Map › Venezuela › El Yaque, Isla Margarita › Isla de Coche

Nueva Esparta · Isla de Coche · Municipio Villalba · San Pedro de Coche

Isla de Coche

also known as Coche, San Pedro de Coche, El Coche, Playa La Punta, Coche Island

flat waterbeginner-friendlyoffshorelow crowds

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

On this page

Wind
- Month by month
Forecast
Water
Level
The scene
Launch
- Rescue
Hazards
Schools
Tips
Getting there
Photos
FAQ

Nearby El Yaque 10 km · straight-line distance

SeasonJan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Decthe months riders and schools name How windy4-8 ktmixed, offshore Launchokno access rules on record Waterflat26°C in summer · 6 things riders flag LevelBeginner to advancedwith a caveat, in the Level section Schools4named at this spot From the airportin words under Getting therePorlamar (PMV)

On the clock

10:00

The marks are the clock times the record names, laid on a 24-hour day. The bar between the first and the last covers those hours; it is not a promise of wind.

The kite spot on Isla de Coche is Playa La Punta, the sand point on the island's northwest corner, just south of Margarita and near San Pedro de Coche. E to NE/ENE trade wind crosses low land and the salt works before it reaches the bay, which is why the water goes flat to butter-flat and the wind arrives offshore.

That offshore direction is the whole safety question: rescue boats and local fishing boats reportedly cover the bay, but hours and price move around, so confirm both on the beach before you rig.

The window most reports agree on is February to June, sometimes stretched to take in December and January, and Coche usually blows a shade lighter than El Yaque across the water. It is a freestyle and freeride spot, and the finish of the roughly 15 km downwinder from El Yaque.

Launch is soft white sand, and the northern end keeps you clear of swimmers, tourist boats and jet skis. Come for quiet flat water rather than a town, because there is very little on Coche beyond the beach and the hotels compared with El Yaque.

No kite-specific municipal rule was found; in 2026 authorities were working with Villalba on orientation around a beach ordinance, with no rule text available.

The wind

locals call it Caribbean trade winds / vientos alisios

Direction

offshoreE to NE/ENEwind blows away from land — rescue cover matters here

Kite sizes

7891011121314151617

metres · typical quiver highlighted

Character

mixed

fills in: Reported around 10:00, or from midday, depending on the source.

Typical strength

Nobody has published a reliable average for Playa La Punta. The trade wind is steady and strong, and the quiver riders bring points at moderate freeride sizes, while an automated monthly figure of 4-8 kt for the same bay contradicts all of that. Unconfirmed.

Steady for an offshore spot, because the flow crosses flat land before it hits the water. It still goes gusty at times, which is usually what offshore costs you.

February to mid-June is the window most often given, sometimes widened to February-June, sometimes to January-May plus December. El Yaque next door blows hardest January-June and October-December, and Coche sits slightly under El Yaque for strength.

Thermal or synoptic

synoptic (trade winds)

The quiver, in words

For an 80 kg rider the split runs 16 m 20%, 14 m 30%, 12 m 25% and 10 m 25%. Coche generally takes one size smaller than El Yaque, and one rider spent most of a trip on a 9 m.

Forecast

Month by month

Jan, riders' month100
Feb, riders' month100
Mar, riders' month98
Apr, riders' month99
May, riders' month100
Jun, riders' month100
Jul99
Aug92
Sep87
Oct90
Nov98
Dec, riders' month96

per cent of the month at force 4 or more

Ringed months are the ones riders and schools name: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Dec.

19Jan26°
20Feb26°
20Mar26°
20Apr26°
20May27°
18Jun28°
18Jul27°
15Aug29°
15Sep29°
16Oct30°
18Nov29°
18Dec27°

avg knots per month · water °C below · season highlighted

Month	Force 4+	Knots	From	Air	Water
Jan	100%	19.2 kt	ENE	25.4°C	26°C
Feb	100%	19.8 kt	ENE	25.3°C	25.6°C
Mar	98%	20.4 kt	ENE	25.4°C	25.5°C
Apr	99%	19.5 kt	ENE	25.7°C	26.1°C
May	100%	19.9 kt	ENE	26.6°C	27.1°C
Jun	100%	18.4 kt	E	26.7°C	27.7°C
Jul	99%	17.6 kt	E	26.8°C	27.4°C
Aug	92%	15.2 kt	E	27.4°C	28.5°C
Sep	87%	15.1 kt	E	28.2°C	29.4°C
Oct	90%	16.1 kt	E	28.2°C	29.7°C
Nov	98%	18 kt	E	27.5°C	28.8°C
Dec	96%	18 kt	ENE	26.5°C	27.3°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

flat

Standing depth

The first stretch along the bay is shallow, then the sand point drops away fairly fast and leaves only about 1-2 m of standing water.

