Map › Spain › Almería city › Playa de Costacabana
Andalucía mediterránea · Almería city · Almeria
Playa de Costacabana
also known as Costacabana, Playa Costa Cabana, Costa Cabana
Nearby Retamar 6 km · El Zapillo 6 km · Las Salinas 20 km · Playa de Cabo de Gata 21 km · Los Genoveses 25 km · Punta Entinas-Sabinar 34 km · Almerimar 39 km · straight-line distance
When it fills in
No onset time is published for this spot.
The wind
locals call it Levante/Poniente
Direction
Kite sizes
metres · typical quiver highlighted
Character
mixed
Typical strength
15-25
Also on record
19.9
The quiver, in words
8-9 m · 10-11 m · 12-13 m
Direction to shore
Levante from the east is side-shore; Poniente from west-southwest is more onshore.
Forecast
Month by month
- Jan39
- Feb, riders' month58
- Mar, riders' month52
- Apr, riders' month49
- May, riders' month47
- Jun, riders' month49
- Jul27
- Aug39
- Sep, riders' month48
- Oct33
- Nov23
- Dec17
per cent of the month at force 4 or more
Ringed months are the ones riders and schools name: Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Sep.
- 10Jan16°
- 12Feb16°
- 12Mar16°
- 12Apr18°
- 11May19°
- 12Jun22°
- 10Jul26°
- 10Aug28°
- 11Sep25°
- 10Oct21°
- 9Nov18°
- 9Dec17°
avg knots per month · water °C below · season highlighted
| Month | Force 4+ | Knots | From | Air | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 39% | 10.1 kt | NE | 13°C | 15.8°C |
| Feb | 58% | 11.6 kt | NE | 14.1°C | 15.5°C |
| Mar | 52% | 12.2 kt | NE | 15.9°C | 15.7°C |
| Apr | 49% | 11.9 kt | SW | 18°C | 17.6°C |
| May | 47% | 11.1 kt | SW | 21°C | 19.4°C |
| Jun | 49% | 11.6 kt | SW | 25.3°C | 22°C |
| Jul | 27% | 9.6 kt | SSW | 28.5°C | 26°C |
| Aug | 39% | 10.4 kt | SSW | 28.9°C | 27.9°C |
| Sep | 48% | 11.3 kt | SW | 25°C | 25.4°C |
| Oct | 33% | 10.4 kt | NE | 22°C | 20.7°C |
| Nov | 23% | 8.8 kt | NNE | 17.4°C | 18°C |
| Dec | 17% | 8.7 kt | NNE | 13.9°C | 16.7°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
sea
Standing depth
You can stand at both high and low tide near the shore, and the entry is easy, but the bottom is mixed: gravel and stones at the water's edge, sand through the middle, rock and jetty boulders on the flanks. Booties are the sensible call. No measured depth range.
Tides
Tide independent.
Temperature
24.4°C summer · 14.5°C winter
Wetsuit
Shorty in summer, a wetsuit in the shoulder months. Winter needs a full suit, inferred from Almeria February sea temperatures rather than confirmed on the beach.
Currents
Low natural drift most days. What moves you is the side-shore Levante pushing you down the beach past the stone jetties rather than any set current. Strong Poniente brings the messier sea: in June 2020 a rider here lost his kite in one and was left hanging onto his board offshore until he could get himself back in.
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: large
Somewhere else
Retamar, 6 km
Every spot within 40 km is on the map at the top of this page, with its distance under it.
Rescue
Launch
Wide gravel and sand beach with a designated launch and exit channel. Public access and parking are reported around Avenida La Marinera.
Space
large
Rules & access
Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.
Rider tips
- Wear booties or protect your feet; the launch is gravel and pebble, not sand.
- Stay inside the marked channel on Levante days, because it is side-shore and the drift is what catches people who wander out of it.
- Ask YourTime or the riders on the beach where the channel sits this season instead of assuming last year's layout.
- In June to September the access and parking around Avenida La Marinera fill up; get there early.
- Pack 8-9 m, 10-11 m and 12-13 m if you want to cover the 15-25 knot range.
Getting there
Airport
Almeria Airport (LEI)
Route
Costacabana is east of Almeria city by the university, about 5 minutes from Almeria Airport. By car, take the A-7 and the Costacabana exit; the access riders use is near Avenida La Marinera.
Transfer
5 min
Cost level
medium
Staying
Hotels and rentals across Almeria and Costacabana. No beachfront kite lodging is confirmed.
No-wind days
Almeria city and its restaurants, the family beach services, and day trips along the Costa de Almeria toward Cabo de Gata.
Photos
FAQ
When is the best time to kite Costacabana?
February to June and September, with the best conditions overall reported in spring and summer.
Is Costacabana suitable for beginners?
No, it is listed as intermediate level, since the pebble launch, stone jetties and side-shore Levante make it unsuited to unsupervised beginners.
What is the wind like at Costacabana?
Levante from the east is side-shore and the most popular direction, typically 15-25 knots, while Poniente also works but is often better nearby at Retamar.
Are there rules or restricted zones at Costacabana?
A designated launch and exit channel is reported to allow kiting here in summer when other beaches are closed, though current official wording was not independently found.
Are there kite schools at Costacabana?
Yes, YourTime Kite & Surf Almería is based nearby.
Last updated: August 2026