Map › Portugal › Algarve - Fuseta/Olhão › Fábrica / Cacela Velha
Algarve · Vila Nova de Cacela · Faro · Cacela Velha
Fábrica / Cacela Velha
also known as Fabrica, Praia de Cacela Velha, Cacela Velha, Praia da Fábrica, Praia de Cacela Velha - Praia da Fábrica
Nearby Praia da Manta Rota 3 km · Praia da Alagoa 5 km · Ilha de Cabanas 8 km · Isla Canela 16 km · Fuseta Lagoon 20 km · Isla Cristina 21 km · El Rompido 39 km · Praia da Rocha Baixinha 53 km · straight-line distance
When it fills in
No onset time is published for this spot.
The wind
locals call it Nortada
Direction
Character
thermal
Strength
Forecast
Month by month
- Jan13
- Feb26
- Mar21
- Apr15
- May31
- Jun, riders' month33
- Jul, riders' month8
- Aug, riders' month5
- Sep13
- Oct23
- Nov12
- Dec13
windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+)
Ringed months are the ones riders and schools name: Jun, Jul, Aug.
- 13%Jan17°
- 26%Feb16°
- 21%Mar16°
- 15%Apr18°
- 31%May18°
- 33%Jun20°
- 8%Jul21°
- 5%Aug21°
- 13%Sep20°
- 23%Oct20°
- 12%Nov19°
- 13%Dec17°
windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+) · water °C below · season highlighted
| Month | Windy days | Force 4+ | 12 kn or more | Knots | From | Peaks at | Air | Water | Readings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 13% | 31% | 21% | 9.7 kt | NE | 13:00 | 13.2°C | 16.5°C | 62 |
| Feb | 26% | 37% | 32% | 10.5 kt | NE | 13:00 | 14°C | 15.9°C | 57 |
| Mar | 21% | 37% | 26% | 10.6 kt | SW | 15:00 | 15°C | 16.3°C | 62 |
| Apr | 15% | 40% | 33% | 10.2 kt | SW | 15:00 | 17.8°C | 17.9°C | 60 |
| May | 31% | 55% | 42% | 11.6 kt | SW | 16:00 | 20.8°C | 18.2°C | 62 |
| Jun | 33% | 53% | 43% | 11.5 kt | SW | 17:00 | 23.4°C | 20.3°C | 60 |
| Jul | 8% | 40% | 24% | 10.5 kt | SW | 16:00 | 26.7°C | 20.8°C | 62 |
| Aug | 5% | 31% | 18% | 9.7 kt | SW | 16:00 | 26.6°C | 20.9°C | 62 |
| Sep | 13% | 38% | 22% | 9.9 kt | SW | 16:00 | 22.5°C | 19.6°C | 60 |
| Oct | 23% | 42% | 29% | 10.6 kt | SW | 15:00 | 20.7°C | 20.1°C | 62 |
| Nov | 12% | 28% | 18% | 9.2 kt | N | 12:00 | 16.9°C | 18.6°C | 60 |
| Dec | 13% | 23% | 21% | 8.8 kt | NE | 12:00 | 13.8°C | 17.2°C | 62 |
modelled
A weather model's cell over this place, not a station on it. Good for comparing places, weaker for one beach.
Modelled from the operational forecast archive at 1.5–7 km (2023-2024), daylight hours only, not a ground station: it resolves thermal, lake and valley winds far better than coarse reanalysis but still tends to understate a strong local thermal. A windy day has at least three consecutive daylight hours at 12 knots or more. 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.
High-resolution weather model (modelled) · Open-Meteo historical forecast archive — best-match operational model (ICON-D2 / AROME / ICON-EU / GFS by region), not a ground station · 2023-2024
The water
Type
lagoon and ocean
Standing depth
Very shallow lagoon, reportedly only fin-deep even at high tide.
Tides
The tide table decides the day on the lagoon side. Access and available water both change with the Ria Formosa tides.
Temperature
21-22°C summer · 15-17°C winter
Wetsuit
Typical Algarve guidance is a 3/2 or 3/4 mm full suit for most sessions; a shorty can work in the warmest late-summer water, while winter often calls for 4/3 mm or a warmer 3/2 with boots if cold-sensitive.
Currents
Tidal currents run through here and are the thing to plan around.
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
2 schools name this spot
On your own
Room to launch: large
Somewhere else
Praia da Manta Rota, 3 km
Every spot within 40 km is on the map at the top of this page, with its distance under it.
Rescue
Launch
Sandy beach and lagoon area between Cacela Velha and the golf course; the beach is commonly reached by boat from Sítio da Fábrica or on foot via Manta Rota.
Space
large
Rules & access
Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.
Rider tips
- Read the tide table before you leave. The lagoon can look rideable from the dune and still be too shallow to ride.
- Stay off the moorings and out of the boat lanes around the Ria Formosa access points.
- Ask a local rider or the school which launch works on the tide you have that day.
- Keep to the marked routes and out of the reserved bathing areas; this is protected Ria Formosa.
- Plan the return crossing as carefully as the way in, because the boat from Sítio da Fábrica and the walk from Manta Rota both depend on the tide.
Getting there
Airport
Faro Airport (FAO)
Route
Reach Cacela Velha/Vila Nova de Cacela by car, train or transfer from Faro; the beach itself is most commonly accessed by boat from Sítio da Fábrica or on foot via Manta Rota depending on tide.
Transfer
42-45 min
Staying
Nearby bases include Cacela Velha, Vila Nova de Cacela, Manta Rota, Altura and Tavira; the immediate beach setting is protected and lightly developed.
No-wind days
Cacela Velha village and fortress viewpoint · Ria Formosa boat trip · Manta Rota beach walk · Tavira · SUP around the island
Photos
FAQ
Is Fábrica/Cacela Velha suitable for beginners?
The water is shallow and flat, but tidal currents, boat moorings and fin-deep water even at high tide mean it is not treated as a default beginner spot without local instruction.
When is the best time to kitesurf here?
June, July and August bring reliable summer thermal wind, though exact wind direction and knot ranges were not confirmed for this specific spot.
What are the main hazards?
Tidal currents, boat moorings, and very shallow lagoon water even at high tide are the flagged hazards, along with changing tide-dependent access.
Are there rules or restrictions?
The 2026 national beach edital bars kitesurf from areas reserved for bathers, and a nearby maritime notice limits kitesurfing to daylight hours up to one hour before sunset with good visibility.
Last updated: August 2026