La Vague de Manawa - Le Morne, Mauritius
Manawa is one of Mauritius's most iconic kitesurfing waves. Located off Le Morne Brabant, it offers a unique experience for riders in search of long, accessible, powerful and safe waves.
📝 Description
Manawa is a reef wave located outside the Le Morne lagoon in southwest Mauritius. It breaks far from the shore (2km), on a pass well identified by local riders. It stands out for its exceptional length, its wide shoulder and its tolerance compared to other more hollow waves like One Eye.
This wave rolls from right to left (left for the rider) and forms long sections conducive to strapless surfing, carving or power downlooping.
🎯 Level required
Manawa is aimed at intermediate to experienced riders, capable of getting out of the lagoon on their own and handling chop and reef waves.
Contrary to One Eye, it's not ultra hollow or tubular, making it perfect for a first experience of kitesurfing in waves. However, it remains a powerful and demanding wave in the event of a fall or poor reading.
🌊 Technical characteristics of the wave
Type: Reef wave (reef break) on hard coral bottom.
Orientation: Left-hand wave.
Average height: 1 m to 2.5 m depending on swells. May exceed 3 m on days with large south-southwest swells.
Power of the wave
Power: Moderate to strong. Smooth wave, ideal for long bottom turns and ample cutbacks. Section: Long and even, with an impact zone quite far from the peak. Wind direction: Side-off to side-shore with southeast trade winds - excellent for backside or frontside surfkiting depending on preference.
🌬️ Ideal wind conditions
Southeast trade winds, blowing between 15 and 25 knots, are most conducive to the formation and optimal exploitation of the Manawa wave.
The side-off wind keeps the wave clean, with little disturbance in the lip, which is perfect for committed wave maneuvers.
🗓️ Best time to ride Manawa
The wave works best between May and October, during the austral winter, when southerly swells meet the steady trade winds. The combination of a long-period swell (>12 s) and a southeast-facing wind is ideal.
In summer, the wave can work on cyclonic episodes or late swells, but the wind is more random and often onshore or weak.
🛟 Safety and access
Access to Manawa is by kite from La Pointe or the center of Le Morne lagoon. You need to exit through the pass skirting the reef, then head for the wave located around 2000 meters from the shore.
The wave breaks on a flush coral bottom. At low tide, trajectory errors can be penalizing. The current can be strong as the wave exits, so you need to know how to ride upwind and redirect towards the lagoon if you fall.
It's not advisable to ride Manawa alone. In the event of a mishap, distances are long and there are no rescue facilities directly on site, but in the event of major difficulties the ION Club boat can come to your rescue if conditions allow and you are within the intervention times (see the notice board in the image gallery below).
It is not advisable to ride Manawa alone.
🪂 Practice styles
Surfkite strapless: Manawa is an ideal wave for learning to surf with your board without straps. The long sections allow you to string together several maneuvers.
Committed freeride: The wave also lends itself to more powerful approaches, twin-tip or directional with straps, for those who like to play with bounces.
Downloops and aerials: The wave's configuration also allows advanced riders to attempt aerial tricks with a prominent bottom below.
🚗 Access and logistics
The departure is from the Kite Lagoon du Morne. Park in the parking lot behind the filaos, prepare your equipment on site and allow 5 to 10 minutes of sailing to reach Manawa depending on the wind.
Don't forget to check tide times and swell conditions before setting out. If in doubt, seek advice from local schools or experienced riders on site.
🎯 Comparison with One Eye
Manawa is more accessible than One Eye, Le Morne's other mythical wave. Slower, less hollow, it offers a better margin for error and smoother progress.
One Eye, reserved for experts, demands perfect placement. Manawa is more forgiving, yet offers sufficient intensity for serious wave progress.
One Eye, reserved for experts, requires perfect placement.
🌡️ Water temperature
The water temperature at Manawa varies between 23°C in winter (June to September) and 30°C in summer. A 2mm wetsuit is recommended for protection from the wind and long sessions. In summer, a simple anti-UV glycra will suffice.
