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Porto Botte

Sardinia - Punta Trettu / Gulf of Palmas · Sulcis Iglesiente · Giba

also known as Il Fortino, Porto Botte Centro, Porto Botte Beach

Part of Porto Botte – Is Solinas (Gulf of Palmas), Sardinia →

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

beginner-friendlymedium crowds

On this page

The spot
Wind
Forecast
Month by month
Water
Level
The scene
Launch
Schools
Tips
Getting there
FAQ

Riding essentials

Season

May–Oct

Months riders and schools name

How windy

12-40 kt

Character: mixed

Room to launch

access rules on record, below

Water

mixed

24 °C in summerFlat to choppy water, with very flat water at Il Fortino/Critical Slide and more chop or small waves toward Is Solinas

Hazards

Reported by riders

Level

Beginner to advanced

With a caveat: see Your level

BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced

Crowds

medium crowds · busy Jun Jul Aug July

Schools

named at this spot

From the airport

75 min

Cagliari Elmas Airport (CAG)

When it fills in

A synoptic Maestrale can already be up at first light and hold all day. From May to October a thermal adds to it, so on clear days the bay builds through late morning and the strongest, most stable hours are through the afternoon. Exact onset and drop-off hours are not published locally.

Nearbystraight-line distance

Backup spotsWhere riders go when the wind doesn't work here.

Sant'Antiocono page yet
Poetto (Cagliari)
Capoterra / Maddalena Spiaggia
Poetto
Petrol Beach
Punta S'Aligano page yet

The spot

The bay & wind

Porto Botte is a big, heavily used kite bay on the south-west coast of Sardinia, inside the Gulf of Palmas between Giba, San Giovanni Suergiu and the Punta Trettu kite area. What you come for is the Maestrale: the shape of the coast funnels it, the thermal stacks on top from May to October, and it routinely rides stronger than the forecast said it would.

Three spots in one

The bay is really several spots. Il Fortino at the north end is the flattest and the performance corner, Porto Botte Centro on the Giba side is where the summer kite lane goes in, and Is Solinas at the south end is sandier and shallower, and it fills with beach users in August.

Who should come

That suits an autonomous freerider, a freestyler, a foiler or anyone chasing big air; a first-timer is better off at Punta Trettu unless a school and its rescue come along.

Landscape & quiet

Behind the beach is a wetland with flamingos and migratory birds, which is part of why it stays quieter than the resort beaches.

Access & caution

Summer access is corridor-based and the accounts of it conflict, so read the on-site signs and the current notices before you launch. Beach coordinates are around 39.04 N, 8.57 E; the seed position was wrong.

The wind

locals call it Maestrale/Mistral (NW) dominant; Ponente (W), Libeccio (SW), Scirocco (SE) and Tramontana (N) also reported

Direction

cross-oncross-offSciroccowind blows away from land — rescue cover matters here

Direction to shore

cross-on.Maestrale from the NW arrives side-on from the right at Il Fortino, Is Solinas and Porto Botte Beach; Ponente from the W comes in almost straight off the sea; Scirocco from the SE runs side-off and gusty.Parts of Il Fortino are side-shore, and some sectors there are offshore, so the same wind can be four different things depending on which end of the bay you rig at.

Kite sizes

4567891011121314151617

metres · typical quiver highlighted

The quiver, in words

Kite sizing and wind rangeThe published riding range is 12-40 kt, so this is a two- or three-kite spot rather than a one-size spot. For a 75-85 kg rider a 12 m covers the 14-18 kt end of May-June and September-October, a 9 m covers the 18-25 kt days that make up most of July and August once the thermal stacks on the Maestrale, and a 7 m is for the 28 kt-plus Maestrale and for winter Tramontana.Size down from what the model shows: on clear days the bay runs 5-10 kt above forecast, and more in high summer.

Character

mixed

When it fills in: see above ↑

Average strength

15-25 kt in July-August; 15-30 kt in May-June and September-October.

Typical strength

12-40 kt is the published riding range. May-June and September-October commonly give 15-30 kt; July-August usually 15-25 kt, but a 10-15 kt Maestrale forecast can land as 20-25 kt on the beach and 40 kt has been recorded when the thermal stacks on it. Winter Tramontana can pass 50 kt.

NW Mistral is the reference wind, and the thermal plus the Venturi effect of the coast put it commonly 5-10 kt or more above forecast. Maestrale is frequent and comes in side-on from the right. Ponente is the steadier one.

Tramontana and Scirocco are gustier, and Scirocco is side-off with it.

Wind blows year-round. Thermal reinforcement runs May to October and, combined with a Venturi effect from the shape of the coast, is what makes July and August reliable.

Mid-March to late November gives wind from most quadrants almost continuously. The free-riding season is often given as 30 September to 30 April, because from May bathers, fishermen and the summer beach setup push kiters into the marked kite lane.

Forecast

Live forecast

Windguru Windfinder Windy

Month by month

Jan29
Feb12
Mar26
Apr47
May, riders' month27
Jun, riders' month40
Jul, riders' month31
Aug, riders' month37
Sep, riders' month28
Oct, riders' month29
Nov25
Dec31

windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+)

Ringed months are the ones riders and schools name: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct.

