Kite Area guide
Banda Aceh Kite Area, Banda Aceh
Banda Aceh's beaches give an unusual mix: small spaced waves with large flat areas between them, and hardly anyone on the water.
When to kite
Best months: January, February, March, May, June, July, August, September, October.
About this Kite Area
The coast at Banda Aceh sits between jungle and mountains at the northern tip of Sumatra, and the water is warm and largely empty of other kiters.
Two windows work. The main season runs May to early October on the Angin Barat — the west wind — from the south-south-west at 10 to 30 knots and above. A second window runs January to mid-March on north-easterlies at 10 to 25 knots. January, February and June through September are the strongest months.
Conditions range from flat to small waves. The Black Sand beach gives small spaced waves with large flat areas to ride between them, waves reaching around a metre, and bigger swell working the left side in side-wind conditions. It accommodates beginners through advanced riders.
Access is easy once you are here: you can rig and de-rig on the grass at the top of the beach, with shade to rest between sessions. An eight and a twelve metre kite cover most riders.