El Yaque

A legendary, waist-deep, side-shore bay on the south coast of Isla Margarita that has been one of the Caribbean's premier windsurf and kitesurf teaching venues for decades. Steady trade winds, warm flat water and a beachfront strip of schools and simple hotels make it one of the most reliable, beginner-friendly world-class spots anywhere, with nearby islands adding freestyle and wave options for stronger riders.

beginnerfreestyleflat waterfreeride

El Yaque bay, 320m — Wilfredor / CC0 via Wikimedia Commons

people on El Yaque Beach — Wilfredor / CC0 via Wikimedia Commons

El Yaque Beach long exposure — Wilfredor / CC0 via Wikimedia Commons

El Yaque beach sunset scenery — Wilfredor / CC0 via Wikimedia Commons

Wind

best months	Feb Mar Apr May Jun Oct Nov Dec
season notes	The best wind season runs February-June with wind on nearly every day; July is also mostly windy; October-January is good with occasional calm days. Early morning or late afternoon often gives the cleanest conditions, with afternoons prone to gusts.
avg knots	12-23
wind name	trade winds
direction to shore	side-shore
quality	steady trades, can turn gusty in the afternoon
typical kite sizes	9-12m

Water

type	flat
temp summer c	29
temp winter c	26
wetsuit	boardshorts/rashguard year-round, no wetsuit needed
standing depth	waist-deep across most of the bay - the defining feature of the spot

Levels

beginner	yes
intermediate	yes
advanced	yes
notes	The shallow, flat main bay is ideal for total beginners and lessons; boat trips to nearby islands (Coche, Araya) add butter-flat freestyle water and open conditions for more advanced riders.

Launch & crowd

description	Wide sandy beach lined with kite/windsurf schools and hotels directly on the bay, with easy rigging and launching space
rescue	lifeguards on duty at the main beach
busy months	Feb Mar Apr May Jun
vibe	long-established, laid-back kite/windsurf beach strip with many schools; currently less crowded than comparable global hotspots

Monthly wind statistics

Station: Porlamar, Isla Margarita, Venezuela (Weatherspark (NASA MERRA-2 reanalysis), ~10 km) — Windfinder's el_yaque windstatistics page could not be retrieved (live site 429'd on all fetch attempts, JS-rendered app with no static numbers, stats API needs an undisclosed auth token). Used Weatherspark MERRA-2 reanalysis for Porlamar (~10km NE on the same island) as fallback; this is city-scale reanalysis and will not capture El Yaque bay's specific thermal/channeling wind boost that makes it a flagship kite spot. No Beaufort-probability metric available from this source.

Month	Wind ≥4 Bft	Avg kn	Dir	Air °C	Water °C
Jan	—%	12.7	E	26.1	25
Feb	—%	13.2	E	26.1	24.4
Mar	—%	13.1	E	26.7	24.4
Apr	—%	12.6	E	27.2	25
May	—%	12.1	E	27.8	26.1
Jun	—%	11.7	E	27.8	26.1
Jul	—%	10.8	E	27.8	26.7
Aug	—%	9.7	E	28.3	27.2
Sep	—%	9.6	E	28.3	27.8
Oct	—%	9.9	E	28.3	27.8
Nov	—%	10.9	E	27.8	27.2
Dec	—%	12.1	E	26.7	26.1

Hazards

shell-covered bottom in places nearby (e.g. La Restinga) - watch footing when rigging
afternoon gusts
shared launch area with many schools in peak season

Tips

Best wind is typically early morning or late afternoon, before or after the gustiest midday hours
For butter-flat freestyle water and fewer crowds, take the roughly 20-30 minute boat to Isla de Coche
Araya (1.5-2 hour boat trip) offers flat water and frequent dolphin sightings in February-March
La Restinga is the local wave option for surfboard-style riding

Travel basics

airport	Santiago Mariño Caribbean International Airport (PMV), Porlamar - about a 10-minute transfer to El Yaque
getting there	fly into Porlamar (PMV); local taxis/drivers are recommended as street navigation can be confusing
accommodation	numerous beachfront kite/windsurf hotels and schools directly on El Yaque beach
cost level	budget
no wind	day trips to Coche or Araya islands, explore Margarita Island's other beaches

Nearby: Isla de Coche, Araya, La Restinga

Sources: iksurfmag.com · windfinder.com