Nearby Paracas 36 km · straight-line distance
Paraca
11:00
On the clock
14:00 · 15:00
The Paraca usually fills around 11:00 and holds to sunset. Some days it stalls and only turns on mid-afternoon, and in the weaker May-September months it often waits until 14:00-15:00.
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 wind
locals call it Paraca
Direction
Kite sizes
metres · typical quiver highlighted
Character
thermal
fills in: The Paraca usually fills around 11:00 and holds to sunset. Some days it stalls and only turns on mid-afternoon, and in the weaker May-September months it often waits until 14:00-15:00.
Typical strength
15-25 kt; Paracas-wide local guidance gives 18-25 kt with occasional 30+ kt Paraca/sandstorm days.
The quiver, in words
8-12 m covers almost everything. For a 75-85 kg rider that means an 11-12 m on the 15-18 kt days and a 9 m once the Paraca settles into its usual 18-25 kt, with anything smaller reserved for the 30 kt sandstorm afternoons. These are the Paracas-wide norms, not a Laguna Grande measurement.
Direction to shore
Side-onshore into a closed bay. A blown water start or a lost board drifts you back towards the sand rather than out towards the ocean opening, which is most of the reason nobody keeps a rescue boat here.
Forecast
Month by month
- Jan, riders' month92
- Feb, riders' month82
- Mar, riders' month89
- Apr, riders' month95
- May97
- Jun85
- Jul89
- Aug97
- Sep, riders' month97
- Oct, riders' month94
- Nov, riders' month98
- Dec, riders' month95
windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+)
Ringed months are the ones riders and schools name: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec.
- 92%Jan18°
- 82%Feb19°
- 89%Mar19°
- 95%Apr19°
- 97%May18°
- 85%Jun18°
- 89%Jul17°
- 97%Aug16°
- 97%Sep15°
- 94%Oct16°
- 98%Nov16°
- 95%Dec16°
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 | 92% | 94% | 92% | 16.1 kt | S | 15:00 | 22.3°C | 17.9°C | 62 |
| Feb | 82% | 91% | 82% | 15.8 kt | S | 15:00 | 23.5°C | 18.7°C | 57 |
| Mar | 89% | 97% | 92% | 16.3 kt | S | 15:00 | 23.2°C | 18.5°C | 62 |
| Apr | 95% | 100% | 98% | 18.6 kt | SSE | 15:00 | 21.6°C | 18.8°C | 60 |
| May | 97% | 98% | 98% | 20 kt | SSE | 15:00 | 18.5°C | 17.6°C | 62 |
| Jun | 85% | 95% | 90% | 18.9 kt | SSE | 18:00 | 16.9°C | 17.6°C | 60 |
| Jul | 89% | 94% | 92% | 19.6 kt | SSE | 17:00 | 16.3°C | 17°C | 62 |
| Aug | 97% | 100% | 100% | 20.6 kt | SSE | 17:00 | 16.2°C | 16.4°C | 62 |
| Sep | 97% | 98% | 98% | 20.3 kt | SSE | 15:00 | 16.5°C | 15.4°C | 60 |
| Oct | 94% | 98% | 95% | 18.8 kt | SSE | 15:00 | 17.5°C | 15.7°C | 62 |
| Nov | 98% | 100% | 98% | 18.1 kt | SSE | 15:00 | 18.7°C | 16.3°C | 60 |
| Dec | 95% | 97% | 97% | 17.6 kt | SSE | 16:00 | 20.6°C | 16.2°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
Standing depth
Very shallow at the entrance, grading to about waist deep within the first 500 m; one deeper channel crosses the middle of the lagoon.
Tides
Riding is reported as tide-independent, but the lagoon connects to Bahia Independencia through a narrow opening during high tide.
Temperature
20°C summer · 16°C winter
Wetsuit
Humboldt-cold water. Local guidance is a shorty or 3/2 mm in the October-April summer and high season, a 3/2 mm long suit in May-September; thicker if you feel the cold.
Currents
No strong current is reported inside the lagoon. The water only moves at the narrow opening to Bahía Independencia, and nobody has measured it; treat the opening as the one place to stay away from.
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: huge
Somewhere else
Paracas, 36 km
Every spot within 40 km is on the map at the top of this page, with its distance under it.
Rescue
Launch
A long sandy shore inside Laguna Grande with nothing in the way when you rig; access is by vehicle through the Paracas National Reserve, and riders park on or near the beach. A small fishing settlement on the sandbank sells coffee and snacks. No cafe, no toilets, no lodging.
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
- Go with a Paracas school or guide on a first visit; the reserve tracks have no phone reception and need local knowledge.
- Do not trust the model alone for the Paracas thermal, which often beats what the forecast shows.
- Carry water, food, sun protection, a first-aid kit, pump and nozzles and spare parts, because nothing inside the reserve will help you.
- Wear booties if you are learning or walking the shallows, because the shells are sharp.
- Check reserve access, beach closures and conservation restrictions on the day before you drive in.
Getting there
Airport
Lima Jorge Chavez International Airport (LIM) is the normal gateway; Pisco (PIO), about 60 km from the spot, is the other option, but whether scheduled flights make it useful is unconfirmed.
Route
From Lima, Kangaroo Kite reports private taxi transfer to Paracas at about US$150 and about 3 hours depending on traffic, or taxi to the Cruz del Sur Javier Prado bus station for about S/50-60 plus a US$10-20 bus to Paracas taking about 3.5-4 hours.From Paracas, Laguna Grande is a 45-60 minute reserve drive on bumpy/unpaved roads; local schools recommend a kite trip or 4WD/local knowledge.
Transfer
45-60 from Paracas town; about 180-240 from Lima to Paracas before the reserve drive.
Cost level
medium
Staying
Stay in Paracas or Pisco. Kangaroo Kite says there is no lodging inside the Natural Reserve unless traveling with a tent or campervan; SERNANP lists official reserve camping areas near the Interpretation Center and PCV Lagunillas, not specifically at Laguna Grande.
No-wind days
Paracas National Reserve viewpoints and beaches, Islas Ballestas wildlife boat tours, paragliding near Supay when the wind is light, Huacachina/Ica dune buggy and sandboarding trips, kayaking, cycling, trekking, diving, fishing and wildlife/bird watching.
FAQ
Is Laguna Grande suitable for beginners?
Yes, local sources call it beginner-friendly because of the shallow area, flat water, sandy setup and closed-bay safety, though one source lists it as intermediate only.
What is the wind like?
South to south-southwest thermal wind typically runs 15-25 knots, building around midday, though forecasts can undercall the local thermal.
When is the best time to visit?
The main season runs roughly mid-September or October through April, giving about 5-6 kiting days per week; May-September is windier but less consistent.
Are there rules or fees?
Laguna Grande sits inside the Paracas National Reserve; the 2026 entry fee is S/11 for general adult visitors, with reduced rates for children and local ID holders.
What are the hazards?
Sharp shells in the shallows, cold water and wind chill, occasional 30+ knot sandstorm days, and no dedicated rescue boat verified at the spot.
Last updated: August 2026