Kintai is a unique settlement by the Curonian Lagoon, surrounded by forest on the way to the famous Cape Vente Lighthouse. It is the heart of Lithuanian identity, distinguished by its fishing traditions and extremely warm local people. And it would be remiss not to mentioned the unique nature, loved even by such rarities as sea eagles.

HIGHLIGHTS

SPORT FESTIVAL

During the summer months, the Curonian Lagoon coast near Kintai offers an extraordinary spectacle—the Wind Sports Festival. Kitesurfing, which became particularly popular, brings together enthusiasts from all over the country to remember safety procedures, kite repair particularities, and enroll in advanced training sessions. The festival is crowned by breathtaking performances in competitions of different kite disciplines. The athletes typically compete in the Race team event, the Children's Cup, Light Freestyle and Pro Freestyle competitions. Downwind is the culmination of the festival, a communal downwind swim with the aim that all participants complete the distance.

QUALIFIED INSTRUCTORS

In both Svencele and Kintai more and more qualified instructors are becoming available, who cannot only help to tame the wind and provide the necessary theoretical and practical knowledge, but also increase the accessibility of the sport. This is thanks to Kintai Kitesurfing Center, which is the only one in the Baltic States that trains kitesurfing Instructors and Assistant Instructors according to the IKO methodology.

BIRD WATCHING

Kintai is one of the best birdwatching sites to discover as many bird species as possible, with as many as 320 bird species. Birdwatching in the Nemunas Delta is a true Lithuanian safari. Various river routes, hidden observation platforms, half-day, full-day or multi-day excursions by wooden kayaks offer a unique opportunity to spot wild birds from a short distance and to take photos or videos.

FISH GASTRONOMY

Kintai has always been famous for its large fish markets. There may not be as many fishermen nowadays, but the smell of fish still lingers. Here local fisherman smoke catfish, perch, bream and other lagoon fish. Also, various companies farm carp, catfish, pike, crucian carp, white sturgeon, etc. in ponds. The live fish produced are supplied to major Lithuanian supermarkets and exported to Germany, Latvia and Poland. Obviously, there are plenty of restaurants in the town to get really fresh fish straight from nearby ponds. One of the recommended dishes is carp stewed in beer sauce.

KITESURFING IN KINTAI

Safe conditions are available for beginners and professionals alike—easy access, shallow and sandy shoreline, plenty of space. The many years of experience in kitesurfing and other water sports of the certified IKO instructors of Kintai Kite Club allow you to safely and quickly learn the subtleties of this sport and master kitesurfing! The cherry on top of it all—what’s better than to have an opportunity to admire the Curonian Lagoon, the Curonian Spit, and the unforgettable dunes of Nida while kitesurfing.

Wind, weather and water

Curonian Spit has a maritime climate with strong winds and relatively small annual temperature fluctuations. In summer, kitesurfers may enjoy the warmest weather among Lithuanian resorts, with an average temperature of +17.3 °C. The sun shines for an average of 858 hours. It also receives the least rainfall during the warm season. The wind is fairly steady, without gusts. On windy days the wind is blowing from 10 knots and may reach 40 knots. The prevailing wind directions are north, west, northwest and southwest, either side-shore or onshore. When the north wind kicks in, you can always add a few knots more to what the actual forecast shows. Occasionally the wind turns around and blows offshore. In such a case, advanced kitesurfers make the best of the opportunity and arrange a downwind trip with their pals to the Curonian Spit, which is around 9 kilometers away. The Curonian lagoon at Kintai offers a smooth water surface, which sometimes might be choppy when the wind picks up. The water isn’t salty so it doesn't scratch your eyes. The shallow coastline is especially good for beginners, as you will always feel the ground under your feet. It's easy to get back to where you want to be or recover a lost board. Sometimes hurricanes or smaller storms lead to increased saltwater intrusion into the Curonian Lagoon and flash flooding. However, this usually happens in autumn. The water temperature in the summer on average is around +18 degrees, soyou will still need to put on a springsuit or a full coverage 3/2mm wetsuit. Although it's not only in summer that you can kitesurf, but cold water is not much fun to kite in.

WHAT ARE THE BEST BEACHES FOR KITESURFING IN KINTAI?

KINTAI BEACH

The only beach in the Curonian Lagoon that has soft sand for an easy pump, launch and drop down of the kite. The spot offers plenty of space, no trees in between blocking the way and shallow access to the water and steady winds. When the wind direction is favorable, Kintai beach is a popular start or finish point for downwind kite trips.

