons so if at least three other people have booked a tour for that day no problem. If it turns out that we haven't met our tour minimum numbers for that particular day we will contact you beforehand to give you the option to transfer to a different day or issue a refund.
What happens if I need to change the date of the tour?
If we receive more than 24 hours notice, you can re-book your tour to another day, subject to availability. With less than 24 hours notice the cancellation policy applies.
What happens if I need to cancel the tour?
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More than 24 hours notice of tour cancellation 100% is refunded.
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Less than 24 hours notice of tour cancellation 50% of the tour is refunded
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2 hours before or No show - no refund is payable. 100% charge.
How do you manage safety on the tour?
Each of our tours has a safety and risk management plan in place. All guests on the group are required to remain in sight of the guide during the tour. Your guide has a Marine VHF radio and a First aid kit.
Our Nocqua LED lights that we use on our Fire on Water Night Tours also have a convenient safety feature built in which will be demonstrated to you in the briefing.
What equipment will be provided on the tours?
-A high quality, inflatable, stable Stand Up Paddle board & adjustable length paddle are provided.
-Although we recommend paddling in your island shoes (barefeet) We provide reef shoes incase you haven’t quiet trained your feet to walk across rocks and reef.
-The SUP & Snorkel Lagoon Explorer Tour also includes a mask and snorkel as well as a dry bag to keep those necessities safe.
-We also offer lifejackets which you are welcome to wear, just ask for it when we are getting ready to depart.
What about sun protection?
Sun safety is a priority. We will provide sunscreen that will not harm our marine life. Please bring your own hat and lycra rash top or t-shirt for sun protection. We also sell these items in the KiteSUP surf shop.
Are kids welcome?
Yes we love to see families enjoying the outdoor adventures together and kids are often the fastest learners of Stand Up Paddle. Watch out they sometimes like to push their parents into the water! Children under 5 are free but must have an adult with them at all time.
What age does the child pricing apply on the Tours?
With our tours, you are paying for the experience so the price displayed is per person regardless if they are on a double kayak , single kayak or SUP. Under 5’s are free of charge. We do offer 50% off for kids or small adults when doubling up on a paddle board with any full paying participant.
I have physical or intellectual special needs, can you cater for me?
We think it's important for anyone to be able to enjoy outdoor adventure activities and in the past have provided lessons/tours to guests with special needs. Let us know your needs, and if we think that we can cater for you safely and provide an enjoyable experience then we welcome the opportunity.
Still have more questions?
If you haven't found the answers above then please feel free to contact us via email at info@kitesup.co or by calling us on +682 27877. We can’t wait to make your tropical getaway one to remember!