Mayapo has no other spot on this map within 40 km of it. straight-line distance
northeast trade winds
10:00 · 14:00 · 15:00 · 18:00
The morning usually runs side-offshore from the east. It swings to side-onshore northeast somewhere between 10:00 and 14:00, and the afternoon is the better half of the day; school sessions are commonly booked for 15:00-18:00, moved around the wind.
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 Caribbean / northeast trade winds
Direction
Kite sizes
metres · typical quiver highlighted
Character
trade
fills in: The morning usually runs side-offshore from the east. It swings to side-onshore northeast somewhere between 10:00 and 14:00, and the afternoon is the better half of the day; school sessions are commonly booked for 15:00-18:00, moved around the wind.
Typical strength
20-30 kt in the strongest season; 18-22 kt commonly reported May-August.
Also on record
20-30 in season; 18-22 May-August
The quiver, in words
Eoletto says 9-11 m are commonly used, with 7-8 m enough from December to April.
Direction to shore
Side-offshore from the east early, side-onshore from the northeast once the trade swings, usually between 10:00 and 14:00. The lagoon is the fallback for the hours when it is still offshore.
Dominant direction
NE/E trade-wind sector; exact beach-relative angle not independently mapped
Forecast
Month by month
- Jan, riders' month94
- Feb, riders' month95
- Mar, riders' month98
- Apr, riders' month94
- May, riders' month79
- Jun, riders' month79
- Jul, riders' month92
- Aug, riders' month68
- Sep43
- Oct35
- Nov46
- Dec, riders' month82
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, Jul, Aug, Dec.
- 15Jan26°
- 16Feb26°
- 16Mar27°
- 15Apr27°
- 14May29°
- 14Jun30°
- 15Jul29°
- 13Aug30°
- 11Sep31°
- 10Oct31°
- 11Nov30°
- 14Dec27°
avg knots per month · water °C below · season highlighted
| Month | Force 4+ | Knots | From | Air | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 94% | 15.3 kt | E | 27.4°C | 26.3°C |
| Feb | 95% | 16.3 kt | E | 27.4°C | 26.1°C |
| Mar | 98% | 16.1 kt | ENE | 27.5°C | 26.6°C |
| Apr | 94% | 15.2 kt | ENE | 28.2°C | 27.2°C |
| May | 79% | 13.5 kt | E | 29.5°C | 29.3°C |
| Jun | 79% | 13.9 kt | E | 29.5°C | 30.2°C |
| Jul | 92% | 15.4 kt | E | 30.1°C | 28.5°C |
| Aug | 68% | 12.9 kt | E | 29.2°C | 29.7°C |
| Sep | 43% | 10.6 kt | ENE | 28.5°C | 31.1°C |
| Oct | 35% | 10 kt | E | 27.8°C | 31.1°C |
| Nov | 46% | 10.7 kt | E | 27.2°C | 29.9°C |
| Dec | 82% | 13.5 kt | E | 27.6°C | 27.4°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
lagoon|flat|chop
Standing depth
The lagoon is shallow across the whole of it, waist to hip deep at its deepest point, muddy underfoot and waveless. It holds water for roughly half the year, about November to June, and only when the September-November rains have been enough; in the dry season it dries back to salt flat.On the open-sea side no standing depth by tide has been measured.
Tides
Small Caribbean tide near Riohacha; Tides Today showed a roughly 0.14-0.61 m range during the 2026-08-27 week. No source confirmed tide sensitivity for the Mayapo kite lagoon.
Temperature
28.5°C summer · 26.4°C winter
Wetsuit
No wetsuit normally needed; warm-water sun protection is more relevant.
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
3 schools name this spot
On your own
Room to launch: large
Somewhere else
No neighbour on record
No other spot in the atlas sits within reach of this one.
Rescue
Launch
Wide sandy beach at Playas de Mayapo, with school operations around Mayapo/Maliwala and access by road from Riohacha.
Space
large
Rules & access
- Colombian beaches are public land: they cannot be sold or transferred to private hands, and use rights exist only as concessions, permits or licences, with the DIMAR port captain as the maritime authority (Decreto-Ley 2324 of 1984, still the framework in 2026). No kite launch zone, school area or beach-access fee has been published for Mayapo.What governs the sand in practice is community, not paperwork: this is Wayuu territory, the Epiayú clan runs the rancherías behind the beach, and cash is the only money that works there.Riohacha's local beach committee approved new zoning for the district's urban beaches in July 2026 and began drafting a new beach decree, but Mayapo sits in Manaure and is not covered by it.
Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.
Rider tips
- Ask a school whether the lagoon is full before booking a shoulder-month trip; it usually holds water November to June.
- Bring 7-8 m kites for December-April and a 9-11 m for May-August.
- Carry cash, water and sun protection: the nearest shop is about a 20-minute moto-taxi ride and the power is solar with blackouts.
- Use the school transfer or a taxi you know from Riohacha; count 35-45 minutes on the ground, not the 27 the route planners promise.
- Write off October-November for wind and road comfort.
- Downwinders along the coast are possible; fix the pickup point first.
- Mornings are often side-offshore east. The swing to side-onshore northeast lands between 10:00 and 14:00, so plan the session for the afternoon and use the lagoon before it.
- Cash only in the rancherías behind the beach, and small notes are what get taken.
Getting there
Airport
Riohacha / Almirante Padilla Airport
Route
Route through Riohacha, then a taxi, a private car, a school transfer, a tour, or the intermunicipal bus towards Manaure — ask to be dropped at the beach entrance, around 10,000 COP in 2026. Quoted road distances run from 25 to 40 km depending on the source and which beach sector is meant.On the ground count 35-45 minutes from Riohacha, not the 27 the route planners promise.
Transfer
45 min
Cost level
medium
Staying
Beach ecolodges, hotels, hostels and simple local stays near Mayapo; Palaa Mayapo Ecolodge and other beach lodging are documented in travel and booking sources.
No-wind days
Wayuu cultural visits, beach/rest days at Playas de Mayapo, Riohacha malecón, Santuario de Flora y Fauna Los Flamencos/Camarones, Manaure salt flats, Cabo de la Vela and Punta Gallinas tours.
Photos
FAQ
When is the best time to kite at Mayapo?
December to April is strongest at 20-30 knots, May-August is still rideable around 18-22 knots, and October-November are rainy with fewer wind days.
Is Mayapo suitable for beginners?
Yes, local schools such as Kite Addict teach all levels using the shallow lagoon, though it is usually only full from November to June.
What is the wind like at Mayapo?
Northeast Caribbean trade wind runs 20-30 knots in the strongest season and 18-22 knots from May to August.
What hazards should riders know about?
The village is remote with no on-site emergency assistance, unreliable electricity, and a muddy lagoon bottom.
Are there kite schools nearby?
Yes, including Kite Addict Colombia, KiteAdventure Colombia and Palaa Sport Center.
Last updated: August 2026