Wind direction: SW-WNW-W. From 10 to 40 knots.

Water conditions: Flat, choppy.

Discipline(s): freeride, freestyle, downwind, big air.Skill level: all levels: From beginner to advanced riders.

Watch out for: (hazards) the beach is surrounded by bulrush plants and seaweed.

Getting there: Kintai is easily accessible from Klaipėda city. Straight line distance from Klaipeda to Kintai Is 33.7 km by car. A short and easy 30 minute ride to the spot.

Tip: Make sure to have an at least 3/2mm wetsuit.

OBSERVATION TOWER

Just a few hundred meters away from Kintai beach, where the observation tower stands, there’s another entry into the lagoon. Access here is indeed less ideal than on Kintai beach. Here the sand is replaced by grass, and there is only enough space for 3 kites (and the water entrance is sharply deeper). Regardless, it is a remote uncrowded spot, providing the same great wind and water conditions.

Wind direction: SW-WNW-W. From 10 to 30 knots.

Water conditions: Flat, choppy.

Discipline(s): Freeride, freestyle, downwind, big air.

Skill level: from beginner to expert.

Watch out for: (hazards) the beach is surrounded by bulrush plants and seaweed, little space.

Getting there: a few hundred meters away from Kintai beach, walking distance through the woods.

Tip: be aware of the deep water by the shore.

TRAVELING TO KINTAI AS A KITER

Getting There

The smartest and most convenient choice would be to rent a car and drive to all the spots, especially if you carry your own kite gear. From the city of Klaipeda Kintai it is about a 45 minute journey. When you reach Dreverna village you have two options: either to take the regular paved road (slightly longer) or cut some kilometers and have a little adventure taking the gravel road and going through a beautiful forest, which is more like the tropics than Lithuania. Another option is to take commuter buses from Klaipeda to Kintai, however, the schedule is limited to only a few rides per day at certain hours.

Accommodation

As interest in the sport and the number of visitors grew, the reconstruction of homesteads and farmhouses began while maintaining the ancient architecture but keeping life adapted to wind chasers. There are many such homesteads in Kintai. Guests can also stay on the water in rooms on sailboats. Another alternative is to rent a place for a tent or camper. A free camping site for a camper van by the lagoon is right next to the kitesurfing center in Kintai.

Getting Around

Kintai town is small in size, which makes it very easy to move from point a to point b. You can rent a bicycle, drive your own car, or go on foot. Concerning public transport, you won’t find any buses in Kintai. Taxi services are available by calling a local number.

Food and Drink

Like the surrounding settlements, Kintai is a seaside town with a long fishing tradition. No wonder the fresh fish caught in local waters end up on the table of every restaurant in Kintai. From chilled carp, bighead carp, trout, sturgeon, to pike perch and pike—you name it, they have it. A must is to try the fish soup and various smoked fish pieces that can be accompanied with fine Lithuanian beer or traditional homemade kvass drink.

No Wind?

If there's no wind, there's really no need to sit idly by and wait. In Kintai you will find not only everything you need for both beginners and advanced kiters but also much more. Kitesurfing, sailing catamarans, paddleboards, bicycles, beach tennis, volleyball, music festivals, bonfires, various camps, and of course no stress.As Kintai is a quiet town, there is little action after midnight. But you can always find some movement in nearby Svencelė, Dreverna or Klaipėda, which is hustling and bustling full of live jazz and rock bars. A good idea is to go and explore Dreverna port and its most attractive 15-meter-high observation tower, which offers unique views of the Curonian Lagoon, the grey Curonian Spit, or the Dead Dunes. During the summer season, a regular passenger ferry to Juodkrante departs from the Port. The harbor also has a restaurant and water entertainment centers, as well as water skis, water bikes, jet skis, fishing quadruple boats, and other equipment available for rent so that everyone can find something they like to do when taking a break from kitesurfing. Lithuanian watersports’ jewel is a three-circle wakeboarding park 313. Located near Palanga town, right next to the beach, it’s an hour’s drive away by car from Kintai. Now in its fifth year, the park is known as one of the largest and most modern wakeboard parks in the world. The park offers three newly installed ‘’Sesitec’’ system circles and 50 UNIT parktech figures. Every single one is also greeted by the park's well-maintained infrastructure, a restaurant and an entertainment and play area for children. High-level Redbull wakeboarding competitions are held annually, attracting elite wakeboard athletes from Europe and a massive crowd of spectators.