Next time maybe try somewhere closer, Indo or Thailand.From the east Coast you guys are already more than 1/2 way there. Its better value and much better food. The season in Indo should be going good by now. Anyone been there the last week or two?

Love the review NN.

Hey Paul...I'm sure you've been to Mauritius?

Looks like a place to check out in our Winter www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8475

Nick

yeah it wasnt really worth all the effort...
the coral totally freaked me out... so many guys had there arms and legs shredded from it!

did get our bags back eventually... qantas had them delivered to our house...
so no new kites for us just yet! lol

good review nn!! we were unlucky to be in fiji the week after an unusual storm that had brought northly winds up to 30knts and seemed to disrupt the trade winds for us. on the good days it up to 20knts and everyone was saying "it was like this every day last year" which would have made for a great holiday but thats how it goes....actually had to do what most people do in fiji and lie on the beach,drink beer and relax!!(very hard to do when you've just lugged all ur kiting gear a few thousand kms's!).

all in all we have much better conditions in wa but if the wind had been in all week as expected we would have picked our times better and kited when the tide was in. as it was we tried to get out when ever the wind was in and the coral makes for some dodgey launches!

one great place was in the lee of a reef about 2km off shore from nananu lodge....great steady wind and flat water.was great doing one jump after another with just the open ocean and the setting sun to leeward....beautiful conditions but u are exposed if something goes wrong and would relie on a rescue if it did.

i would definately go back as it was fantastic holiday but im sure that theres other great places to be explored.

if anyones going and wants to know where to stay etc let us know as we checked out all the lodges etc and will gladly give u the rundown.

cheers

steve

I think nn has just verified many of the comments in recent topics some the are still posted.

This is a great location but having a support boat and the right contacts for the best launches is the key.

there are some spots where reefs are no more problem than many of the spots here. I was wearing sandles when walking but kited bare foot for the whole 2 weeks and had no problem at the good spots.

Our 12k downwinders had us going past numerous open water reef protected spots and with the support boat we could kite into Nanu-i-ra and be picked up at dolphin island for a hassle free landing.

But to nn's point and others, don't bother going without the backup, you will not have the same experience and fun as we did.

best winds
Tony Lorenz

I happen to agree with Damo, a bit over the Fiji thing. WA has the schiznit of kiting locations. I've been to many spots overseas including some of the so called "meccas" of kiting like Hawaii, Thailand and Indo and I reckon we have it licked right here at home.

Clean water, great surf, best beaches in the world, uncrowded, good wind and only a few bucks worth of petrol to get there. Some of the reef breaks up north are the best in the world hands down, so why take your money offshore? Buy Australian, tour Australia, enjoy your own backyard and keep your money in the country. If you have to give your money to someone, give it to an Australian small businessman.

No disrecpect to people wanting to go OS. But have you checked out your own backyard???

Good winds to all,

All hail to spending your money with locals.

Yes Australia has it all. I done the Hana hwy and saw nothing you couldn't see on the Great Ocean Road.

And as one of those small Aussie businesses manufacturing a product and then watching inferiorImports ripping your market away I simpathise.

I also try to push autralian kiting products Such as Stonker whenever I can. But fashion clouds many a buying decision.

As far as going OS on sailing holidays goes, it is an adventure in broadening personal horizons, as well as seeking those special spots and it also becomes an ambassadorial trip of cultural exchange when you meet other travellers and tell of how good we have it.

Also can you truely claim to appreciate what we have here without first hand experience of those other places?

Sure I could spend the rest of my days sailing my few favourite spots, but do I want that narrow range of experience to be my memories when the body gives up. Do I want to sit around with the group and only be able to add something to the conversation when it drifts to a topic of my experience.

There are many places I have been that have been crap but in each was something that improved me.

I suppose I'm happy to be a small fish in a big pond.

best winds
Tony L

Any chance of posting a review on Mauritius and Noumea on your return?

I am off to Mauritius last week of August. Spent a lot of time deciding between Fiji and Mauritius, in the end Mauritius just seemed more exciting. Wish I lived on the west coast and could save 5 hours of extra flying.

As you have the ability to travel, you should consider Boracay at some stage. Unfortunately it is best at the same time as WA, so stiff competition I should imagine (still haven’t made it to WA), just love the cold murky waters of Melbourne too much.(makes holiday destinations seem sooo much better)

I say travel.
Do it when you're young and free....
cause later you get locked into career paths, mortgages, family responsibilities....
And when you're older you tend to travel less rough;
so it's more expensive and less adventurous.
Just buy a ticket and go.....I'm envious.

Australia has it all, no doubt.

but it would be hard to find a kiting location where a whole village shuts down, school closes early and highway traffic halts just because a few kiters set up.

where the hardest part of pumping up a kite is controlling the que of kids lined up to have 3 pumps each. That's just one memory of Fiji and the adventure of leaving my comfort zone.

Sounds like NN is the official destination reviewer.

best winds
Tony L

he he good one milehigh...
at least when you get your statements they are an exciting read!

w.a. is soooooo beautiful
but there is still something magical about experiencing other cultures....

by the way i have posted some pics of noumea which were taken jan 04