Welcome to Palmar, Mauritius, where kiters from all over the world gathered for the 2nd edition of the C Kite Festival. Join Crystal Veness on her journey to this kitesurfing paradise rich in cultural heritage. From jaw-dropping tricks by World Champions to heartwarming success stories by passionate kiters, this article is a sneak peek at what awaits those who venture into the east coast of Mauritius.

What feels better than standing on a warm, sandy beach as the sun kisses your face, the wind whispers through the palms, with the gentle sound of waves breaking on the reef in the distance? The only thing that beats it is knowing that your next several days will be spent in this perfect paradise surrounded by all the energy of the kiting community. This is where I found myself a few weeks ago, on the beautiful beaches of Palmar, Mauritius, taking in all of the sights and sounds of the spot before the 2nd edition of the C Kite Festival kicked off! 

I had an idea of what to expect, having heard all about last year's inaugural event, but the wait was finally over. When the doors of that Air Mauritius flight opened, and I felt my first blast of warm and slightly humid nighttime air, I was thrilled. The excitement continued growing as our shuttle bus travelled towards the luxurious C Mauritius resort on the island's most pristine stretch of beachfront. I already felt like I was dreaming after a lovely meal of fresh seafood and a perfectly mixed mojito, followed by a blissful sleep in a gigantic king-sized bed. But I knew this was just the beginning, as I hadn't seen Mauritius in the daylight yet! I fell asleep dreaming of the warm water and tropical breeze I knew I'd be experiencing tomorrow. 

More than just a dream kite destination, the Republic of Mauritius is rich in culture and an exciting experience for visitors from Western nations. This forested mountainous island with its tropical shorelines was formed by a volcanic eruption millions of years ago, located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of the African continent. Because the island was born from the sea, it was believed to be uninhabited until 975, and its fascinating history since then involved claims and settlement attempts from the Arabs, Portuguese, Dutch, French, and British before achieving independence in 1968. 

It is an incredibly diverse island with no official languages, but several can be heard on any given day, primarily French-based Mauritian Creole. You won't have too much trouble getting around speaking English, but I would practise your 'merci beaucoup' just in case! A journey away from the kite beaches will introduce you to vibrant cities such as Port Louis, where you'll see colourful Hindu temples and sample a delicious selection of local cuisines; Mauritian cuisine features elements of Indian, Creole, French and Chinese. I highly encourage visitors to set a few days aside to take a break from kiting and explore everything Mauritius has to offer!

But kiting brought us there, so let's get back to that! The C Kite Festival kicked off with a gentle breeze on the first day, and the beach quickly filled up with colourful kites. The champions and influencers took to the water to put on a show for everyone on the beach. Each morning, the pros were on the water to do a showcase. Of course, we all could have joined them on the water, but who wouldn't want to watch Arthur Guillebert, Youri Zoon, Tom Hebert, Louka Pitot, Oswald Smith, Ellie Dimitrova, Paul Serin, Victor Hays, Hay Katz, and the talented host, Antoine Auriol show their stuff? It was a symphony of skill on the water, and we were mesmerised. 

Arthur Guillebert proved why he won his World Championship with wakestyle moves, inspiring other international athletes and freestyle talents, Louka Pitot, who lives in Mauritius, and Oswald Smith from South Africa, to do the same. It's one thing seeing advanced freestyle moves on YouTube, but these riders compete at a global level, and it's that much more impressive to see it in person. Of course, Arthur is no one-trick pony, and his megaloop tricks were equally as amazing! 

Old school will always be cool, and Tom Hebert is the king of this, bringing his New-Cal style to the beaches of Palmar. Youri Zoon, another World Champion, has traded in his boots for foot straps, and these two former competitors and good friends were in perfect harmony on the water, putting together some synchronised moves for the excited audience. I had never seen Hay Katz kite before, other than on social media, but he rode with such a style and had so much variety in his tricks that I became an instant fan! And, of course, Antoine Auriol had such a smooth, effortless style to his riding, and he exuded as much stoke on the water as he did on the beach!

The C Kite Festival was a dream of Antoine's that he first put to paper just a year and a half ago. Antoine proves the power of manifestation because the first C Kite Festival happened only six months after this idea came to mind. What's unique about the C Kite Festival is that it brings international pros together with kiters of every level, and the good vibes and the stoke are boundless. It's not a competition; the pro riders in attendance were in holiday mode, too! It was just a fun event where they could enjoy their time on the water and enjoy the easy vibes of the east coast of Mauritius. 

The only competition was the Best Trick & Big Air event, which was open to amateurs only, with the pros taking on the roles of judges. It was quite the professional panel, with GKA judge Paul Serin on board! It was easy for anyone of any level to compete, and the fun factor was at an all-time high! Local grom, Oscar Jalon, took home the win in the Big Air competition, while everybody's favourite East Kite School team member, Martin, won the Best Trick competition. Everyone on the podiums took home a superb selection of swag and prizes, thanks to the many generous sponsors of the C Kite Festival.

