As a pro-windsurfer in his native France, Maxime Lhuillier moved to Cancun 8 years ago to be the National coach for Mexico. He opened up Shaka Vibes, his windsurfing school and has expanded his activity to paddleboarding and kiteboarding, and now wing foiling too.
Shaka Vibes is now an exclusive F-One school where you can learn on F-One gear for kiting, foiling and now winging. You can learn how to kite in this stunning reserve called Isla Blanca. Cancun is 30mn away so it’s an easy destination from pretty much anywhere. More info at https://www.shaka-vibes.com/
Maxime just received some of the new 2021 gear; to be ready for the upcoming season and we asked him a few questions so you can have a better understanding of what Shaka Vibes has to offer, the location, the conditions, etc.
Owner Name: Maxime Lhuillier
How Many Staff/Instructors? I give most of the lessons myself, But I have 2 instructors that I work with during the highest season.
Location information: The kite school is located in Isla Blanca, 30 minutes north from Cancun. The rest of the activities I offer (wing, foil, SUP & windsurf) are done in Cancun.
Can you give us a little background of your shop/school, how you started it and what’s your vision for it? I used to be a pro windsurfer in France. When I arrived in Cancun 8 years ago to be the national coach for Mexico, I also opened my windsurfing school. At the same time I learnt kitesurfing and started to compete in paddleboard racing. Now my school has evolved and since 3 years, my main activities are Kiteboarding lessons and paddle boarding tours. Today, I have the most complete offer for water sports in Cancun and I am hoping to keep growing by always improving my services and offering new sports.
What makes your location special? (wind speeds, directions, waves/flatwater, close to airport, warm water, etc): There are many reasons why Cancun is amazing for watersports. Isla Blanca is one of the best spots in the world to learn kitesurfing because of its shallow and flat water, and the great wind statistics from November to June. Most of our students learn to kite in 9 to 12 hours only. For all the other sports, Cancun’s bay offers beautiful and warm water. It is great to kite foil and wing foil in caribbean blue water. There are a few amazing spots for surf foil, and great places to paddleboard or scuba dive when there is no wind. Finally, it is very easy to come to Cancun, there are plenty of direct flights and accommodation from cheap airbnb to luxurious hotels.
When is the best time to come and how many days of riding per year do you get in? Kiting season starts November 15th and ends June 15th. The best month being January-April when you can Kite almost every day.
What drew you to offering F-One products in your store/school? Last year, I tried almost every kite on the market and the Bandit 2020 was the one I liked the most. I found it great for my style of riding, plus it has everything I am looking for in a kite to give lessons with. Also, I offer foil and Wing lessons and F-One also have some of the best gear in those sports. My vision is to offer the best gear possible for my lessons so they can learn quicker and not fight with the equipment.
When is the best time to come and how many days of riding per year do you get in? Kiting season starts November 15th and ends June 15th. The best month being January-April when you can Kite almost every day.
What drew you to offering F-One products in your store/school? Last year, I tried almost every kite on the market and the Bandit 2020 was the one I liked the most. I found it great for my style of riding, plus it has everything I am looking for in a kite to give lessons with. Also, I offer foil and Wing lessons and F-One also have some of the best gear in those sports. My vision is to offer the best gear possible for my lessons so they can learn quicker and not fight with the equipment.
What is a memorable experience that you can share about a day at your riding location? Most of my clients come back to Isla Blanca every year because the kiting there is so good. The ambiance is very cool, the water can’t be any flatter and the sunsets are pretty awesome.
Can you tell us what your favorite F-one product has been? Is there something that the shop/instructors fight over the most to use? I really love the bandit 2020 and all the foils lineup…
How do readers get in touch with you? (shop phone, website, email, social links, etc) My website has always been my main channel Everything is clear and well explained and it is easy to contact me from there. I recently started to get active on my own social media to promote Cancun as a location for mutli-watersports lovers. I have been getting a lot of positive results…
Is there anything else that you want our readers to know about your shop/school? If you want to learn kiting on the best/safest spot with the best gear, come to Isla Blanca! If you want to practice several watersports during your holidays, Come to Cancun!
