Hi All,

after a couple of days of research we are getting kinda stuck.

We are a family with a 2 year old and since we live in Tokyo right now, this is a good opportunity to visit a tropical kite paradise like Fiji (or the islands around).

What we look for and can not really find:
Best case: 4-5 star resort style so that family and kid can hang out and enjoy the amenities, while I can kite directly at the hotel...

Anyone of you have any suggestions?

Malolo lailai may tick your boxes as an option. There is a low tide sandbar out from the island or you can kite over the back of the airport side. There would most likely be other kiters around. You can easily get a boat to surf Namouto or tavarua. there are 3 resorts on the island. Musket cove, plantation island, and adults only Lomani island resort. As you can see each resorts name suggests it's on it own island but they are all on the same. Little Malolo. Plantation is full of kids with the focus on them and activities. Musket is a little more upmarket. Good bbq there + supermarket. There is lots of development going on around these resorts so organise a quiet Bure. Ferry transfer from Denaru is expensive try to get it included. Packages end up better value. Btw I haven't stayed in resorts there for decades; only anchored off there) Lots of expensive shovel tourism in Fiji that is a rip off Beware.

I've been to Tokoriki and taken kite gear. Wind was a little light and cross offshore, so with no down wind options I didn't kite it. It is a beautiful resort, one of the best ive stayed in years of going to Fiji but slim chances of kiting there and not cheap.
I really like Wananavu right up the north of the mainland near Raki Raki as they have a great dive spot as well if no wind. You can get a boat across to the island opposite to kite or head around the corner.

I reckon you should consider Mauritius. It's only a few hours more in flying time from Tokyo and the kiting is more consistent than Fiji in August. My recommendation is book into the Indian resort which is on the beach at 'Le Morne' kite beach. Great kiting for all levels, beginners to advanced. The 'one eye' break is a must if the wind is right. Also, lots of interesting culture and sightseeing all over the island. Prices are reasonable.

heinzmueller said..

Nuking said..
I've been to Tokoriki and taken kite gear. Wind was a little light and cross offshore, so with no down wind options I didn't kite it. It is a beautiful resort, one of the best ive stayed in years of going to Fiji but slim chances of kiting there and not cheap.
I really like Wananavu right up the north of the mainland near Raki Raki as they have a great dive spot as well if no wind. You can get a boat across to the island opposite to kite or head around the corner.

Thanks for the hint- looks really nice and not too overpriced compared to some of the other resorts!
Do you recall how long it takes to go with the boat to the opposite island to kite and what the approx. cost are for the boat?What do you mean with head around the corner? The beach at the west of the resort? How long of a walk with equipment is that approx?

No I meant to get a boat from Wananavu to Nananu-i-ra Island. Wind seems to be better in the North and it fuels through the islands here. The resort has there own boat and would only take 10mins to go across. If you look up Wananavu there is a wind facing beach around to the east. It would be a decent walk over the hill, but if you had a hire car you'd be sweet.

If you want to kite Tokoriki you will likely have get around to the east side of the island which doesn't have the nice shallow reefs like right in front of Tokoriki. The wind is generally SSE here and if you kite out the front of Tokoriki and you have trouble, your next stop is Solomon Islands. I walked up to the top of the island accessed through the back of the helipad, and would be a very long walk to the other side of Tokoriki. There was a small village there.

There has been a lot of discussion on these forums in the past for Fiji particularly people looking for family options, and to be able to kite right out the front of a resort that you would take your family too, there is only a couple of options. Mololo has been recommended many times. I have stayed there years ago but was before kiteboarding, so can't comment on the kiting there. Mana has had a few recommendations.

Another option not really much about is the Pacific Pearl, which is in the south of the mainland. I have kited there and was ok but choppy and no one else around.

The best in Fiji has got to be Namotu, I haven't kited that but will get there one day.

What ever you choose, let us know how you ended up going.

Wananavu is a resort up the north of the main island on south side of Bligh straight.
however the best wind is on the east side of Nanaru-I-ra and the reef to its east.
right in front of Safari Lodge.
I have been going to Safari Lodge since 2004. And highly recommend it.
But as with all the resort industry in Fiji, do your research and work out a package that you want get a price and determine the currency it is in.
check the package includes all meals all transfers both land and water. Kiting boat support and no wind activities. Prices of things like snacks and beer etc.
also the actual experience of any boat support crew as this can make or break a session.
Also the Trade winds are SE so get a map and note that anything in the Lee of the main island will only get these winds when they occasionally vary from SE.
in the case of Nanaru-I-ra there is a bit of a boost from being at the top of the main island.

We stayed at the Outrigger, south coast of the mainland, the Coral Coast. The resort is quite high end, really nice for the family. I got several good sessions in during our week there. It's one of the better reports for kiting on the south coast as it has quite a large set up area. But there is a lots of coral, only kitable half the time due to tides - I would suggest you must be intermediate and above to be able to kite it. And launching/landing unassisted on a coral beach did lead to a few nicks in the canopy and leading edge by the end of the week.