Map › Guatemala › Isla de los Gatos (Lago de Atitlán)
Sololá · small island on Lake Atitlán, between Panajachel and Santiago Atitlán · Panajachel / Santiago Atitlán
Isla de los Gatos (Lago de Atitlán)
also known as Lago Atitlan - Isla de los Gatos, Lago Atitlan / Isla de los Gatos
Isla de los Gatos (Lago de Atitlán) has no other spot on this map within 40 km of it. straight-line distance
When it fills in
Afternoon. The Xocomil can start by late morning, but the southerly thermal mostly blows after midday.
The wind
locals call it Xocomil
Direction
Character
thermal
fills in: Afternoon. The Xocomil can start by late morning, but the southerly thermal mostly blows after midday.
Typical strength
8-17 kt
Dominant direction
S
Forecast
Month by month
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
riding season from the spot record · no wind series here is trusted enough to name a season
- Jan0
- Feb4
- Mar0
- Apr0
- May0
- Jun0
- Jul0
- Aug0
- Sep0
- Oct, riders' month0
- Nov, riders' month0
- Dec, riders' month0
windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+)
Ringed months are the ones riders and schools name: Oct, Nov, Dec.
The model is wrong here
The model reads 4% of days at its best month, which does not sit with the season and the wind strength this record states. The figures are kept and drawn as hatching so no wind colour can be read off them, and the ringed months are the ones riders name.
| Month | Windy days | Force 4+ | 12 kn or more | Knots | From | Peaks at | Air | Readings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 0% | 3% | 0% | 5.4 kt | SSW | 13:00 | 17.7°C | 62 |
| Feb | 4% | 7% | 5% | 6.3 kt | SSW | 14:00 | 18.1°C | 57 |
| Mar | 0% | 0% | 0% | 5 kt | SSW | 14:00 | 18.7°C | 62 |
| Apr | 0% | 0% | 0% | 5 kt | SSW | 12:00 | 19.1°C | 60 |
| May | 0% | 0% | 0% | 4.3 kt | SSW | 12:00 | 19.5°C | 62 |
| Jun | 0% | 0% | 0% | 4.2 kt | SSW | 12:00 | 18.7°C | 60 |
| Jul | 0% | 0% | 0% | 4.2 kt | NNE | 10:00 | 19.3°C | 62 |
| Aug | 0% | 0% | 0% | 4 kt | S | 12:00 | 19.2°C | 62 |
| Sep | 0% | 0% | 0% | 3.9 kt | S | 11:00 | 18.9°C | 60 |
| Oct | 0% | 0% | 0% | 4 kt | SSW | 11:00 | 18.7°C | 62 |
| Nov | 0% | 0% | 0% | 4.1 kt | SSW | 12:00 | 18.3°C | 60 |
| Dec | 0% | 2% | 0% | 5.5 kt | NNE | 10:00 | 17.8°C | 62 |
riders' months
Riders and schools name these months. The model reads lower here, and both are shown rather than averaged.
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
choppy freshwater lake
Tides
tide independent freshwater lake
Wetsuit
Cold water. A thick wetsuit is reportedly needed in winter, and a wetsuit of some kind is worth having the rest of the year.
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: none/tight
Somewhere else
No neighbour on record
No other spot in the atlas sits within reach of this one.
Rescue
Launch
No beach. The shore is rock, mostly steep, and poor ground for launching or landing a kite. You arrive by boat from Panajachel or Santiago Atitlán.
Space
none/tight
Rules & access
Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.
Rider tips
- Sort the boat before you rig; there is no beach launch and the shoreline is rock.
- Cross early. The Xocomil that you came to ride is the same wind that makes the afternoon lake rough for small boats.
- Bring a thick wetsuit; the lake is cold and there is nowhere on the island to warm up.
- Give the passenger boats a wide berth: they run fixed lines between Panajachel and Santiago Atitlán and will not be watching for you.
- Aim at October to December; outside that window the wind here is a gamble.
Getting there
Airport
La Aurora International Airport (GUA), Guatemala City
Route
Drive about 2.5-3.5 hours from Guatemala City, then take a boat from Panajachel or Santiago Atitlán to the island.
Transfer
150-210 min by road to the lake plus boat time
Cost level
medium
Staying
Stay in Panajachel or Santiago Atitlán, or another town on the lake. A shower, a toilet and food are reportedly available at the spot; there are no rooms on the island.
No-wind days
Lake Atitlán boat tours · kayaking or paddleboarding in calmer morning conditions · volcano views and hikes · Panajachel and Santiago Atitlán villages
Photos
FAQ
How do you reach Isla de los Gatos?
By boat only, from Panajachel or Santiago Atitlan; there is no road access to the island.
When is the best time to kite?
October through December, when the afternoon southerly Xocomil thermal wind is most consistent, at roughly 8-17kt.
Is it suitable for beginners?
No, the steep rocky shoreline has no real beach for launching or landing, so it suits intermediate to advanced riders.
What are the hazards?
Passenger boats that may not expect riders in the water, plus cold water in winter that calls for a wetsuit.
Last updated: August 2026