Yan Nautic Club

Yan Nautic Club is Yannick's kitesurfing centre on the beach of the Hotel de la Plage in Ambolimailaka (Ifaty), about 38 km north of Toliara (Tulear) in south-west Madagascar. The spot is a huge lagoon, ideal for beginners: steady, not-too-strong wind, little current and flat water at low tide.

The centre offers discovery sessions, beginner lessons, progression coaching and courses, following a three-level programme (discovery, intermediate kiteboarder, independent kiteboarder) with a level card handed out at the end of the course. It also runs downwinds, as day trips or touring routes along the south-west coast, and 4x4 kitesurf adventure circuits. Two fast rescue boats cover safety.

Gear (Crazy Fly and Ozone) is available to rent or buy. Riders can stay in the hotel bungalows, a few metres from the sea. The best wind months run from June to December (12 to 30 knots); from January to May the thermal wind is less reliable.