LOCATION
Palanga is located in the northern part of the Lithuanian Baltic coast, about 30 km from Klaipeda. The exact location of the windsurfing and kitesurfing spots is north of the town (near Kunigiskes and Monciškės beaches). Palanga is 320 kilometres from Vilnius, 280 kilometres from Riga and 170 kilometres from Kaliningrad. The direct distance between Palanga and Gdansk is 330 kilometres, but it involves travelling through the Russian Kaliningrad Region – taking a ferry to Curonian split and crossing the EU-Russian border twice. If you wish to stay within the EU area, you can choose to travel around the borders of the Russian Kaliningrad Region, which will lengthen your journey to 620 kilometres. Klaipeda has two ferry connections: Kiel- Klaipeda (from Germany) and Karlshamn – Klaipeda (from Sweden). There is a regional airport in Palanga. Geographical location of Palanga is: 55°55′N 21°04′E.
PALANGA SURFING HOTSPOTS
Most of the time during the summer Palanga Beach is very crowded with tourists, so the windsurfing and kitesurfing spots are located a couple of kilometres to the north of the main beach. Even though the spots are a bit further away, they are still well within walking distance of the city. They are close to the broad sandy beach; the waters are relatively shallow and the seabed is sandy. The wind direction is usually from the northwest, with the offshore winds blowing from the east. These spots are good for both beginners and advanced kitesurfers and windsurfers – there are plenty of surf camps organized here, especially popular with younger learners and families. Local surfing schools provide lessons for beginners.
ATTRACTIONS
Palanga and the nearby Klaipeda are popular coastal cities with two different characters. Palanga is a resort town with a relaxing atmosphere (though tends to be a little crowded in high season in July-August). The main attractions of the town include long broad sandy beaches, a pier, many fountains, cultural events, numerous dining options and some unusual museums (dedicated to dogs, or illusions, for example!). Klaipeda on the other hand is a Hanseatic city, a huge Baltic Sea port, which is home to universities and offers typical ‘big city’ attractions like museums, cultural centers etc. Nearby is the Curonian Spit National Park with enormous dunes, long broad beaches and places for sunbathing. Tourists can enjoy birdwatching and observing wild animals here (deer being a particular highlight). Biking is a very relaxing way of sightseeing the area, especially with a vast network of bike routes covering the region.
