Ilot Maitre

A protected lagoon within the greater lagoon of New Caledonia. Ilot Maitre is a small ecological reserve about 4 miles west of the main city of Noumea. When the tide is high, it can have small, choppy water, but usually it's very, very flat, even in 25-30 knots of wind. The area within the lagoon is about 2 km long and 1 km wide. Usually just 3-4 kiters, but sometimes it can have 20+, but lots of room for everyone. The lagoon looks like it may have lot's of coral, but almost all of it is just green sea grass with white sand. The lagoon doesn't get much more than 4-5ft deep. The little island has a small hotel on about half of it, and the rest is a park. Set up on the east side of the island. The beach is great for setting up. You have a number of grassy spots to set up and then you just walk onto the beach and into the water. It is fine grain sand with the occasional piece of broken coral. There is an area set aside just for beginners as well. However, it's important to note that almost all kiting takes place here during on shore winds. The wind can be inconsistent in the winter, so you may find yourself only get 2 days in a week in. But during the spring, summer and fall, you can have some fantastic days and weeks. When the wind blows, it usually starts with a southerly at around 12-16 knots for the first day, two days or more of SE at 16-22 knots, then easterly for a day or two at 20-30 knots. During trade winds, the wind will be very consistent and blow about 18-25 knots. It can get a little chilly in the winter (June to August) but warms up quite nicely by October. You could use a shorty wetsuit during the winter months, but the rest of the time it's just rash guard and shorts. You can expect 16-25°C in the winter for air temperature, and 30-35°C in the summer. The water ranges from 68°F to 85°F. Water: Shallow, Flat, Chop. Features: Rooms, Shop, Toilet, Food. Rider ability: Beginner, Intermediate, Expert.

More kite spots in New Caledonia