If you’re searching for the next world-class watersports destination, you’ve just stumbled upon the windy jackpot. For the past three years, Mauritius has hosted the annual Mauritius Kite Jam Festival in the southwestern resort of Le Morne, and it’s fast becoming one of the coolest, most desirable kitesurfing locations in the world.

Once again, this year’s event attracted both amateur and professional kitesurfers from across the globe, including big name riders like world freestyle kiteboarding champion Peter Tushkevich and world champion windsurfer Jason Polakaw.

They’ve added their names to a roll call of international big hitters such as Kiwi freestyle champion Jamie Barrow and past European kitesurf champion Alberto Rondina.

We’re kite jamming… 

But there’s a lot more to Kite Jam than the kiting itself. This is a much-anticipated happening in the kitesurfing community, where surf-nuts from around the world come together to make new friends, tune up their skills, and have a rollicking good time.

A packed calendar of parties and DJ sets is always on the cards, along with surf clinics, beach volleyball matches, yoga classes and amateur paddleboard races. Add to this the various kite and windsurfing masterclasses and freestyle shows, and you have the makings of a world-class event.

Where in the world

The ultimate wave-catching destination that is the Le Morne peninsula sits beneath the monumental backdrop of Morne Brabant in the southwestern corner of Mauritius.

But it’s not solely a magnet for kitesurfers.

Windsurfers, wakeboarders, stand-up paddleboarders and plain old ‘ordinary’ surfers gather here in droves, as it’s one of the only places in the world where such a favourable set of conditions combine in a single place - from an exceptionally flat and sheltered ‘kite lagoon’ for newbie and improving boarders, to the hugely challenging “One Eye” wave spot revered by expert surfers. And it’s all protected by the surrounding coral reef which separates the lagoon from the open ocean, creating a safe, stress-free environment for kiters of all stripes, regardless of ability.

Tempted to book your flight to Mauritius? Visit the Air Mauritius website.

Photo: MTPA (of kitesurfing)