Destination guide

Maui, United States

The north shore of Maui, where the trades funnel between two volcanoes and the sport largely learned to fly.

About Maui

Maui's north shore is where a great deal of modern kitesurfing was worked out, and the geography explains why. Trade winds funnel between Haleakalā and the West Maui Mountains and accelerate onto a coast that has been a wind-sports proving ground since windsurfers found it in the 1970s.

Kanaha Beach Park, beside Kahului airport, is the centre of it. The best directions are north-east and east-north-east, with easterlies opening up wave riding. It divides into two main launches — Naska, often called Old Man's or Naish Beach, described as the smoothest and steadiest launch on the island, and Teach Beach west of Kaʻa Point, where the schools work. Both suit beginners under instruction, while the Pro Pool further out is a wake-style spot when the wind carries north in it.

The rules here are firm and worth knowing before you arrive: the park gates open at 6am and close at 8pm, and kitesurfing is permitted only from 11am, with lifeguards on jet skis enforcing it and covering emergencies. Beyond the beach, Maui is Maui — Haleakalā at sunrise, the road to Hāna, and some of the best diving and whale watching in the Pacific.

When to go

Best months: May, June, July, August, September, October.

Kite areas

1 distinct riding area documented within this destination.