Al Ashkharah has no other spot on this map within 40 km of it. straight-line distance
When it fills in
Midday onward; the wind starts offshore in the morning, then shifts more southerly and becomes side/cross-shore by midday.
The wind
locals call it Khareef / southwest monsoon influence
Direction
Kite sizes
metres · typical quiver highlighted
Character
thermal
fills in: Midday onward; the wind starts offshore in the morning, then shifts more southerly and becomes side/cross-shore by midday.
Typical strength
May, June and September run 15-25 kt. July and August are the strong months at 25-35 kt. Other counts put most productive summer days at 20-35 kt with gusty 15-30 kt spells, and the top end at 25-45 kt; the spread is unresolved. Winter is lighter and northerly.
The quiver, in words
A 7-10 m quiver is the usual call for the 20-35 kt season, and no school has published a full size chart. Indicative for a 75-85 kg rider on the month bands, not measured: 9-12 m through the 15-25 kt shoulder of May, June and September, 6-8 m through the 25-35 kt of July and August, smaller again if a day touches 45 kt.
Direction to shore
side-shore from the right after the wind shifts southerly; morning wind can be offshore.
Dominant direction
S, SSW and SW reported; SW monsoon also reported; south wind in summer also reported.
Forecast
Month by month
- Jan74
- Feb66
- Mar82
- Apr92
- May, riders' month97
- Jun, riders' month98
- Jul, riders' month94
- Aug, riders' month100
- Sep, riders' month99
- Oct60
- Nov51
- Dec67
per cent of the month at force 4 or more
Ringed months are the ones riders and schools name: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep.
- 13Jan25°
- 13Feb25°
- 14Mar25°
- 15Apr26°
- 17May27°
- 18Jun26°
- 17Jul25°
- 18Aug24°
- 17Sep25°
- 13Oct27°
- 11Nov28°
- 13Dec27°
avg knots per month · water °C below · season highlighted
| Month | Force 4+ | Knots | From | Air | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74% | 13.4 kt | NNE | 21.8°C | 24.8°C |
| Feb | 66% | 12.5 kt | SW | 22.4°C | 24.7°C |
| Mar | 82% | 13.5 kt | SSW | 25°C | 25.4°C |
| Apr | 92% | 15.3 kt | SSW | 27.9°C | 26.4°C |
| May | 97% | 17.3 kt | SW | 30.2°C | 26.5°C |
| Jun | 98% | 17.6 kt | SSW | 30°C | 25.7°C |
| Jul | 94% | 17.2 kt | SSW | 28.4°C | 24.5°C |
| Aug | 100% | 17.5 kt | SSW | 27°C | 23.5°C |
| Sep | 99% | 16.7 kt | SSW | 27.3°C | 24.7°C |
| Oct | 60% | 12.6 kt | SSW | 27.3°C | 26.9°C |
| Nov | 51% | 11.3 kt | NE | 26.1°C | 28.1°C |
| Dec | 67% | 12.7 kt | NE | 23.3°C | 26.6°C |
modelled
A weather model's cell over this place, not a station on it. Good for comparing places, weaker for one beach.
Modelled from weather reanalysis on a 10–25 km grid (2022-2024), not a ground station: reliable for trade and synoptic winds, understates thermal sea breezes and valley winds. The typical daily max and the direction are columns of the table above, month by month. Highlighted months are the riding season from the spot record.
ERA5 reanalysis grid point (modelled) · Open-Meteo historical weather API — ECMWF ERA5/ERA5-Land reanalysis, not a ground station · 2022-2024
The water
Type
waves
Tides
Semidiurnal, four tides a day. An ordinary day moves about half a metre, but the recorded extremes run from roughly 2.8 m at high water to roughly -0.4 m at low, so a spring tide changes the water state.Whether riding depends on the tide is disputed: rougher and stronger than the Muscat shores on one side of the argument, no tide dependence at all on the other. Ask on the beach before you commit to a session.
Temperature
23-29°C summer · 23-25°C winter
Wetsuit
Rash vest or boardshorts are often enough; a 2 mm top or shorty can help at dawn/dusk or in wind, and shorty is the most needed in cool summer monsoon water.
Currents
Strong tidal/current concern is reported generally for Al Ashkharah; no measured current speed is available.
Your level
The scene
What riders come here for
Launch and rules
three ways on to the water, and what each one asks of you
With a school or a boat
1 school names this spot
On your own
Room to launch: big
Somewhere else
No neighbour on record
No other spot in the atlas sits within reach of this one.
Rescue
Launch
Expansive sandy Arabian Sea beach around the Aseelah/Al Ashkharah wave spot, roughly 12 km north of Aseelah. A beach hotel sits directly on the spot and serves fresh seafood. No permanent kite launch infrastructure.
Space
big
Rules & access
Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.
Rider tips
- Do not rig during the offshore morning phase; wait for the reported midday shift to southerly side-shore.
- Walk the beach first and mark the downwind reefs, the rocks at the south end of the bay and any fishing lines.
- Bring small kites, spare parts and a repair kit, and carry your own water: there is no rental and no rescue near the launch.
- Treat it as an advanced wave spot regardless of how it is tagged elsewhere.
- Ask locally about tide and swell on the day; rough tides and the beach break come up again and again.
Getting there
Airport
Muscat International Airport (MCT)
Route
Drive from Muscat toward Sur and the Ash Sharqiyah South coast, then continue to Al Ashkharah/Aseelah. The distance from Muscat airport is given as about 310 km, and elsewhere as about 300 km, roughly 3.5 hours by car on the Quriyat-Sur coastal road.
Transfer
210-240 min
Cost level
medium if self-driving; higher with guided kite-safari logistics
Staying
Nearby options include Ashkharah Beach, Al Ashkharah Sea View, Atana Stay Al Ashkhara and Areen Youth Hostels Hotel. A waterfront development at Al Ashkharah Beach was 55% complete in 2026, so what is open may change.
No-wind days
Beach camping, surfing, swimming where safe, shore fishing, local seafood, boat trips, Al Ashkharah waterfront area, Ras Al Hadd/Ras Al Jinz turtle tourism, Sur and coastal-road sightseeing.
Photos
FAQ
Is Al Ashkharah suitable for beginners?
No; sources describe the wave spot as suitable only for advanced riders because of the violent beach break and reefs downwind.
When is the best time to kite Al Ashkharah?
June to August brings the strongest south wind, reported around 20-35 knots, with lighter, weaker-wave conditions in winter.
What is the wind like at Al Ashkharah?
The wind can start offshore in the morning, then shift southerly to a more side-shore angle by midday.
What are the hazards at Al Ashkharah?
A violent beach break, reefs on the downwind side, rough tides, and remote services with no verified rescue are all reported.
Last updated: August 2026