Join Jason Van Der Spuy and Alessa Sophia Mensch as they uncover the hidden gem of Masirah Island in Oman. From the unexpected beauty of Masirah to the awe-inspiring kitesurfing spots and warm Omani hospitality, their mission to find the best big air conditions was a clear success! Read all about it in this article!

A place that is rarely thought of when planning a kitesurfing trip. Somewhere that holds the best kitesurfing conditions in the world but is unknown to most. A country that you would never expect and an experience you will remember for a lifetime. An island where the wind constantly blows over unspoiled, clear blue, warm waters. Endless kilometres of beaches that have been left alone since the beginning of time and a culture that is so friendly and welcoming you never want to leave. This is our journey to the beautiful Masirah Island in the Sultanate of Oman.

Being a professional kitesurfer is a full-time job, as you are always on a mission to find ideal training conditions all year round. July and August are strange months in the year where few spots can promise strong wind every day. However, the big air community is often looking for the same conditions, and other riders are an excellent source of intel on where the wind is going to work.

Alessi and I had seen that Giel Vlugt and Zara Hoegenraad had visited Oman the year before, and after hearing how amazed they were by the experience, we were keen to give it a try! Giel put us in contact with a few locals from the island for accommodation and gave us the run-down of how to get there. Once our accommodation was booked and our trip was confirmed, we began preparing to fly to Muscat at the beginning of July.

Once we arrived in Muscat, we were blown away by its beauty. We had no idea what to expect, but what we saw exceeded any measure of expectation we might have had. We were overwhelmed with how friendly the Omani people were, and it was truly amazing to be surrounded by such positive people. The only thing that caught us off guard was the insane heat!

Stepping out of the airport at around 1 am, it felt like we were hit with a wall of water and heat. It was around 39°C with 76% humidity. The sweltering heat was almost unbearable, and we quickly made our way into the car rental building to get back into an air-conditioned space. With our rental car sorted, we made our way to the hotel in Muscat, hoping to get a good night's sleep before continuing the journey to Masirah Island.

The following day, we woke up at 7 am and began the six-hour drive down the coast of Oman to the ferry terminal at Shannah Port. The drive was extremely easy, as the roads along the way were pristine. Endless stretches of barren landscape were scorched by temperatures reaching up to 48°C. It was amazing how many camels we saw walking around in the middle of nowhere in these crazy temperatures - they must have insane heat tolerance!

Arriving at Shannah Port, we went into the ferry office to book our tickets to Masirah. It was effortless and not too expensive, especially considering we were also taking a car onboard. The ferry cost for two people and a vehicle was 15.600 Omani Rial, roughly 35€. After an hour of cruising, we arrived at the island's northwest side, where the ferry landed. It is well-developed and has everything an average city would have, with a lot more infrastructure and people than we expected.

The wind on the first three days after arriving could have been stronger, but the light conditions were perfect for exploring a few spots on the island's west side and getting a couple of warm-up sessions in and some freestyle. We found some fantastic freestyle spots, but one that stood out the most was a small pier just a 15-minute drive from where we were staying, with perfect butter flat take-offs and not super dense wind, making handle passes much easier.

It is so lovely to kite in only a pair of shorts, as the water in Oman is so warm. The only issue with not wearing a wetsuit is the crashes hurt a lot more, and rashes from your harness and leash become quite painful after a few days.

The other two spots we found and liked were just upwind from a spot called Monkey Bay against the mountain, and the other is on the windward side of that same mountain. This final spot is a sand spit that sticks out, creating epic offshore water conditions with onshore winds. There are many other awesome locations to kite along the island's west side for big air, freestyle, foiling and freeriding. The east side has some epic wave kiting spots and good surfing spots.

From day four onwards, the strong wind started to blow, and we could not get enough. The wind blew all day, and there were so many places we wanted to kite that we ended up having two to three 2-hour sessions every day. The spots we found best for big air were Monkey Bay and the leeward side of the harbour wall. There are many, many other spots, but for training, these ones were most suitable for us. 

For the average kiter, however, the spots we were training in were not the safest. Monkey Bay, at full high tide, is only about half a metre deep where you are crashing, so you need to know how to crash well in order not to hit the sand underneath. Another dangerous element is that there are a lot of rocks against the bank that you kite, and if you go too far left, it is like a rock minefield beneath the water. 

The harbour is deep enough and perfect for crashing, but launching and getting into the water can be challenging. You have to pump your kite up on a beach covered in sharp objects and debris on the windward side of the harbour wall. Once you have launched your kite, you must walk across the road on the harbour wall, steering your kite between streetlights and navigating traffic. Once you reach the other side, you have to stand on your board on the road and jump around 4m forwards over the rocks into the water. There is the option to kite around the harbour to get to the other side, which I highly recommend for anyone who wants to kite there. To get out, it is also the best option to kite back around and get your friend to land you back on the beach. 

The training conditions we had for three weeks straight were incredible. I was mostly riding my 9m Airush Lift, and was very powered. When it got strong enough, I would switch down to the 8m and focus on big air moves. With the perfect conditions to stack some solid big air training sessions, we left Oman with the confidence to tackle the upcoming competition season in Europe and the Red Bull King of the Air!

Our journey to Masirah Island was nothing short of extraordinary. From the pristine beaches to the warm hospitality of the Omani people, every moment exceeded our expectations. The kitesurfing conditions, especially during those final few weeks of intense training, were unparalleled. Looking back on our time in this hidden gem, we're already making plans to return to Oman to enjoy its unique blend of culture and wind!

By Jason Van Der Spuy

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