Kitesurf at Fuerteventura, Playa Sotavento

Spanish Culture in a tropical Volcanic Island

  • Overview
  • Good to know
  • Getting there

Overview

Fuerteventura is one of the Canary Islands just off the northwest coast of Africa. With it's chilled and laid back Spanish origin culture and the year-round wind, flat water, small waves and sun; it's a haven for any water-sports enthusiast. Kitesurfing and Windsurfing around Costa Calma is a lifestyle here. This location is perfect for beginners and advanced riders; travelling alone, in a group or with a family. The constant cross off-shore/off-shore winds coming over the dunes create amazing flat to a slightly choppy water condition, depending on where you are in the lagoon. All kitesurfing schools and centres provide all needed facilities and safety boat cover so that you will be in good hands. For a non-windy day (and there are not many) you can trek up one of the nearby volcanoes or go on dune buggy excursions around the island from Corralejo or take a ferry trip to Lanzarote (30 min away). Additionally, sailing, surfing, SUP, snorkelling and kayaking are available for water-sports lovers. The closest entertainment can be found in the Costa Calma, the main place to meet and enjoy a few drinks and snacks is The Fuerte Action Bar. For more nightlife and evening adventures, head to Corralejo (1h away).

Good to know

VISAS: Generally not required for stays of up to 90 days; some nationalities will need a Schengen visa. More information can be found in this guide. CURRENCY: EUR PRICES: Beer: €1-2 Food: Lunch €5-10 Accommodation: €15-80 pp Kite Lessons: 6H €300 Kite Gear rental: 4 days €240 LANGUAGE: Spanish INTERNET: Most accommodations provide free WiFi, for better internet connection buying Local SIM card is recommended. TRAVEL ADVISE: Check this Lonely Planet guide for detailed health and insurance advise while traveling to Fuerteventura. TEMPERATURE: Water temp ranges between 18-23°C all year round, so a 3/2 shorty or any lighter covers will be sufficient. The air temperature can reach 28°C / 82°F and more in the summer months and can drop to 19°C / 66°F in January. There is plenty of sunshine all year round, and the weather is warm, but a sweater and a pair of jeans will come in handy after sunset.

Getting there

NEAREST TOWN: Sotavento NEAREST CITY: Costa Calma NEAREST AIRPORT: Puerto del Rosario (FUE) 74hm away The taxi from the Puerto del Rosario(FUE) airport to Sotavento costs around €65, or you can rent a car from the airport (costing around €100 for a week). GETTING AROUND: If you want to explore the island a bit more it's highly recommended to rent a car, public buses are available to and from the kite spot. Both Rene-Egli centre and ION Club in Risco del Paso offer a centre shuttle bus for their clients that book it in advance.

  • Beach
  • Wind
  • Rules/Hazards

Beach

There are two main kitesurfing spots around Costa Calma: South of the town, you will find the well known Playa Sotavento, huge open kiting lagoon offering spectacular, turquoise, mirror flat waist deep water and wide and sandy beach for kite launch. The open kiting area, directly off the beach offers conditions between flat water, chop, rolling swell and waves depending on the time of year and local conditions. This lagoon is tidal on the weekly bases, therefore you can experience different condition every day. Note that extreme low tides may leave you with very shallow or no water in the lagoon and you may need to go over the sandbank to the open sea to enjoy a kite session. The lagoon has two main entry points, Rene-Egli kite centre on the north side of the lagoon, additionally, you can find ION CLUB centre in the South of the lagoon in Risco del Paso. North of the town you will find a unique place called Matas bay, where the tides don’t influence the water conditions and due to the unique position of the bay water is always flat and get gradually deeper, making this bay perfect for hydrofoiling. Due to the cross-offshore winds, jet-ski rescue offer is recommended from the kite centres costing around €90 per week or €50 per rescue. This spot is most suited for those wanting a flat to slightly choppy water conditions, for waves, you will need to drive to La Pared, on the west coast of Fuerteventura or to Jandía Lighthouse. The air temperature can reach 28°C / 82°F and more in the summer months and can drop to 19°C / 66°F in January. There is plenty of sunshine all year round, and the weather is warm, but a sweater and a pair of jeans will come in handy after sunset. AMENITIES: Kite School, Gear Rental, Rescue Jet-ski, Beach Assistance, Gear Storage, Kite Shop, Kite/Gear Repair, Toilets, Shower, Parking, Accommodation.

Wind

Optimal geographic conditions allow the prevailing north-east trade wind to accelerate between two mountains. In addition to this, the air on the island is heated by the sun and rises upwards, compressing the slightly cooler trade wind as it pushes itself beneath the warm air forming a thermal wind. This double acceleration effect makes the wind substantially stronger than in the surrounding area – offering a consistent and strong cross offshore winds. Best months to kite are May to September, offering 75%-95% chance of wind speeds averaging 25-30knots, in July and August the wind can go up to 40knots and get gusty, so plan to bring your smaller kites at this time of year. Kites to bring 5m-10m (mostly used kite - 7m) For the rest of the year, the winds average around 15-25 knots. Kites to bring: 8m-14m (mostly used 10m-12m kites). WIND DIRECTIONS: N, NE WINDIEST SEASONS: High Season: May, June, July, August, September. Mid Season: the rest of the year

Rules/Hazards

Due to the unique location most of the time the wind is blowing cross offshore, therefore the rescue service is recommended. The lagoon is dependant on the moon position, therefore, gets tidal on the weekly bases. If you want to enjoy the flat and shallow water check the tidal information of the lagoon on the Rene-Egli kite centre link and plan your holidays accordingly. * If you need kite related service like kite repairs, lessons or beach assistance please contact with the local kite centre or camp. ** We always recommend seeking additional knowledge about the spot from local kite school and qualified instructors.

Info

Rider Level:
beginner, intermediate, advanced
Discipline:
freeride, foiling
Spot Type:
Flatwater; Lagoon; Open water; Small wave (up to 1m)
Launch area:
Sand
Tidal:
yes
Windiest Months:
Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec

Around Fuerteventura, Playa Sotavento

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