Bouka – first spot on our kitetrip

The first spot on our trip was Bouka. Last year we experienced strong wind and big waves, this year the weather was not good for us on arrival. Even so, it’s a great place to kite.

Don’t forget to read our first post on how we hit the road!

Bouka – where to stay

Bouka (also called Surf Park Bouka) is a unique spot. First of all, it is possible to stand in a smaller parking lot at the shelter of local kiters, where there are showers and smaller facilities for hanging harnesses, bars, etc. No one will throw you out and nothing is paid. But you stay in the sun without a shadow.

Or you can drive another 200 meters and park on the cut grass among the trees. The view of the sea is the same, there is a second shelter for kiters, but the difference is that the place is taken care of by a local family, who also runs a tavern here. This means that you can use the toilet, outdoor shower, water, place to wash dishes, sitting under the roof, wi-fi internet, small playground for kids and you can get even the electricity for a few euros per day. They just want you to come to them to eat and have dinner or lunch every day. Prices are slightly higher than in the area, for example, a bowl of Greek salad, 2 liters of water and a mug of 0.5 liters of wine costs 13.50 EUR. They grill meat and have fresh fish, so if you want to eat well, you definitely can. Only, of course, it will be more expensive than sleeping in a campsite  ;-).

Taverna and people

In low season it is empty and you can choose parking. However, during the high season, there is often no place to park at the restaurant. The places under the trees are absolutely full, there are several other places to park behind the pub, but there is often little space, just under the trees or there is a mess around. You will usually meet older families and people in their sixties. There aren’t many young kiters. We saw mainly Dutch, Germans, French people who have been coming here for many years and are already friends with the local family.

Beach, wind

As for the conditions for kiting, the beach is really wide and you do not have to worry when launching the kite. You just have to find a place where thistles do not grow or branches lay around. But about half of the beach is just clean sand, so no disaster. Water for washing things is not a problem, it is available at both shelters.

The wind is mostly side on shore, there are often smaller waves on the water, definitely do not expect flat water. It is usually around 7 m/s (14 knots). The water is deep after a few meters, so you will see a lot of foils here. Optimal spot for freeride and foiling.

Unfortunately this year the weather conditions were quite bad. There were storms and clouds on the mountains around for several days and the thermic wind was not working at all. We saw even one tornado close to the town which fortunately died before hitting the coast. To enjoy the kiting we took out at least a small kite for Max and admired a nice rainbow in the sky :-).

When we stayed here last year, the wind was strong as hell and we were able to enjoy waves almost as big as us. Farther in the sea I was easily hidden in between two waves. Fortunately they were thick and big so it was like riding on small hills :-).

What to see around Bouka

About 1 km away is a small shop, supermarket about 2.5 km. The town of Pidima Kiras is also around 2.5 km away and can be reached on the beach. There are several other taverns and hotels in the area, a short distance north of the city is an official camp with all the facilities and we saw a kite in the air there, so you can kite north of the city as well.

There are definitely some beautiful places to see and visit. We definitely recommend those two below.

Monument of Zalongo – worth seeing, the monument has a turbulent history, stands on a rock above the monastery and you can sleep near it. The best time to visit is in the morning until the sun shines directly on the rock and the stairs you climb. And there are a LOT of them :-). Once you reach the top, you will discover a wonderful view of the surroundings.  You can see Lefkada, Preveza, Bouka and more from a distance. 

Acheron Springs – this is a beautiful river that you wade upstream. The walk is unbelievable, our son said he had never experienced anything better. Just beware, it is best to be there out of season or at least not on weekends. Otherwise you will come across hundreds, if not thousands of other tourists. The further you get to the river, the fewer there are, because several sections need to be swum (you can’t reach the ground) and the water temperature could be around 7 degrees. So take your swimming suits, mobile phones in your waterproof bags and get ready for the moments when it will be really cold. But it is a nice change in the summer. As for parking, you can park in the parking lot right at the entrance to the river, it’s just dusty clay and during the day there are hundreds of cars. At night, there is usually enough peace and space, so it is best to drive to the evening, park and go to the river in the morning before the influx of tourists. In any case, Acheron Springs should not be missed.

After spending 5 days here, we moved to Koronissia Island, where there is another unique spot. 

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Author: Karel

I simply love kitesurfing :-).