Mikes Kites on Bagasbas Beach is close to Daet, the provincial capital of Camarines Norte, in Bicol peninsula, South East of mainland Luzon. It is a long, wide beach facing north east to the open Pacific Ocean. Mikes-Kites has been catering to Kitesurfers here since 2008.
It has been known as a surfing spot since the 70’s. The spot is especially suitable for beginners as the waves are usually rather small – when it is not windy – and break over sandy bottom instead of reef. When it is windy, Bagasbas turns into a slightly chaotic playground for Kitesurfing, with waves between 5ft and 15ft. The wind is onshore, but still a lot of fun to ride and can be quite challenging when gusts are strong. Up the beach, a couple of kilometres to the North West is a place called Vinzons where the waves are typically a couple of feet higher.
Bagasbas also offers flat water, with a small lagoon (a river mouth estuary) about 10 minutes walk down the beach from Mikes Kites. This is good for Kitesurfing during mid- to high tides and has enough space for 5 kiteboarders—give or take a couple. There is also a bigger river mouth estuary about 40 minutes drive from Mikes-Kites which offers enough space for a couple of dozens of kiteboarders and works with any tide. Downwinders are a lot of fun from here; go past the wave spot in Vinzons and power back to Mike’s Kitesurf centre.
A group of islands to the East can be explored riding a kite; hire a rescue boat or rely on your excellent swimming skills in case the wind drops or the kite has a problem. Alternatively, go with a group of Kitesurfers.
These islands as well as a group of islands called Calaguas are also a great option for island hopping on a no-wind day. Also, in the event of no wind, there is the Camsur Watersports Complex (CWC) 2 hours down the road in Naga. Mikes Kites also offers paragliding and surfboard rentals, so there is a lot of opportunity for activities in most weather scenarios. However, in Amihan season, it gets rainy at times (link to the other article) and is very often overcast—of course, in this scenario, you have the advantage of not getting sunburned too much when enjoying the great Kitesurfing conditions.
The season goes from November to March with December to February being the prime months.
There is some local-style nightlife right there close to Mikes Kites on the beach, and in Daet as well; just don’t expect too much. However, compared with the other places in the country (except Boracay), it is still on the upper side. Mikes Kites offer accommodations, and there are other recommended places to stay at around at the beach as well as in town.
Option 1: Ride an 8-10 hour bus to Daet
Option 2: Fly to Naga and use a shuttle van to go to Daet. (With this option, you can also make a stopover at the CWC in Naga for a day or two before continuing on to Daet). Mikes-Kites might be able to arrange private transport from Naga as well.
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For more information check Mikes-Kites website.
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