Spot kitesurf beaches that suit your level

Spot kitesurf beaches that suit your level by checking the water, wind and launch first. For supervised practice, look for shallow flat water and wind blowing towards the beach at an angle. Once you ride independently, steady wind and room on the water matter most. Save waves, strong wind and downwinders, longer rides from place to place with the wind, for when you feel confident.

There's a Kite Beach on Sal in Cape Verde and another in Cape Town, and they couldn't be more different. On Sal it's where most schools teach. In Cape Town, Kite Beach is one of the flatter spots, but the wind blows 20-40 knots (10-21 m/s) and the water is cold enough for a 4-5 mm wetsuit.

How to tell if a kite spot suits your level

I look at 4 things at every spot. They're small details, but they decide whether you have a great session or spend an hour fighting the conditions.

• Water depth. Where you can stand, you can get up after a crash, grab your board and relaunch the kite calmly.
• Wind direction relative to the shore. Onshore blows straight at the beach, offshore blows from the beach out to sea, side-onshore blows at an angle towards the beach. To start with, you want side-onshore or wind along the shore: if something goes wrong, it won't carry you out to sea. In offshore wind, only ride with a boat already on the water, a trained rescue driver and someone on shore keeping track of you.
• Wind strength and consistency. For progression, moderate wind almost every day beats strong wind 2 times a week. 1 knot is about 0.51 m/s.
• What's in and around the water. Coral, reef, rocks, current in a channel, a packed beach. Launching and crashing are both harder on a crowded spot.

Overview: where to go by level and month

These are broad groups, separate from IKO certification: 1 = lessons or supervised practice. 2 = you ride independently in both directions and return upwind. 3 = you ride confidently and are learning jumps and tricks. 4 = you have experience with waves, strong wind, reefs or long downwinders.

Long-term statistics and local guides help you choose a season. Monthly averages cannot tell you how many days will suit your equipment or guarantee wind every day of your trip. Check the forecast for the actual spot before travelling.

Level 1: lessons and supervised practice

After a course, I would ask an instructor to check what I can safely manage on my own. Independent riding requires speed control, returning upwind, using the safety systems and self-rescue, including packing down your equipment in deep water. Keep practising under supervision until those skills are secure. A shallow lagoon helps with practice; Mui Ne adds shorebreak to the challenge.

Egypt: the lagoons around Hurghada and El Gouna

For more lessons around Hurghada and El Gouna, I would look for a shallow lagoon with a kite station on shore. The safari organiser’s centre between the towns has flat, shallow water over sand. NASA’s model shows the strongest wind around Hurghada from June to September and the lightest from November to February, mainly from the northwest. Allow for lighter days on a winter trip.

I've been on the Red Sea kite safari several times. The boat heads to whichever island suits the wind each day, and according to the organiser Tawila gets a steady 15-25 knots (8-13 m/s) over shallow water with a sandy bottom. Visiting Tawila requires advance arrangements and a paid entry. In April 2024 we brought 8 beginners along. We spent the first 2 days on Geisum, and by the middle of the 2nd day all of them were riding. Don't take that as a promise: it depends on the wind, the instructor and how much you've done before.

Morocco: the Dakhla lagoon

In Dakhla I would start by the camps at the northern end of the lagoon. The water is flatter at low tide and gets choppier as the tide rises. The wind usually runs along the shore from the northeast by the camps; nearby Speed Spot has offshore wind, so let your instructor choose the launch. April to September is the windiest period, with airport averages of 16-21 knots (8-11 m/s).

Vietnam: Mui Ne

Mui Ne is an ocean spot with chop and shorebreak. The main season is roughly November to April, with wind usually cross-shore to cross-onshore on the main beach. As a beginner, I would go with an instructor who can choose suitable conditions and help you get beyond the breakers. If shallow flat water is your priority, I would choose another spot.

For more shallow-water spots, including some in Europe, see my guide to the best places to learn kitesurfing.

Levels 2 and 3: you ride on your own and want to progress

If you only ride a few days a season at home, I would look for somewhere with more chances to practise and room to try new things. Alongside the season, check the actual beach, wind direction and rescue arrangements.

Brazil: Prea and Jericoacoara

The main season runs from July to January, and the beaches at Prea see 16-35 knots (8-18 m/s). Older station observations from Jericoacoara in 2005-2015 averaged roughly 12-15 knots (6-8 m/s) from August to December but only 6-7 knots (3.1-3.6 m/s) from April to June, so I wouldn't go in those months. The flat lagoons change with the tide: Barra Grande is best at low tide, Guriu at medium to higher tide. There is a short downwinder from Prea to Jericoacoara. Landing by the dune in Jeri means dealing with offshore wind; arrange an earlier exit if you are not confident in those conditions. More in my guide to kitesurfing in Brazil.

Caribbean: Aruba and Bonaire

On Aruba, choose the beach carefully: Fisherman’s Huts has shallow flat water but offshore wind; Boca Grandi has small waves and onshore wind. On Bonaire, Atlantis Beach offers flat water with offshore wind. I would only ride an offshore spot with active rescue arranged beforehand and help launching. Kiteboarding Bonaire says its rescue boat is on the water for every session. Airport statistics help with seasonal planning: Aruba averages roughly 17-18 knots (8.7-9.3 m/s) from February to July; October and November are lighter on both islands. Explore more options in kitesurfing in the Caribbean.

Cape Verde: Sal

Sal’s usual season runs from late October into spring. The airport’s highest monthly averages fall between January and May, at roughly 15 knots (7.7 m/s). The main beach, Kite Beach, mixes flatter water with waves, the wind comes cross-on from the left, and most schools teach there. Bring a full-length wetsuit, especially for longer sessions.

Mauritius: the Le Morne lagoon

I would aim for June to November, when the trade winds tend to be most consistent. The southeast trade wind runs cross-shore from the left along the main beach, and behind it lies a huge shallow lagoon with flat water for cruising and practising tricks. Wear booties, as there's coral underfoot in places.

Fuerteventura: Sotavento

Sotavento is usually windiest in spring and summer, with gusts as the terrain accelerates the wind. Plan separately for the lagoon and the open sea. The lagoon fills over several days around the new and full moon; check the date, time and estimated depth in René Egli’s lagoon calendar before booking. The sea off Risco del Paso has offshore wind. I would only go out with active rescue arranged beforehand.

Level 4: waves, strong wind and downwinders

In Cape Town the season runs from December to February, and November and March are often good too. The Cape Doctor blows 20-40 knots (10-21 m/s), builds from around 10 am, and you'll want a 4-5 mm wetsuit even in summer. Pro rider Sam Light says the cold, dense wind gives you the biggest jumps of your life, and adds straight away that it's not the easiest place for beginners.

One Eye at Le Morne breaks over a shallow, sharp reef, often reaching 3 times a rider’s height. It is for expert wave riders in suitable conditions at high tide; get a local briefing on access and conditions first. The wind blows diagonally offshore, so active rescue is essential too. Ponta Preta on Sal also demands experience, with the wave closing near rocks. In Dakhla, Oum El Bouir gets its biggest waves in winter.

Europe and spots closer to home

Besides Egypt, I ride at Wiek on Rügen, on Neusiedler See in Austria and on Bärwalder See in Saxony, and I've done a kite trip to Sicily. Europe has shorter travel and a summer season going for it. For a shorter trip, explore the best kite spots in Europe.

On the kite spot map you can browse spots all over the world, including El Gouna, Le Morne and Cape Town, and see what else is nearby.