Madagascar is rustic kitesurfing paradise.

The windiest part if the "island" is the North Eastern part of the island, but South West and South East also work plus apparently have good surfing. Windguru rates this area of Madagascar as a top 10 windiest place in the world. The wind blows 20+ knots every day, and I mean every day, 8 months of the year and peaks in July, August and September.

Access to the northern part of the island is through the Diego Suarez airport, and from there you have two spots to choose from. The Emerald Sea (the name doesn't do it justice) and Sakalava Bay. The Emerald Sea is a short dhow ride from Diego Suarez which is easily organised or a 20km trip to Sakalava Bay. The Emerald Sea is beautiful and windier than Sakalava Bay, but also a lot more chilled. If you are looking for a quite spot where you can kite all day, have dinner and a early night, and repeat the following day, this is the spot for you.

We were looking for party vibes as well and settled on Sakalava Bay. Sakalava Bay has a choice of 3 or 4 hotels to choose from and the whole place caters for kitesurfers and windsurfers. The hotels are all located on the bay, offering spectacular views of the bay. The bay offers a few square kilometers of flat water. As you leave the bay, there is a reef and some waves. Wind is strong, so if you like jumping right foot forwards, this is the place for you.

I wouldn't recommend a family holiday to this destination. The wind literally blows all day, and if you aren't a kitesurfer, its probably unpleasant. Apart from kiting and drinking, there isn't really anything else to do. The hotels are very simple with salt water in the showers and only 1 of the restaurants offering a alacarte menu.

If you are comfortable roughing it up a bit, this place is great. Its cheap, the locals are friendly and accommodating and the wind BLOWS!!