Isla Holbox , Mexico
Take Off International is going to close the kitecenter on Isla Holbox!

We are very sorry to inform you about this but the situation on Holbox has changed drasticly the last year.
Before, we where using 4 beaches from the island and this was perfect. For every wind direction we had a beach to start kiting and to teach our lessons. Unfortunatly the government decided to close 2 out of the 4 beaches.
The reasons for that are officialy that holbox is a natural reserve and that we kitesurfers bring harm to the natural environment.

Before all this we were using the following beaches:
Mainbeach - Punta Mosquito - Punta Coco - Isla Pasion
The kitesurfers came specially to Isla Holbox for Punta Coco and Isla Pasion because these beaches are at the beginning of a big laguna. This resulted in a very strong current into the wind direction when the tide was coming up. This was very good because you could kite already with a 12 mtr kite while there was only 13 knts wind. From all the days we were using these 2 beaches for at least 50% of all the time.
Unfortunatly the goverment closed both Punta Coco & Isla Pasion!
THis means that now we can kite 50% less (depending on the time of the year).
Besides that they closed these beaches, they are also charging you 20 pesos (1,75 USD) for each day that you want to kite. This is really not a problem and it's really worth it IF you can go kiting on Punta Coco or Isla Pasion, but that is not the case anymore.

What does this mean for kitesurfing on Isla Holbox?
If you want to come to Isla Holbox to relax and to enjoy the beautifull island, then there is nothing changed for you and we strongly recommand you to go, because Holbox is still really special. If you are a kitesurfer and you want to bring your equipment to go kiting if there are a few good days with the wind from the NW - N - NE there is also nothing changed for you and we hope that you will have a few really good days!
BUT... if you are coming specially for the kitesurfing, we strongly recommend you to look for other places!
Because with the new situation it is not worth all the effort you have to do to arrive there with your equipment to find out that you can kite only a few days from your holiday.

We tried to fight for it during the last 1,5 year but we can't win from the Mexican bureaucratie.
I dont't understand the point of view from the government that close these beaches for kitesurfing because we bring harm to the nature, when at the same time they give permisions to build a brand new hotel on that very same beach!!!
AND that they charge a kitesurfer (who don't make any noice and don't make any contamination or what so ever) 20 pesos each day he wants to go kiting, while at the same time there are people crossing over that very same beach with golfcarts and miniquats and all that is ok....???

But i'm just a kitesurfer who loves to go out and become one with the nature (sun, wind, sea & beach)
So who am I to judge these kind of things....?

Kite Regards,

Mike Verwater

Brunotti Beach Center
Isla Holbox
Q.Roo, Mexico
web. http://www.brunottibeachcenter.com\HTML\mexico\index-mexico.htm
email. mikeverwater@gmail.com