Map › Spain › Praia do Vao & Praia de Cesantes › Praia de Cesantes
Galicia · Ensenada de San Simon, Ria de Vigo · Vigo · Redondela
Praia de Cesantes
also known as Playa de Cesantes, Playa de la Punta, Praia da Punta
Nearby Praia de Lourido 14 km · Praia do Vao 19 km · Praia da Lanzada 26 km · Praia do Bao 33 km · Praia da Canteira 34 km · Praia das Sinas 34 km · straight-line distance
When it fills in
Thermal, so you wait for it. It comes up through the middle of the day, runs for roughly six hours and keeps strengthening while it runs, then falls away in the evening. No clock time for the fill-in has been published for Cesantes itself.
The wind
Direction
Kite sizes
metres · typical quiver highlighted
Character
thermal
fills in: Thermal, so you wait for it. It comes up through the middle of the day, runs for roughly six hours and keeps strengthening while it runs, then falls away in the evening. No clock time for the fill-in has been published for Cesantes itself.
Typical strength
About 18+ knots once the thermal is running.
The quiver, in words
No local kite-size reports. The thermal is reckoned worth riding from about 18 kt, which puts a 75-85 kg rider on a 9 m for a normal running session, a 12 m for the early part before it has built, and a 7 m for the late afternoon once it has been climbing for hours.Indicative, derived from the quoted wind strength rather than from riders on the beach.
Direction to shore
Side-onshore. The arenal runs roughly north to south for about 2.4 km along the eastern side of the Ensenada de San Simon and faces west-north-west, so the west-south-west thermal comes in across the water at an angle and pushes back towards the sand rather than away from it.North-east is the opposite case: it arrives over the land behind the beach and is offshore and gusty. Derived from the beach's orientation, not from a local measurement.
Dominant direction
SW thermal, around 280 degrees; southwest is the best direction for the bay.
Forecast
Month by month
- Jan11
- Feb, riders' month11
- Mar, riders' month15
- Apr, riders' month8
- May, riders' month10
- Jun, riders' month2
- Jul, riders' month2
- Aug, riders' month2
- Sep, riders' month5
- Oct, riders' month8
- Nov10
- Dec3
windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+)
Ringed months are the ones riders and schools name: Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct.
- 11%Jan14°
- 11%Feb13°
- 15%Mar14°
- 8%Apr16°
- 10%May16°
- 2%Jun18°
- 2%Jul18°
- 2%Aug18°
- 5%Sep17°
- 8%Oct19°
- 10%Nov17°
- 3%Dec15°
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 | 11% | 19% | 16% | 7.3 kt | SW | 15:00 | 10.5°C | 13.6°C | 62 |
| Feb | 11% | 16% | 14% | 7.4 kt | ESE | 15:00 | 11.2°C | 13.4°C | 57 |
| Mar | 15% | 26% | 21% | 9.3 kt | WSW | 16:00 | 12.3°C | 14.1°C | 62 |
| Apr | 8% | 25% | 12% | 8 kt | WNW | 16:00 | 14.4°C | 15.8°C | 60 |
| May | 10% | 23% | 16% | 8.7 kt | WNW | 17:00 | 17.1°C | 16.4°C | 62 |
| Jun | 2% | 12% | 7% | 7.4 kt | WNW | 16:00 | 19.5°C | 18.4°C | 60 |
| Jul | 2% | 8% | 3% | 8.1 kt | WNW | 16:00 | 22.2°C | 18°C | 62 |
| Aug | 2% | 13% | 3% | 7.9 kt | WNW | 17:00 | 22.5°C | 17.5°C | 62 |
| Sep | 5% | 15% | 7% | 7.4 kt | WNW | 16:00 | 19.4°C | 17°C | 60 |
| Oct | 8% | 23% | 19% | 8 kt | SW | 15:00 | 17.9°C | 18.6°C | 62 |
| Nov | 10% | 18% | 15% | 7.1 kt | ESE | 14:00 | 14.5°C | 16.6°C | 60 |
| Dec | 3% | 13% | 6% | 6.1 kt | ESE | 11:00 | 11.1°C | 14.6°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
estuary bay
Standing depth
Flat-water riding with standing-depth areas at low tide; the exact footprint of the shallows is unconfirmed.
Tides
Tide-dependent: low tide is especially flat and shallow, and the beach is very spacious when the tide is low.
Temperature
19°C summer · 14°C winter
Wetsuit
The nearest Vigo and Rias Baixas water references run roughly 18-20 C in late summer and about 13-15 C in winter, so a full suit is normal outside summer. Suit guidance for the Cesantes kite season itself is unconfirmed.
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
8 schools name this spot
On your own
Room to launch: large at low tide; reduced by tide and summer beach use
Somewhere else
Praia de Lourido, 14 km
Every spot within 40 km is on the map at the top of this page, with its distance under it.
Rescue
Launch
Launch off the sand at Cesantes, inside the Ensenada de San Simon: an arenal of about 2.4 km with a promenade and a restored dune strip behind it. At low tide the beach is very spacious.
Space
large at low tide; reduced by tide and summer beach use
Rules & access
Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.
Rider tips
- Ride it in the southwest thermal; northeast comes over land and is gusty.
- Check the tide table before you leave: low tide is the flat, shallow setup, high tide eats the standing area and the beach.
- Keep clear of the anchored fishing boats and of the school lesson zone.
- In July and August leave extra time for parking and for beach users.
Getting there
Airport
Vigo Airport (VGO)
Route
Cesantes is on the Redondela side of the Ria de Vigo; car access from Vigo or Redondela is the practical option for carrying kite gear. About 20 minutes from Vigo Airport in normal traffic, though the last stretch to the beach parking has not been timed.
Transfer
20 min
Cost level
medium
Staying
Stay in Redondela, Vigo or Pontevedra; nothing kite-specific is listed at the beach.
No-wind days
Isla de San Simon visits from Cesantes/Redondela, Vigo city, Rande bridge viewpoints, Camino de Santiago route sections, seafood towns around the Rias Baixas and nearby surf beaches.
Photos
FAQ
Is it suitable for beginners?
Yes, the flat, protected bay and local school use make it a beginner and freeride spot.
When is the best time?
The southwest thermal runs from February to October, and Cesantes is considered one of Galicia's best thermal beaches.
What is the wind like?
A southwest thermal around 280 degrees needs roughly 18 or more knots to work; northeast wind is gustier because it crosses land.
Are there kite schools or rental?
Yes, Kiteboarding Galicia, Feel Kitesurf and TMKiteClub all operate here, with boat-assisted lessons available.
What hazards should I know about?
Anchored fishing boats and tide changes affect the usable shallow area, so check the tide before rigging.
Last updated: August 2026