Kite surfing is one of the fastest growing and most extreme water sports, not only in Oman, but in the region as a whole. But, with plenty of uncrowded beaches and superb wind conditions, kite surfing is definitely on the rise in Oman too.


The sport involves you surfing the waves on a wakeboard while holding on to and steering a large kite that powers you along. You’ll find a small group of kite surf enthusiasts who gather on Thursday and Friday afternoons at Azaiba Beach. This is a relatively quiet and sandy spot that offers perfect kite surfing conditions when winds exceed 10 knots. Be careful of the occasional car or group of people wandering across the beach, especially in the early evenings – you wouldn’t want to become entangled in them.


During summer, hardcore kite surfers escape the relatively light conditions of Muscat and head for the east coast, where the winds can often get up to 15 to 30 knots.


In fact, Masirah Island, just off the east coast, is becoming one of the region’s must-visit kite surfing spots; in summer, kiters from all over the GCC flock there for the high winds and temperatures that are far lower than in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and even Muscat. At present there is no kite surf school or kite surf shop in Oman, but if you have a chat with any one of the regulars they will be able to offer advice about where to buy equipment and how to get started.