Vietnam Kitesurf & Windsurf Camp: Ride the Lagoon, Sleep on the Beach

The camp is open from October through April, when the northeast monsoon brings side-shore wind across My Hoa Lagoon. Mornings are usually glassy until around 10 or 11am, then the wind fills in and the water gets busy with kites and windsurfers. The lagoon is warm and shallow for a long way out, which is why it works for beginners — you can stand up in most of it. The reef waves beyond the lagoon are world-class and better suited to experienced riders.

The team is led by Etienne, who's been running the camp since it opened and is usually the one rigging gear or driving the rescue boat. Instruction follows IKO standards, which means you progress through defined levels rather than just being dragged behind a kite for an hour. Lessons are $60 per hour and include insurance. You can also rent the latest gear — for the 2025/2026 season that means Allula kites and carbon harnesses — plus windsurf rigs, wings, SUPs and surfboards.

When the wind dies, the camp doesn't shut down. There's a 12-metre Carver skate wave ramp at the entrance, a skate park on site, and an outdoor gym if you want to keep training. You can rent a Carver board for $5/hour, 0 for four hours or 7 for a day, and helmets and pads cost $2. Board repair is available too, so if you ding your kiteboard or surfboard, they can fix it on site.

The restaurant is a bigger deal than you'd expect at a kite camp. The kitchen team has 25 years of experience across Belgian, French, Spanish, Japanese and Thai cooking, so you get everything from steak frites to green curry, using local ingredients. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served daily, and there's a bar that stays open late. The shop stocks Naish kite gear, harnesses, impact vests, RIP CURL surf wear and surfboards, plus RUM-RUN water-specific skorts and WIP forward water protection.

This isn't a packaged retreat with a fixed schedule — you build your own week. Most people take a lesson or two, then rent gear and ride independently. Storage is available if you're bringing your own kit: $8 a day, $50 a week, 80 a month or $450 for the season. Getting here is straightforward: fly into Cam Ranh (CXR) from Ho Chi Minh City (about an hour), then take a taxi or private transfer. You can also come by train to Phan Rang Thap Cham, or by bus from HCMC to Phan Rang, then a local bus or taxi.

What's included

- Accommodation in beachfront bungalow or glamping dome (room rate) - Access to restaurant, bar, skate park, outdoor gym, and private beach - IKO-certified instruction available (paid separately) - Gear rental available (paid separately) - Insurance during lessons (included in lesson fee) - Board storage available (paid separately) - Board repair service (paid separately) - Multi-language instruction (Vietnamese, English, French, Spanish, Italian, Arabic, Russian)

What's not included

- Flights to Vietnam - Domestic flight or transport to Cam Ranh or Phan Rang - Airport transfers - Meals and drinks (paid at the restaurant/bar) - Lesson fees ($60/hour) - Gear rental (kitesurf, windsurf, wing, SUP, surf) - Skateboard rental and protection ($5/hour, $2 for helmet and pads) - Travel and medical insurance (outside of lesson coverage) - Storage fees ($8/day, $50/week, 80/month, $450/season) - Personal expenses