Nearby Praia Nova Vaga 29 km · Praia da Bela Vista 29 km · Cova do Vapor 29 km · Bico das Lulas, Tróia 29 km · Fonte da Telha 33 km · Lagoa de Albufeira 34 km · Praia de Carcavelos 35 km · Praia do Meco 36 km · straight-line distance
When it fills in
No onset time is published for this spot.
The wind
Direction
Kite sizes
metres · typical quiver highlighted
Character
mixed
Typical strength
Most sessions here sit in the 15-25 knot band, and foiling starts around 18-20. Indicative: the only record taken at the beach itself, five years to 2018, averages about 8 knots across all hours, so this is a spot you go to on a forecast rather than a spot that blows every afternoon.
The quiver, in words
Indicative for a 75-85 kg rider, with no local size survey behind it: 12 m on the 14-17 knot days, 9-10 m at 18-22, and 7-8 m when a westerly converges in the river mouth and pushes past 25. A 9 m covers most of what gets ridden here.
Direction to shore
Side-shore to side-onshore depending on flow and tide; the exact angle by direction is unconfirmed.
Dominant direction
NNW, NW and W are predominant; the spot works from NE to W, with W and NW best.
Forecast
Month by month
- Jan28
- Feb33
- Mar51
- Apr63
- May75
- Jun74
- Jul78
- Aug80
- Sep54
- Oct44
- Nov38
- Dec33
per cent of the month at force 4 or more
- 9Jan
- 10Feb
- 12Mar
- 12Apr
- 13May
- 12Jun
- 13Jul
- 13Aug
- 12Sep
- 11Oct
- 10Nov
- 10Dec
avg knots per month · season highlighted
| Month | Force 4+ | Knots | From | Air |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28% | 9.4 kt | NNE | 11.8°C |
| Feb | 33% | 9.9 kt | NNE | 12.6°C |
| Mar | 51% | 11.5 kt | NNW | 14°C |
| Apr | 63% | 12 kt | NNW | 16.6°C |
| May | 75% | 12.9 kt | NNW | 19.4°C |
| Jun | 74% | 12.4 kt | NNW | 21.2°C |
| Jul | 78% | 12.6 kt | NNW | 23.5°C |
| Aug | 80% | 12.9 kt | NNW | 23.3°C |
| Sep | 54% | 11.7 kt | NNW | 21.2°C |
| Oct | 44% | 11.3 kt | N | 19.6°C |
| Nov | 38% | 9.8 kt | NNE | 15.8°C |
| Dec | 33% | 9.7 kt | NE | 12.7°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
Tagus estuary river beach; flat to choppy
Standing depth
Standable at high tide; low tide is only partially deep and more technical.
Tides
Strongly tide dependent. The normal window is three hours before to three hours after high tide; the stricter version of the same rule is high tide only, on a higher tidal coefficient.
Temperature
20°C summer · 14°C winter
Wetsuit
Full suit for most of the year. With a wetsuit the water is still good in November.
Currents
Tagus estuary current can become marked, especially near narrowing areas; tide and current affect both apparent wind and usable water.
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: good in the high-tide window; lower tide changes the bank and can leave mud/oysters
Somewhere else
Praia Nova Vaga, 29 km
Every spot within 40 km is on the map at the top of this page, with its distance under it.
Rescue
Launch
River-beach/bank launch at Praia dos Moinhos, with parking directly in front of the kite zone.
Space
good in the high-tide window; lower tide changes the bank and can leave mud/oysters
Rules & access
Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.
Rider tips
- Time the session to high tide: three hours before to three hours after is the usual window, and pick a day with a higher coefficient.
- Park in front of the kite zone and rig there; there are no showers on site.
- Wear booties, or stay off the water at low tide when the oysters and the mud are out.
- Take the W and NW days, and read the current and your downwind space before you launch.
- Ride with other people, and on a first visit go out with local riders or the school; the estuary changes fast.
- Assume no lifeguards and no rescue boat.
- Carry a hook knife and wear an impact vest. That is the standard here, and the estuary is a poor place to be tangled.
- Do not put a kite up under a dark, charged sky.
Getting there
Airport
Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS)
Route
Drive out of Lisbon over the Vasco da Gama Bridge to Alcochete, about 35 minutes, and park in front of the kite zone. From Lisbon Airport to Praia do Sal Resort on the Alcochete waterfront is about 23 minutes by car.
Transfer
30 min
Cost level
mid
Staying
Stay in Alcochete for the riverfront and the local scene, or in Lisbon for more choice. Praia do Sal Resort and other Alcochete lodging are close to the water.
No-wind days
The Alcochete riverfront, the Freeport outlet, the Salinas do Samouco, the EVOA birdwatching hides in the Tagus Estuary, Lisbon itself, and SUP when the water allows.
FAQ
Is Moinhos/Alcochete suitable for beginners?
It is classed as intermediate: the spot is tidal with current, and oysters and mud are exposed at low tide, so independent beginners need tide and current judgment.
When is the best time to kitesurf here?
Alcochete works year-round, with water still comfortable in a wetsuit until November.
What is the wind like?
The best directions are NNW, NW and W, with west sometimes feeling stronger as it converges in the river mouth.
What hazards should riders know about?
Sharp oyster shells and mud at low tide, river current, and no lifeguards are the main concerns, so riders stick to the three-hours-before-to-three-hours-after-high-tide window.
Are there kite schools nearby?
Yes, Alkitesurf operates at the spot.
Last updated: August 2026