Tides

Tide reportedly makes no difference to the session here.

Temperature

26°C summer · 25°C winter

Wetsuit

Usually boardshorts/swimsuit plus lycra for sun; a shorty may be useful in January-February or early/late sessions.

26–30°C water

Playa La Punta runs flat to butter-flat: the E/NE trade blows offshore over low land and the salt works before it reaches the bay. Expect chop in places, more of it where boats work and when the wind is up. No waves, no shorebreak.

The water is warm all year, from about 24.2 C in February to 28.0 C in September.

Your level

beginnerintermediateadvanced

Flat water and boat cover on the bay make it workable for learners, and it is commonly rated for every level. The more careful reading is that the wind is offshore, so you should already hold your ground upwind before you go out here; beginner and intermediate lessons normally happen at El Yaque first.

The scene

What riders come here for

freestylefreeridebig airspeeddownwindersflat-water progression

Quieter than El Yaque. A handful of riders is normal, 12 is about the peak and that peak lands on weekends; past 15 kiters the bay starts to feel tight. In front of the all-inclusive hotel there is a day-tourist zone you ride around.

Launch and rules

three ways on to the water, and what each one asks of you

With a school or a boat

4 schools name this spot

See who they are

On your own

Room to launch: ok

no access rules on record

Somewhere else

El Yaque, 10 km

El Yaque

Every spot within 40 km is on the map at the top of this page, with its distance under it.

Rescue

Rescue cover is reported, and a rescue boat was noted working roughly 10:30-17:00 and charging about 2 EUR in 2016. Hours, operating days and the 2026 price are unconfirmed, so ask on the beach.

Launch

Sand launch on Playa La Punta at the northwest tip, next to the beachfront hotels and the boat drop-off, on about 2 km of white beach. Rig at the northern end for fewer swimmers and fewer boats. The sand is fine, and in places the strip between hotels and water is narrower than the length suggests.

Space

Hazards riders report 6

boat traffic on the Margarita-Coche crossing
Offshore to side-offshore wind; confirm rescue before launching.
Boats and jet skis around the beach and bay, especially near hotel/day-tourist areas.
Swimmers and other beach users, with April flagged as the busier month to watch.
Getting off the island is part of the risk: boat schedules from Margarita change, and the return boats can stop running earlier than you expect.
Very strong sun and highly reflective white sand; use sun protection.

Rider tips

Treat it as an offshore spot: find out who covers rescue and what it costs before you rig, and stay inside the distance you can ride back upwind.
Rig and ride at the northern end of Playa La Punta, where there are fewer swimmers and fewer boats than on the hotel stretch.
Confirm the return boat the moment you land, because schedules change and the last boats can finish early.
Pack bigger and mid-size kites than you would take to El Yaque; Coche usually runs a size lighter.
Bring lycra, a hat and heavy sunscreen: the sand is white, the glare is constant and there is almost no shade.
If you cannot yet hold your ground upwind, finish your progression at El Yaque before you launch here.

Getting there

Airport

Santiago Marino Caribbean International Airport / Porlamar (PMV) on Isla Margarita; PMV is listed about 15 km from the spot by air distance.

Route

Fly to Margarita, get across to El Yaque or La Isleta, then take a boat to Playa La Punta, 20-30 minutes from El Yaque. The vehicle ferry from Punta de Piedras to San Pedro de Coche has run on and off; in 2023 it was being brought back after seven years.

Transfer

20-30 minutes by boat from El Yaque; about 60 minutes for the Punta de Piedras-San Pedro de Coche ferry route when operating.

Cost level

low

Staying

Accommodation is limited and concentrated around Playa La Punta and San Pedro de Coche, including Brisas del Mar near the beach and all-inclusive beach hotels such as Coche Paradise and Sunsol Punta Blanca, plus other hotels at or near Playa La Punta. No current 2026 nightly rates are confirmed.

No-wind days

Beach time at Playa La Punta, island walks/runs on the long sand beach, quad/motorcycle/kayak/jet-ski rentals, visiting San Pedro de Coche, salinas, and day trips or sightseeing on Margarita such as La Restinga National Park.

Photos

Flat, calm water off an Isla de Coche beach with sailboats and catamarans at anchor — Romerodate / CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

FAQ

Is Isla de Coche suitable for beginners?

With caution: flat water and rescue support attract learners, but since the wind is offshore riders should already be able to stay upwind, and beginners often base lessons in El Yaque first.

What is the wind like?

E to NE/ENE trade winds blow offshore over low, flat land, generally steady but sometimes gusty, mainly from February to June.

How do you get there?

Fly to Margarita, transfer to El Yaque, then take a boat to Coche, about 20-30 minutes.

What are the hazards?

Since the wind is offshore, riders should confirm rescue coverage before launching, and boat schedules from Margarita can change without notice.

Last updated: August 2026