Kite shop langebaan11/11/2023 ![]() The 28 rooms are clean and comfortable, but not large. Just 200 meters up from Main Beach, Windtown is a small, trendy and by now, well-established hotel catering to kitesurfers. Other schools and shops include Constantly Kiting and Windchasers. Kites and boards can be rented by the day (though not cheaply). Their shop sells all the essentials including wet suits, harnesses and water sport sunglasses. Owned and run by internationally competitive kitesurfer Alan Steele, they offer group lessons for beginners and private lessons for all levers. KiteLab is one of the best-reviewed schools. Almost all offer lessons for beginners and essential gear, with some also focusing on advanced lessons and accommodation. Kitesurf schools and shops abound in Langebaan. Pearly’s and Driftwoods are always packed for après-kite. The high street village road just opposite is lined with kite schools and shops, a few small hotels, and bars and restaurants serving a mix of surf and turf. Main Beach is where kiters typically meet up pre- and post session. SUPing, cycling, fly fishing, wine tasting. Locals armed with binoculars and a power boat do a brisk trade spotting, retrieving and returning lost boards to their owners, for a small fee of R200 (~£10). If you come off your board and lose sight of it (as I did) - fear not. It does get busy here with most kitesurfers staying in the immediate vicinity between the beach and Schaapen Island, just 500 meters out.ĭownwind of the crowd, however, on the north and west side of the island, the water is beautifully flat with plenty of room. Main Beach at the end of the high street village road, is better suited for intermediate and advanced kitesurfers with choppier water and a bit less space to play with. Things you won’t find at Shark Bay: sharks, concessions, facilities. At high tide space on the beach is at premium, but the kiteable area on the water really opens up, extending all the way to the Marine Protected Area at the southeast end of the lagoon. From here it is a 100-meter walk down to the southwest-facing beach which extends for half a kilometre, leaving plenty of room for set up and launch at low and mid tide. We parked the car along the private road just off of Park Street. Shark Bay is perfectly suited for beginners with large expanses of warm, knee-deep water stretching out towards the peninsula opposite, which protects the bay from the waves of the Atlantic. ![]() ![]() What’s not to like? Almost like clockwork, the wind begins to build just after midday and by early afternoon a clean, consistent wind settles in. Langebaan effortlessly caters for kitesurfing – consistent and prevailing cross-shore winds, shallow and flat to mildly choppy water, loads of space to spread out, blazing sun with 25+ degree heat, braai’s (South African barbecue), cheap beer and the built-in South African friendliness and laid back demeanour. ![]() Two kilometres down the road you will see kites in the air and smell the aroma of fresh fish cooking. The left turn onto Sunbird Drive takes you past The Farmhouse Hotel and to the junction with Oostewal Road – this is Langebaan's main drag. We exited the national park along Park Street just near the Langebaan houseboats and passed by the white sands and crystal blue waters of Shark Bay before entering Langebaan itself. The panoramas over Langebaan Lagoon from the Seeberg view point are absolutely stunning. Less commonly spotted and much less friendly are the fierce cape cobras. Tortoises and ostriches are commonly spotted. This route takes you through the interior of the park, and although it adds 20 minutes to driving time and sets you back R68 (~£3), it is well worth it. About 35k south of the town, rather than sticking to the R27, we turned left into the West Coast National Park, at the West Coast Gate. 23rd June 2016 | Words by Tom WildBounds HQĪn hour and half drive up the South African west coast from Cape Town lies the laid back holiday town of Langebaan. ![]()
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