Rhodes, this beautiful Greek island in the Agean Sea is situated close to Turkey. During summer months it experiences Meltemi, the famous trade wind of the Agean, which is fairly reliable between June and September. It also could be intensified by thermals depending on the kite spot.
We travelled in the first week of October and decided to split our trip between two spots, Theologos and Prasonisi.
Theologos
Theologos is situated on the north coast of the island close to the airport. Therefore we have decided to go to the kite spot first thing as we had an early flight and late check-in to our accommodation. We were also hoping to squeeze in a cheeky afternoon session. It turned out to be a great idea, couple of hours after our of arrival we were on water shredding it. There are three kite centres in Theologos. We randomly chose Surf & Kite Theologos, which has all the usual facilities: compressed air, showers, changing rooms and toilets, parking on site 25m away from the school. Food and drinks can be ordered on site and very popular with everyone, especially ice coffees and fruit/veg smoothies, which were a hit for me. The launch area is quite small and really only allows one, max two kiter to launch at the same time so when the wind picks up there can be a bit of a queue. Given the first week of October the sea was still fairly warm about 24C degrees. As you enter the water it deepens quickly within a couple of meters from the shore, which is useful for foilers and something to be aware of for beginners. There was a bit of a chop and a small shore-break. The spot is typically side onshore from left, the NW wind usually picks up stronger in the afternoon as the air heats up and lasts for a few hours and sometimes late into the evening. We had a cloudless day finished with a perfect ride in the sunset.
Surf & Kite Theologos have accommodation right behind the beach, although it is quite pricey compared to other accommodations in the village you can't beat it from location point of view. We picked a different place to stay about 3 minutes drive away from the beach in Filoxenia apartments. We had an amazing room with a kitchenette and a balcony overlooking the garden and out to the sea, we loved having breakfasts on the balcony and for the evening we had a choice between the on site Filoxenia restaurant or near by restaurants in Theologos village all within a few minutes walk.
Theologos is perfect for families as well, kiters can enjoy the thrills and actions whereas the rest of the family can chill out at the well served beach.
We have found, however, that the wind is stronger down south in Prasonisi (or Praso) and so decided to drive there to explore and it was a best decision we could have made. Praso - what a treat of a spot!
Prasonisi
It is a small island connected to Rhodes via small sandy atoll at its southern tip. You can sail on both sides of the sand strip however the northern part is wavy and is dedicated to kiteboarders. The wind here is slightly side onshore or onshore and depending on strength there could be knee to chest high waves. The wind funnels between the two islands and can be much stronger than the forecast. When the surf is up it may not be the most beginner's friendly spot due to the size of the waves, but for intermediates and experts it's a paradise. The waves are perfect kickers for pops and jumps, the sea is warm and the thermal wind usually starts early in the afternoon and lasts till the evening. Having said that, we also had two light wind afternoons with super steady winds and were cruising with couple of schools out to play as the water is shallow for about 50m out. Technically you can also kite the south shore where the wind is offshore and the water is butter flat. However the southern part is mainly for windsurfers/wingsurfers and many schools don't like kiters there. Should you decide to kite in offshore condition please check with the local schools for rescue service. Or just stick to the north shore and have fun in the waves! It's fairly remote part of the island, but don't let that put you off, it's well worth the visit. Public transport is not very good, a taxi ride or a hire car is most suitable. I would recommend driving via the north coast, it is a scenic route through some beautiful rural areas and pine covered mountains overlooking turquoise blue sea dotted with small islands.
Accommodation in Praso is very limited. There are two nice, small hotels to choose from, both are very close to the beach and both have their own tavernas. You can also stay in nearby towns and drive in everyday as parking on the beach is free. We stayed at Oasis Hotel, we really enjoyed our stay there, you can chill by the internal pool on non windy days, the food is amazing and the waiting staff are very friendly and attentive.
There isn't much to do in Praso in the evening. It gets rather quiet so if you like a bit of a party this place is not for you, but if all you want is kiting and tranquility you are at the right spot.
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