There was live music every night, with electric violinist Elis Santana kicking things off, walking through the crowd with her violin and accompanied by a live DJ. The second night blew the roof off, with the talented Yarden Saxophone taking to the stage. Her set was out of this world, and the whole hotel rocked that night! The food experiences were incredible, too. I found myself constantly surprised by every new experience and every new flavour. The Street Food Market was a wonderful way to try all types of Mauritian cuisine and the fantastic locally made rums and craft-brewed beers, all with our feet in the sand by the resort's beach bar. The fresh seafood was endless, and I had the burger of the year thanks to a guest appearance by Thomas Frake, winner of UK's Masterchef. They weren't messing about when they described C Kite as a Festival; every day embodied this word in every way.

It wasn't only the international athletes and the festival atmosphere that made this event memorable. There were three very special stories from the event's attendees that I wanted to highlight, as these, to me, are what made C Kite Festival stand out against every other kite event I've been to.

One of the most heart-warming success stories of the 2nd C Kite Festival came from one of the women competing in the amateur Big Air competition; she had learned to kitesurf just last year at the first round of the C Kite Festival, and I've got to say, her jumping skills were on point! The East Kite School is based at C Mauritius, right on the water's edge, and they were teaching students throughout our stay at the resort. 

Manon Lanza, an extreme sports lover and talented motor racer, skateboarder, and snowboarder, took her first kite lessons during the C Kite Festival and was up and riding in no time! Imagine learning to kite and sharing your first rides on the water with some of the world's best and most famous kitesurfers. What an experience!

An especially sweet story that I can't help but share is that two of the attendees of this year's event met at the 1st edition last year and had a special connection, arriving together to experience the event again as a couple. If finding love with a fellow kitesurfer isn't the greatest prize of all, I don't know what is!

A highlight of the weekend was the downwinder, which saw every single kiter in the resort, including the Resort Manager, Olivier de Guardia, take to the water for an approximately 20 km journey from the beachfront in Palmar, right in front of C Mauritius, all the way down to Poste Lafayette. It was incredible to see the beauty of the east coast from the water and look all around you to see kiters smiling and cruising over the clear lagoon, while the pros jumped overhead. Arriving to refreshments and all sorts of stoke at the downwind spot with its incredibly shallow water full of hazards underfoot, it was immediately apparent that the lagoon in front of C Mauritius is one of the best kite spots on the entire island. While booties are everybody's best friend in Mauritius due to the rich marine environment, the clean beaches of Palmar, easy launch spot, and vast, protected lagoon are something few other spots on the island can offer.

Kitesurfers have a unique sense of adventure and resilience when it comes to travel. We'll cross heaven and earth to get to the best kite spots and often embrace the struggle of dodgy rental cars and questionable accommodations, but we do so for the sake of wind. My previous kite adventures have been just that, adventures - and haphazard ones at that! I've never allowed myself to experience a luxury kite trip, perhaps out of stubbornness. The greatest lesson I learned on this trip is that kite trips don't have to be a struggle. You don't have to worry about rental cars, wondering where the nearest grocery shop is, how to get to the beach, or if your equipment will be safe. It is possible to go on a kite trip and only worry about which kite to pump up!

Staying at C Mauritius was like travelling on easy mode with a luxury upgrade! You can wake up with a view of the kite beach and wander down to the water barefoot to dip your toes in just to remind yourself that, yes, the water is warm, and yes, you're in paradise! There's an incredible selection and variety of food available at all times, with three restaurants onsite; an Aperol Spritz or chilled bottle of champagne is never more than a minute away! The soothing spa was a special treat, especially after the mega-downwinder, and, best of all, the always helpful staff made it impossible not to spend the whole day smiling. An all-inclusive resort is, without question, the best way to treat yourself and your family after hauling them across the world for your latest kite trip. 😉

It's been a few weeks since I've been home, but I have the funny photo booth picture with the wonderful new friends I made in Mauritius on my desk, and I'm instantly transported back to the pristine beaches of Palmar every time I see it. The C Kite Festival has undoubtedly brought many new eyes to Mauritius's east coast, and for good reason. This was my first time experiencing this side of the island, and it won't be my last. I hope to see some of you at the 3rd edition of the C Kite Festival! Who knows? You may be part of the next success story...

By Crystal Veness
Editor at IKSURFMAG, Crystal Veness hails from Canada but is based in South Africa. When she isn't busy kitesurfing or reporting on the latest industry news for the mag, she is kicking back somewhere at a windy kite beach or working on creative media projects.

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