Map › Greece › Kos - Mastichari/Marmari › Kohilari
Greece, Turkey (Aegean coast) and Cyprus · Kos - Kefalos · Kos Regional Unit · Kefalos
Kohilari
also known as Kochilari, Kohilari Beach, Kochilari Beach, Κοχυλάρι
Nearby Kefalos 3 km · Marmari (Kos) 18 km · Mastichari 23 km · Tigaki West Beach 27 km · Akyarlar 37 km · Psalidi 38 km · Fener (Turgutreis, Bodrum) 38 km · straight-line distance
When it fills in
Light to moderate through the morning, often 10-18 kt, building through midday and strongest in the afternoon, then dropping off at sunset. Around noon is the usual point at which it turns properly rideable.
The wind
locals call it Meltemi
Direction
Kite sizes
metres · typical quiver highlighted
Character
mixed
fills in: Light to moderate through the morning, often 10-18 kt, building through midday and strongest in the afternoon, then dropping off at sunset. Around noon is the usual point at which it turns properly rideable.
Typical strength
15-25 knots in summer; 10-18 knots building through the morning and up to about 25 knots in the afternoon
Also on record
20-25 knots is the figure that gets repeated, and it is indicative. No measured long-term average for this beach was found.
The quiver, in words
10-12 m is the size named most often here as the all-rounder, which fits the lighter mornings. For 75-85 kg a 9 m is the honest choice once the Meltemi settles at 20-25 kt, with 7 m for the high-20s days and a 12 m for a 14-17 kt morning.Indicative sizing worked from the reported wind range rather than a local rider survey.
Direction to shore
side to side-onshore
Dominant direction
NW to NNW, with N/NNE/NE and WNW also listed as good directions
Forecast
Month by month
- Jan79
- Feb75
- Mar79
- Apr71
- May61
- Jun, riders' month75
- Jul, riders' month90
- Aug, riders' month77
- Sep, riders' month72
- Oct58
- Nov67
- Dec73
per cent of the month at force 4 or more
Ringed months are the ones riders and schools name: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep.
- 16Jan19°
- 16Feb18°
- 16Mar18°
- 15Apr18°
- 13May20°
- 14Jun23°
- 16Jul25°
- 14Aug27°
- 14Sep26°
- 13Oct25°
- 14Nov22°
- 15Dec21°
avg knots per month · water °C below · season highlighted
| Month | Force 4+ | Knots | From | Air | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 79% | 16.2 kt | N | 12°C | 19.4°C |
| Feb | 75% | 15.7 kt | N | 12°C | 18°C |
| Mar | 79% | 15.5 kt | NNW | 12.7°C | 17.7°C |
| Apr | 71% | 14.6 kt | NW | 15.7°C | 18.3°C |
| May | 61% | 12.7 kt | NNW | 18.9°C | 19.9°C |
| Jun | 75% | 13.6 kt | NW | 23.1°C | 23.3°C |
| Jul | 90% | 16.4 kt | NNW | 26.1°C | 25.3°C |
| Aug | 77% | 13.9 kt | NW | 25.9°C | 26.7°C |
| Sep | 72% | 14 kt | NNW | 24°C | 26.3°C |
| Oct | 58% | 12.7 kt | NNW | 20.5°C | 24.8°C |
| Nov | 67% | 13.9 kt | NNW | 17.1°C | 22.4°C |
| Dec | 73% | 14.7 kt | N | 14.4°C | 20.5°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 (2020-2024), 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 · 2020-2024
The water
Type
sandy beach with shallow flat sections, chop and small waves
Standing depth
Shallow and standable a long way out. You wade a fair distance before it deepens, put at roughly 15-20 m from the water's edge, and it stays standable at both high and low water.
Tides
Effectively tide independent. The beach works at high and low water alike and nothing in the riding depends on the state of the tide.
Temperature
26°C summer · 17°C winter
Wetsuit
shorts/lycra in summer, shorty in autumn, normal wetsuit in winter
Currents
A strong current is reported near the channel. Its exact behaviour is unconfirmed.
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
5 schools name this spot
On your own
Room to launch: huge
Somewhere else
Kefalos, 3 km
Every spot within 40 km is on the map at the top of this page, with its distance under it.
Rescue
Launch
Long soft sandy launch north of Kefalos, about 2 km of it, with the kite centre on the shore, a beach bar, sunbeds and a free-use stretch alongside, free parking at the end of the access road, and showers, toilets, food and paid gear storage in season.
Space
huge
Rules & access
Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.
Rider tips
- Drive, or use the spot shuttle. No public transport is documented as practical for carrying kite gear to Kohilari.
- Stay off the rocks in the northern area, and ask the center where the channel current runs before you go far downwind.
- Move along the beach when the lesson area in front of the center fills up; there is much more room further along.
- Pack 10-12 m as your core summer size, with something smaller for the strong Meltemi days.
- Sea temperature runs about 26 C in August and bottoms out near 17 C in March, so a shorty covers the shoulder months and a full suit the winter.
- Above 6 Beaufort Greek rules want a licensed lifeguard and a motorised rescue craft on the water. On a 30 kt Meltemi day ask the centre what cover is actually running.
- The wind is usually still light mid-morning and best after midday, so there is no reason to be on the beach at eight.
Getting there
Airport
Kos International Airport "Hippocrates" (KGS)
Route
Drive west toward Kefalos and follow the signs to Kohilari. A car is the transport option and it is a short walk at the end. Kefalos is roughly 16-17 km from KGS, and Kos Town about 37-43 km away.
Transfer
20 min
Cost level
medium
Staying
stay in Kefalos/Kamari for the shortest drive, or use broader resort accommodation in Mastichari, Marmari, Kardamaina or Kos Town with a rental car
No-wind days
Kefalos/Kamari beaches and tavernas, Agios Stefanos basilica, Paradise Beach area, Kos Town, Asklepion, cycling routes, boat trips and sunset beach walks
Photos
FAQ
When is the best time to kite at Kohilari?
June to September is the main season, with August commonly the windiest month and May-October usable in a broader window.
Is Kohilari suitable for beginners?
Yes, the sandy beach, shallow near-shore water and on-site kite center make it a listed beginner-through-expert spot.
What is the wind like?
Side to side-onshore Meltemi from the NW to NNW, typically 15-25 knots and strengthening from late morning into the afternoon.
Are there kite schools at Kohilari?
Yes, Kohilari Beach Kite Center operates directly on the beach.
What are the hazards?
Rocks exposed in the northern area, a reported current near the channel, and small waves or chop that build on strong wind days.
Last updated: August 2026