LOCATION
Phi Kite School is located on My Hoa Lagoon, 16 kms Northeast of Phan Rang in the Ninh Hai District, a scenic agricultural area with the crystal blue water of the sea to the East and majestic mountain ranges to the West.
Phan Rang is the capital of Ninh Thuan Province, situated in the middle of the tourism triangle of Phan Thiet, Dalat, and Nha Trang. In contrast to Mui Ne there are very few foreigners here and not many people speak English. The locals are very friendly, although they are still genuinely surprised when they see a foreigner, especially in the rural areas.
Phan Rang meaning “Wind and Sun” in Vietnamese certainly lives up to it’s name - it is the driest place in Vietnam with the lowest annual rainfall, and has wind almost all year round. Phan Rang is developing as a kitesurfing destination in Vietnam, and will definitely grow over the next few years. It offers a range of different places to kite with a variety of conditions making it possible to kite here almost all year round.
Traditionally there are 2 seasons here – the High Season (Winter) from mid October to April which has strong reliable trade winds from the North-North East, and Low Season (Summer) May – September which has thermal winds from the South-South East. During the low season the wind is a little lighter and may be affected by storms.
WIND & CONDITIONS
At Phi’s spot during the Winter High Season the wind blows cross on-shore from a North-NE direction. The wind is strong and reliable with an average wind speed of 20 - 25 knots throughout the day. These are prevailing trade winds and are rarely affected by any thermal. Light wind days are rare and even then it blows around 15 knots. On very strong wind days it can blow around 40 knots – great for showing off big air tricks!!
The tide is the only thing that can cause a delay at Phi Kite School. My Hoa Lagoon is tidal and so sometimes it is dry or too shallow to kite safely. It is always possible however to walk out to the reef and kite in the deep water beyond if you’re really keen. It takes about 10 mins to reach the reef and booties are essential! We have booties available for sale or rent so there are no excuses! You can check the local tide charts here or simply contact us and we’ll let you know the best times to kite for the day.
If you have to wait for the wind or tide there is no better place to do it than at here Phi’s Kite School – you can relax in our chill out area or enjoy some of the delicious food and drinks available at our restaurant and bar.
It never really gets that cold here with an average temperature of 25 – 30 C during the Winter High Season. However, the strong winds can create a bit of a chill factor and some people prefer to wear a light wetsuit.
During the Summer Low Season the wind at Phi’s spot switches and blows from the opposite direction, still cross on-shore but from the South- Southeast. The wind is a little lighter and is less reliable, and the tide is not as favourable; however kitesurfing is possible. If the conditions are not suitable on the Lagoon we move our lessons to the beach at Cong Ga Vang in Phan Rang during this season.
LIVE WIND
HOW TO GET HERE
BY ROAD
From Saigon
Recent improvements to the A1 highway have significantly decreased the travel time to Phan Rang. The trip from Saigon by bus will take approximately 7 hours depending on the number of rest stops. Most bus lines that stop in Nha Trang will also let passengers off in Phan Rang. After arriving in Phan Rang a local taxi can take you to Phi’s Kite School for approximately 300,000 VND. A private car transfer is also possible and will also take approximately 7 hours from Saigon to Phan Rang, and then about 20 minutes to Phi Kite School.
From Mui Ne / Phan Thiet
Travelling to Phan Rang by road (on the A1 highway) will take approximately 2.5 hours by bus, private car, or motorbike. You can take the A1 all the way but we recommend turning off at Ca Na and taking the new coastal road into Phan Rang - it will add about 45 minutes to your trip but is well worth it as the scenery is breathtaking!! After passing through Phan Rang keep going north past Ninh Chu Bay and then continue for another 10 kms to Phi’s spot at My Hoa Lagoon. See Self- driver section below for more details.
From Cam Ranh Airport
It takes just over an hour to get to Phi’s Kite School from Cam Ranh Airport. Private car transfer or pre-arranged Phan Rang taxi is recommended.
From Nha Trang
The drive from Nha Trang to Phi’s Kite School will take approximately 2 hours by road. Taxi, private car or buses are available.
SELF-DRIVERS FROM PHAN RANG
If you are driving yourself, follow these directions: Head north out of Phan Rang City over the bridge to NInh Chu Bay and then continue along this road for approximately 7 kms. When you reach a fork in the road take the left fork and continue on the main road to My Hoa for another 3 kms. Phi Kite School is on the right. The road is new and the scenery is beautiful making it a pleasant 20-minute drive. Parking is available on site.
BY TRAIN
Phan Rang is conveniently located on Vietnam’s main North-South train line and most trains will stop here. The name of the station is Thap Cham. There are 4 classes of seating available from Soft berth to Hard Seat. The trip from Saigon takes between 5.5 to 7 hours depending on the number of stops. Thap Cham station is located 28 kms from Phi Kite School. A local taxi will cost about 350,000 VND and take about 30 minutes. There are usually many taxi’s waiting outside the station or we can organise a pick up for you.
BY PLANE
Travelling by plane to get here is also very convenient. Our local airport is Cam Ranh International Airport (CXR) - often referred to as Nha Trang. Domestic flights from Saigon or Hanoi are readily available. The flight from Saigon takes less than an hour and if you book early, tickets can be very cheap. There are also Direct International flights from Hong Kong, China and Russia, with more routes coming soon. The drive from the airport to Phi’s Kite School takes about an hour and a half, as we have to go around Nui Chua National Park. Most of the taxis at the airport are bound for Nha Trang and they get confused when you say Phan Rang, often going the wrong way, so a private car transfer is recommended to avoid any hassles. We can help you get here! Just check out our Transport Services and Contact Us.
TRANSPORT SERVICES
Private Car Transfers
This is the most convenient and easy way to travel from A to B especially if you have kite gear with you! We can arrange a private transfer to or from Phi’s Kite School from various locations.
Prices are in Vietnamese Dong (VND)
| PICK UP/DROP OFF LOCATION | PRICE |
|---|---|
| Cam Ranh International Airport | VND 800,000 - 5 Seat VND 1,100,000 - 12 Seat |
| Nha Trang | VND 1,400,000 - 5 Seat VND 1,700,000 - 12 Seat |
| Mui Ne | VND 1,500,000 - 5 Seat VND 1,800,000 - 12 Seat |
| Phan Rang Thap Cham Train Station | VND 400,000 - 5 Seat VND 600,000 - 12 Seat |
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