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Guanacaste · Lake Arenal · Tilarán · Tilaran
Tico Wind (Lake Arenal West End)
also known as Tico Wind Peninsula
Tico Wind (Lake Arenal West End) has no other spot on this map within 40 km of it. straight-line distance
When it fills in
The wind is usually already in by mid-morning and builds through the day. Mornings are the lighter, smoother part of the day; afternoons turn stronger and gustier and often push past 25 kt. Between November and April it hardly switches off at all, with planing-strength wind on roughly 90% of days.
The wind
locals call it trade winds funneled through the Lake Arenal mountains
Direction
Kite sizes
metres · typical quiver highlighted
Character
trade
fills in: The wind is usually already in by mid-morning and builds through the day. Mornings are the lighter, smoother part of the day; afternoons turn stronger and gustier and often push past 25 kt. Between November and April it hardly switches off at all, with planing-strength wind on roughly 90% of days.
Typical strength
20+ kt common in season; cold-front periods can reach around 30 kt for several days
Thermal or synoptic
synoptic (trade winds funneled through the Cordillera gap)
Also on record
Over 20 kt on about 60% of December days and 75% of January and February days.
The quiver, in words
5-10 m at Tico Wind; many days are reported to require 6 m or 9 m kites
Direction to shore
slightly side-off to side-shore at the Tico Wind launch
Forecast
Month by month
- Jan, riders' month87
- Feb, riders' month86
- Mar, riders' month65
- Apr, riders' month63
- May24
- Jun15
- Jul47
- Aug31
- Sep18
- Oct13
- Nov, riders' month32
- Dec, riders' month79
windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+)
Ringed months are the ones riders and schools name: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Nov, Dec.
- 87%Jan
- 86%Feb
- 65%Mar
- 63%Apr
- 24%May
- 15%Jun
- 47%Jul
- 31%Aug
- 18%Sep
- 13%Oct
- 32%Nov
- 79%Dec
windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+) · season highlighted
| Month | Windy days | Force 4+ | 12 kn or more | Knots | From | Peaks at | Air | Readings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 87% | 97% | 94% | 17 kt | ENE | 10:00 | 21.9°C | 62 |
| Feb | 86% | 91% | 88% | 17.8 kt | ENE | 11:00 | 21.8°C | 57 |
| Mar | 65% | 79% | 74% | 13.8 kt | ENE | 10:00 | 23.2°C | 62 |
| Apr | 63% | 75% | 67% | 13.8 kt | ENE | 10:00 | 23.9°C | 60 |
| May | 24% | 50% | 37% | 11.2 kt | ENE | 10:00 | 24.4°C | 62 |
| Jun | 15% | 25% | 18% | 9.3 kt | ENE | 11:00 | 22.9°C | 60 |
| Jul | 47% | 61% | 55% | 12.9 kt | ENE | 10:00 | 23.2°C | 62 |
| Aug | 31% | 63% | 44% | 11.7 kt | ENE | 10:00 | 23.2°C | 62 |
| Sep | 18% | 45% | 28% | 10.4 kt | ENE | 10:00 | 23.2°C | 60 |
| Oct | 13% | 24% | 18% | 9 kt | ENE | 11:00 | 22.8°C | 62 |
| Nov | 32% | 43% | 35% | 10.4 kt | ENE | 10:00 | 22.3°C | 60 |
| Dec | 79% | 84% | 82% | 16.3 kt | ENE | 11:00 | 21.9°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
freshwater lake chop and wind swell
Standing depth
There is no shallow shelf to wade out on. The reservoir sits between about 30 and 60 m deep through the year and reaches 100 m at its deepest, and the launch is a lawn-like grass and red-clay bank running straight into the water rather than a wading beach.How many metres you can actually stand off that bank has never been documented.
Tides
tide independent freshwater lake
Wetsuit
A shorty is the year-round answer; no official guidance beyond that.
Currents
closed lake with no tide; no specific current information on record
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: small
Somewhere else
No neighbour on record
No other spot in the atlas sits within reach of this one.
Rescue
Launch
Dedicated grass rigging and launch area at Tico Wind on Route 142 near the western end of Lake Arenal. The launch is small; the center is at Lake Arenal, Tilaran.
Space
small
Rules & access
Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.
Rider tips
- Bring 5-10 m; most days here are a 6 m or a 9 m.
- Call Tico Wind before driving down after rain; the last stretch to the beach is dirt and gets muddy.
- Book lessons and rentals ahead; Tico Wind requires a reservation.
- Launch from the center's grass area with the jet-ski behind you, not from an improvised bit of shoreline; the wind is side-off to side-shore.
- Stay upwind. The lake is big and the wind carries you away from the launch.
- Come mid-February through April for the best weather; December to February gives the most days over 20 kt.
- Ride the morning if you want it smoother. The wind builds through the day and the afternoon is the gusty part.
- Nothing here is shallow enough to stand in. The reservoir is tens of metres deep off the bank, so have a plan for getting yourself back.
Getting there
Airport
Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport, Liberia (LIR)
Route
From Liberia or San Jose, the route is by the Pan-American Highway to Canas, then east to Tilaran and onto Route 142 around Lake Arenal. A car is the normal access; 4x4 is not required, but the road to the Tico Wind beach is dirt and rough.
Transfer
90-150 min from LIR to Tilaran/west Lake Arenal depending on final lodging and road conditions; longer from San Jose
Cost level
mid-range
Staying
Stay in Tilaran, on the west end of the lake, or along the Route 142 lake road. Tico Wind is a water-sports center, not a hotel; rooms, food and parking are all close by.
No-wind days
Hiking, biking, bird watching, horseback riding, kayaking, stand-up paddling, fishing, and the Arenal/La Fortuna day out.
Photos
FAQ
When is the best time to kite at Tico Wind?
Wind over 20 knots is reported on about 60% of December days and 75% of January and February days. The best overall weather runs from mid-February through April, with a lighter windy spell also possible around July and August.
Is Tico Wind suitable for beginners?
The spot is rated for experienced riders because of strong wind, a small grass launch and the need to stay upwind on the lake. The center teaches wind sports and can support first-timers, but independent beginners are not the target rider.
What is the wind like at Tico Wind?
NE-ENE trade winds are funneled through the surrounding mountains, commonly reaching 20 knots or more in season. Cold-front periods can push wind to around 30 knots for several days.
Is there rescue support at the launch?
Tico Wind keeps a jet-ski on standby for rescue, which matters because the launch wind runs slightly side-off to side-shore.
How do you get to Tico Wind?
The usual route is via the Pan-American Highway to Canas, then east to Tilaran and onto Route 142 around Lake Arenal. The final approach is a rough dirt road, so it is worth confirming conditions after rain.
Last updated: August 2026