29%Jan
12%Feb
26%Mar
47%Apr
27%May
40%Jun
31%Jul
37%Aug
28%Sep
29%Oct
25%Nov
31%Dec

windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+) · season highlighted

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.

Every figure, month by monthWindy days · Force 4+ · 12 kn or more · Knots · Wind from · Peaks at · Air · Readings

Month	Windy days	Force 4+	12 kn or more	Knots	Wind from	Peaks at	Air	Readings
Jan	29%	39%	34%	10.3 kt	NW	15:00	10.8 °C	62
Feb	12%	30%	23%	9.1 kt	WNW	16:00	10.8 °C	57
Mar	26%	44%	35%	11.1 kt	WNW	15:00	12.2 °C	62
Apr	47%	58%	53%	13 kt	NW	15:00	14.4 °C	60
May	27%	44%	34%	10.3 kt	NW	15:00	17.5 °C	62
Jun	40%	52%	47%	11.2 kt	NW	15:00	21.4 °C	60
Jul	31%	39%	35%	11.1 kt	NW	15:00	24.2 °C	62
Aug	37%	56%	40%	12 kt	NW	15:00	24.7 °C	62
Sep	28%	50%	43%	11.3 kt	WNW	15:00	22.5 °C	60
Oct	29%	39%	34%	10.7 kt	SSW	15:00	19.2 °C	62
Nov	25%	37%	35%	9.7 kt	WNW	15:00	15.3 °C	60
Dec	31%	40%	39%	10.8 kt	NW	14:00	11.9 °C	62

How this is modelledmodelled · 2023-2024

A weather model's cell over this place, not a station on it. Good for comparing places, weaker for one beach.

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

mixed

Standing depth

It changes sector by sector. Off Is Solinas and Porto Botte Beach the first 100 m runs 60 cm to 1 m on a gentle slope, so you can stand a long way out.The side-shore stretch at Il Fortino reaches a maximum of about 1.5 m over the first 200 m. The inner area known as The Secret sits around 1 m throughout. Porto Botte South is shallow for roughly 300 m.The flatter water further off Il Fortino is out of standing depth.

Tides

Tide-independent for riding. The Mediterranean range here is small, roughly 10-40 cm, so wind setup moves the water level more than the astronomical tide does.

Temperature

24 °C summer · 15 °C winter

Wetsuit

June-September often lycra/shorty or no wetsuit; October shorty; roughly November-May 3/2 mm or warmer suit depending on wind chill.

Conditions

Flat to choppy water, with very flat water at Il Fortino/Critical Slide and more chop or small waves toward Is Solinas. Algae/posidonia is reported in some areas; there are reportedly no rocks at the main Porto Botte riding areas, but the northern bottom can be muddy.

Is Solinas is the beachier southern end with sand, shallow water and more swimmers in summer. No current information is confirmed.

Your level

BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced

Every level rides here, but this is not a beginner lagoon. Punta Trettu is the easier teaching base. A beginner at Porto Botte wants a school and a rescue service, above all where the water deepens or the wind runs side-off.

The scene

What riders come here for

freestylebig airfreeridefoilkite loopswindsurfSUP on lighter days

Local freeride/freestyle training scene with schools and performance coaching, generally less crowded than heavily touristed Sardinian beaches but busier on weekends and in July-August. Il Fortino has fewer swimmers because it is less attractive for bathing; Is Solinas is prettier and more family/beach oriented in summer.

Launch and rules

three ways on to the water, and what each one asks of you

With a school or a boat

9 schools name this spot

See who they are

On your own

Room to launch: ok

Read the access rules

Somewhere else

9 spots nearby

All 9 spots within 40 km are under Nearby

Rescue

Il Fortino is the sector with ground support and an on-site rescue service; the other launch points have none.

Schools working the centre and Is Solinas advertise assistance and rescue as part of lessons and supervised sessions, but there is no public rescue boat and no published call-out fee.

In an emergency at sea the free national number is 1530.

Launch

The bay is about 2 km wide and is used as several separate launch zones. Il Fortino, at the northern end, is the flattest and the base of the on-site school; the beach there is tiny and some launches are made standing in the water.Porto Botte Centro is the Giba-side area where a kite lane is set up for the summer. Is Solinas and Porto Botte Beach, at the southern end, are sandier, shallower and busier with beach users.Wind strength drops steadily as you move from Il Fortino south toward Is Solinas.

