Map›Mozambique›Vilanculos›Bazaruto Island (North/South Point)Vilanculos
Bazaruto Island (North/South Point)
Inhambane Province · Vilanculos · Bazaruto · Asneira / Vilankulo
also known as Ilha do Bazaruto, Ilha do Bazaruto / North Point, Ilha do Bazaruto / South Point
Riding essentials
Season
Jan–Dec
Months riders and schools name
How windy
15-22 kt
Character: trade
Room to launch
huge
access rules on record, below
Water
mixed
29 °C in summer
Hazards
12
Reported by riders
Level
Intermediate to advanced
With a caveat: see Your level
Crowds
low crowds · busy Jul Aug Jun Sep
Schools
6
named at this spot
From the airport
Vilankulo Airport (VNX)
Transfer times under Getting there
When it fills in
Mid-day is the most consistent window across the Vilanculos-Bazaruto area: the breeze builds through late morning and holds into the afternoon, which is why boat-supported sessions and island runs are scheduled around midday rather than dawn. An exact onset hour on North Point and South Point themselves is unconfirmed.
Nearbystraight-line distance
Backup spotsWhere riders go when the wind doesn't work here.
- Vilanculos Bayno page yet
- Ilha do Bazaruto / Point Breakno page yet
- Ilha Magaruqueno page yet
- Marimba Secret Gardens (Macunhe-Vilanculos)no page yet
- Benguerra Islandno page yet
The spot
The two points
Seasons and preparation
Marine environment
The wind
locals call it trade winds
Direction
Direction to shore
cross-shore, varies by which side of the island
Kite sizes
metres · typical quiver highlighted
The quiver, in words
For a 75-85 kg rider the reported 15-22 kt band puts you on 10-12 m on most days. Add a 9 m for the stronger afternoons in the August-November window, where 18-25 kt is cited, and a 13-14 m for light mornings, foiling and the softer January-March stretch.Rental quivers in Vilanculos are thin, so bring the sizes you actually want rather than expecting to borrow them. Indicative: sized from the wind band, no local quiver list confirms it.
Character
Typical strength
15-22 kt on most reported days across Vilanculos and the Bazaruto side; the August-November afternoons are cited higher, around 18-25 kt.
Forecast
Live forecast
Month by month
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
riding season from the spot record · the wind series here holds no strength figure
No month-by-month share of windy days is held for this spot. The months riders and schools name are Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec, and whatever the series does hold is in the table below.
Measured at Vilankulo Airport, ~30 km from the spot (2008-10-01 to 2026-07-31 (observation window; not continuous)).
Every figure, month by monthWind from
| Month | Wind from |
|---|---|
| Jan | SE |
| Feb | ESE |
| Mar | SE |
| Apr | SE |
| May | SE |
| Jun | SE |
| Jul | SE |
| Aug | E |
| Sep | E |
| Oct | ESE |
| Nov | ESE |
| Dec | E |
How this was measuredmeasured · 2008-10-01 to 2026-07-31 (observation window; not continuous)
What was recorded here is in the table above, but it holds no wind-strength figure for any month, so no season is drawn from it. The season is the one the spot record names.
A station this far away — often inland or at an airport — can understate accelerated local wind. The direction is a column of the table above, month by month. Highlighted months are the riding season from the spot record.
Vilankulo Airport · windfinder.com · 2008-10-01 to 2026-07-31 (observation window; not continuous)
The water
Type
mixed
Standing depth
On the mainland lagoon that most island trips stage from, the water is waist-deep at normal levels and about chest-height at mid-tide, which is what makes it a teaching area.On the island itself, North Point's west-side lagoon and South Point's sand bars run knee- to waist-deep at low water, and more than 30 km of bar dries between the islands and the mainland on big springs.The ocean side of North Point is not standing depth at any tide.
Tides
Strongly tide-shaped. Large spring-tide differences are reported, with more than 30 km of sand bars exposed between the islands and mainland at low tide; North Point is listed as best at high tide, while South Point has no published best-tide entry.
Temperature
29 °C summer · 24 °C winter
Wetsuit
Boardshorts or swimwear for most riders; a rash vest or long-sleeve top is useful for sun protection, and colder-sensitive riders may want a shorty in winter mornings.
Currents
Tidal currents are a real hazard: strong currents are reported between the islands, with warnings not to enter channels when the tide turns because riders can be washed seaward.
Conditions
Your level
not for beginners here
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
6 schools name this spot
On your own
Room to launch: huge
Somewhere else
1 spot nearby
Rescue
+258 84 449 2263+258 84 799 4328
Rescue — full text1 min read
Private rescue
Preparation
Launch
Sandy, wide and empty island beaches at North Point and South Point, reached by boat from Vilankulo or Inhassoro, or by lodge transfer. North Point has the ocean on its east side and lagoon riding on the west; South Point is sandbar flat water.
Rules & access
1 min read
National park access
Park fees and activities
Permits and confirmation
Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.
Schools that ride here
Rider tips
- Book it as a day-boat trip or a downwinder out of Vilanculos rather than an overnight; that is the common way onto the water here.
- Fix the island side, the tide stage and the pickup point before you rig. The same wind is safe on one side and wrong on the other.
- Stay out of the channels on a turning tide unless a guide and a boat are with you.
- Bring your own quiver. Vilanculos rentals exist, but the stock is thin.
- Build the crossing around mid-day, when the wind here is most consistent, and around the tide the boat needs, not around the first departure of the morning.
- Pack reef-safe sunscreen, a rash vest and strapped eyewear. Sun is the recurring complaint here.
- Save the Vilanculos operator numbers before you cross. Nothing on the island answers a phone from the beach.
Getting there
Airport
Vilankulo Airport (VNX)
Route
Fly into Vilankulo from Maputo or Johannesburg, then cross by boat, dhow excursion, charter or helicopter. The Anantara run is a 20-minute road leg from the airport to the boat point plus a 60-70 minute boat transfer to Bazaruto; a helicopter takes roughly 10-20 minutes depending on the island and the landing point.
Transfer
Boat: about 60-90 minutes including the Vilankulo airport-to-boat leg for Anantara-style transfers; helicopter: about 10-20 minutes depending on destination.
Cost level
high
Staying
On the island itself: Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort, Pestana Bazaruto Lodge and Zenguelemo Eco Lodge. Many kiters sleep in Vilankulo instead and buy the island as a day trip, through a school, a lodge or a charter.
No-wind days
Snorkelling and diving at Two Mile Reef, Paradise Island and Magaruque; dhow island hopping; sport fishing; helicopter scenic flights; horse riding for island lodge guests; community visits; Vilankulo town beach, markets and restaurants.
Photos
FAQ
Is Bazaruto suitable for beginners?
Treat it as intermediate-plus: the North and South Point areas are boat-access with no fixed facilities, and channel currents can become a serious hazard.
When is the best time?
Point-specific records give January to March and September to December as best, though local operator listings vary between April and December.
What is the wind like?
NE and SE trade winds, generally consistent within the trade-wind windows.
Are there rules or fees?
The island sits inside Bazaruto Archipelago National Park; a 2026 source cites day fees of roughly 600-900 MZN, though no kite-specific permit was verified.
What hazards should I know?
Strong tidal channel currents, shifting sandbanks, remote boat-access launches, and cyclone/wet-season risk from November to April.
The bigger pictureEverything about Vilanculos
Last updated: August 2026