Hazards riders report 20 reported

Wind

gusty NW wind stronger than forecast
NW Mistral can be significantly stronger than forecast because of thermal and Venturi effects.
Some sectors are side-off/offshore; beginners may struggle to return without rescue if they drift or reach deeper water.
Tramontana and Scirocco are reported as gustier; SE/Scirocco is also described as slightly gusty and side-off.
Tramontana can pass 50 kt in winter; Scirocco is gusty and side-off
Some sectors are side-off or offshore: a rider who drifts into deeper water without rescue may not get back
Wind is strongest at the northern end and eases toward Is Solinas, so changing sector mid-session changes your power

Crowds and zones

muddy bottom in the northern Il Fortino zone
busy summer crowds at Is Solinas beach
Summer swimmers and beach crowds at Is Solinas and southern sandy areas.
Swimmers and beach crowds at Is Solinas and the southern sandy sections in July and August

Bottom

Muddy bottom at Il Fortino/northern Porto Botte; algae/posidonia is reported in some areas.
Muddy bottom at Il Fortino and the northern end of the bay, with algae and posidonia in places

Protected areas and rules

Bird-rich wetland and salt-pond environment behind the beach: stay out of protected/fragile areas and do not drive on the beach.
Bird-rich wetland and salt ponds behind the beach: keep out of the protected areas and off the dunes

Other

Very small launch beach at Il Fortino; riders may need to enter the water before launching.
Maestrale from the NW runs 5-10 kt over forecast on clear days, and a 10-15 kt forecast can land as 20-25 kt on the beach in July and August
Very small launch beach at Il Fortino; some launching is done standing in the water
No motor vehicles on the sand at any time of year
Ground support and rescue exist only at Il Fortino; the other launches have none

Rules & access

1 min read

Seasonal framework

2026: the Sardinian regional beach ordinance sets the demanial summer season as 1 April to 31 October and fixes the bathing season from the third week of May to the third week of September.

Corridor rules

Launch corridors are permanently public: nobody may bathe, moor or anchor inside a marked corridor, and using one outside the terms of its authorisation is prohibited.

Beach access rules

2026: motor vehicles are banned from the beach all year except rescue and specifically authorised vehicles; walking or crossing dunes outside marked routes is prohibited, as is removing sand, pebbles or shells.

Staffing and kite lanes

2026: concession holders must open and staff their stretch from 08:30 to 19:30 through the bathing season. 2026: Giba installs a seasonal kite lane in the middle of the bay for the summer, and during the bathing season kites should use it rather than crossing the swimmer belt; a launch corridor with dedicated rescue is also reported on the southern Is Solinas side.

Finding the zones

The corridor positions are set locally each year and are not published as a map, so read the on-site signage and the current municipal and maritime-authority notices on the day.

Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.

Schools that ride here

Rider tips

Send absolute beginners to Punta Trettu, ten minutes away, and bring them here once they can ride upwind.
Ride Il Fortino for the flattest water, the rescue cover and the fewest swimmers; the centre and the south are shallower, choppier, busier.
Add to the forecast before you pick a kite: on clear days the bay runs 5-10 kt over the model, and more in high summer.
Ask a school which side of the bay suits the day's angle; the same wind is side-on at one end and offshore at the other.
Use the summer kite lane in the middle of the bay and keep away from the swimmers at Is Solinas.
Rig compactly at Il Fortino. The beach there is tiny and you may end up launching from the water.
Pick the sector to match the kite you want to fly: the wind is strongest at the north end and eases toward Is Solinas.
Bring water, sun cover and shoes you do not mind getting muddy in the northern sections; booties are not otherwise needed.
Keep off the dunes and out of the wetland behind the beach, and never drive onto the sand.
Save 1530 in your phone. It is the free national sea-emergency number, and there is no rescue boat in this bay.

Getting there

Airport

Cagliari Elmas Airport (CAG)

Route

By car from Cagliari take SS130 toward Carbonia/Sant'Antioco, continue through or past San Giovanni Suergiu toward Giba, then follow the Porto Botte access road/track to the parking and beach. Public transport exists via Carbonia but is slow and inconvenient with kite gear.

Transfer

75 min

Cost level

medium

Staying

Kite-specific accommodation and apartments are concentrated around Punta Trettu/San Giovanni Suergiu/Kite House, about 5-10 minutes from Punta Trettu and around 10 minutes from Porto Botte; local B&Bs/agriturismi and beach rentals are available around Giba, Masainas, Sant'Anna Arresi and Sant'Antioco.

No-wind days

SUP, windsurf, surf or wakeboard sessions with the local schools; birdwatching on the Porto Botte and Is Solinas wetlands; the beaches at Is Solinas and Porto Pino; the island of Sant'Antioco; mountain biking, climbing, horse riding, yoga, boat trips out of the gulf.

FAQ

Is Porto Botte suitable for beginners?

It's used across levels, but nearby Punta Trettu is repeatedly recommended as the easier base for absolute beginners, especially where sectors run side-off or offshore.

What is the wind like?

NW Mistral is the reference wind and is commonly 5-10 knots or more above forecast due to local thermal and Venturi effects; the typical seasonal range is 15-30 knots.

When is the best time?

May through October, when winds from many quadrants reportedly blow almost continuously, with thermal strengthening from May to October.

Where can you launch?

The bay has several zones: Il Fortino to the north is very flat with a tiny beach, Porto Botte Centro is the central municipal kite lane, and Is Solinas to the south is sandier and busier with swimmers.

What are the hazards?

A muddy bottom at Il Fortino, side-off or offshore sectors that can be hard to return from, and busy summer crowds at Is Solinas beach.

The bigger pictureEverything about Sardinia - Punta Trettu / Gulf of Palmas

Last updated: August 2026