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Vecāķi

Rīga · Vecāķi, north Riga, Gulf of Riga

also known as Vecāķi Beach, Vecāķu pludmale

Part of Riga →

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

beginner-friendlyhigh crowds

On this page

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

Riding essentials

Season

May–Oct

Months riders and schools name

How windy

10 kt

Character: synoptic

Room to launch

huge

access rules on record, below

Water

mixed

18–19 °C in summerOpen Gulf of Riga beach with small waves/chop

Hazards

Reported by riders

Level

Beginner to advanced

With a caveat: see Your level

BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced

Crowds

high crowds · busy June July August

Schools

named at this spot

From the airport

40 min

Riga International Airport (RIX)

When it fills in

No onset time is published for this spot.

Nearbystraight-line distance

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

Garciemsno page yet
Bolderājano page yet
Jūrmala
Saulkrasti
Jaunciems (Ķīšezers)

The spot

Vecāķi is the Gulf of Riga beach at the northern edge of Latvia's capital, and the access is the best thing about it: the train from Riga Central Station takes about 25 minutes, then about a 10-minute walk through pine forest puts you on the sand.

Beach conditions

The beach is wide and sandy with a gradual bottom, small waves or chop on most days, and flatter water when the wind has north in it.

Wind

The useful sector is W through N, with NW to N the most favourable and onshore, and the local average is around 5 m/s, so this is a spot you watch a forecast for rather than one you turn up at.

Amenities and crowds

It is a kitesurf, wingfoil and windsurf beach and also an official Blue Flag bathing site, with toilets, changing cabins, a rescue post, boardwalks, public transport and summer cafes, which means a sunny July day brings swimmers into the water and makes parking difficult.

Skill levels

Big air riders and instructors both use it, and the gradual sandy entry does suit a beginner in the right conditions.

Summer access question

The open item is summer access: reports conflict on whether the spot is closed for summer season or open all year round, and no Riga municipal kite-specific rule confirms either reading.

Ask a local rider or the lifeguards where the active water-sport area is before you rig.

The wind

Direction

cross-onW

Direction to shore

cross-on

Dominant direction

W, WNW, NW, NNW, N, NNE. NE, N, W and SW also appear as usable directions.

Kite sizes

4567891011121314151617

metres · typical quiver highlighted

The quiver, in words

Indicative, derived from the local wind figures rather than from a rider survey: the beach averages around 5 m/s and monthly means run 8 kt in midsummer to 16 kt in December and January.A 75-85 kg rider is on 12-14 m for most summer sessions, 9-10 m when a northwesterly gets into the high teens, and 7-8 m in the autumn and winter blows. Foils and big-air setups are both used here, and the foil is what saves a light summer day.

Character

synoptic

Average strength

Typical strength

A local average is 5 m/s, approximately 10 kt; monthly average wind speeds range from 8 kt in June-August to 16 kt in January and December.

Best when the wind has a northerly component: NW to N is the most favourable and onshore, and north wind flattens the water. The beach is exposed enough that the main wind models carry wind-sport forecast pages for it.

The practical kite season is May to October. October-March rates 'great' for wind and April-September 'ok'. A 'closed for summer season' status also appears for this spot, unconfirmed by any municipal document.

Forecast

Live forecast

Windguru Windfinder Windy

Month by month

Jan71
Feb69
Mar48
Apr46
May, riders' month35
Jun, riders' month26
Jul, riders' month37
Aug, riders' month27
Sep, riders' month28
Oct, riders' month58
Nov42
Dec49

per cent of the month at force 4 or more

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

14 ktJan1°
13 ktFeb1°
11 ktMar2°
11 ktApr5°
10 ktMay12°
9 ktJun18°
10 ktJul20°
10 ktAug21°
10 ktSep19°
12 ktOct13°
11 ktNov8°
11 ktDec4°

avg knots per month · water °C below · season highlighted

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.

Every figure, month by monthForce 4+ · Knots · Wind from · Air · Water

Month	Force 4+	Knots	Wind from	Air	Water
Jan	71%	13.6 kt	S	-1.8 °C	1 °C
Feb	69%	13 kt	W	0.4 °C	0.6 °C
Mar	48%	10.9 kt	SE	2.2 °C	1.5 °C
Apr	46%	11.3 kt	NNE	6.8 °C	5.3 °C
May	35%	10.2 kt	NNW	12.6 °C	11.7 °C
Jun	26%	9.2 kt	W	17.4 °C	17.9 °C
Jul	37%	10.1 kt	WSW	18.3 °C	20.4 °C
Aug	27%	9.6 kt	SSE	19.3 °C	20.5 °C
Sep	28%	9.5 kt	S	14.7 °C	19.1 °C
Oct	58%	12.3 kt	WSW	8.9 °C	13.3 °C
Nov	42%	10.9 kt	SW	3.2 °C	8.2 °C
Dec	49%	11.4 kt	SW	-0.6 °C	4 °C

How this is modelledmodelled · 2022-2024

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

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

mixed

Standing depth

Sandy and gradual with no stones: about 2 m of water 140 m out from the shore, deepening slowly beyond that. There is no tide to change it, so what you see on arrival is what you get all session.

Tides

Non-tidal in practical kiting terms: regular Baltic foreshore tides are under 0.25 m and tidal action plays virtually no role in how this coast behaves.

Temperature

Summer (°C) About 18–19 °C average in the warmest month: Gulf of Riga 10-year August average 18.81 °C; Riga August average 19.2 °C.

Winter (°C) About 1–2 °C in late winter: Gulf of Riga 10-year February average 1.35 °C.

Modelled monthly average: 1–21 °C

Wetsuit

Thermal protection is needed outside the warmest summer sessions; exact local suit thickness is unconfirmed. Current Riga municipal reading for Vecāķi on 2026-08-26 was 17 °C, while the Gulf of Riga February average is about 1.35 °C.

Conditions

Open Gulf of Riga beach with small waves/chop; flat water during north winds. Vecāķi is a sea beach and a Blue Flag bathing site, with current 2026 bathing allowed. The bottom and beach are sandy, with no stones.

Your level

BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced

Marked as a beginner spot: the bottom shelves gradually and the Gulf water is shallow. Freeride, big air, foiling and instruction are all listed here. Beginners still have to keep clear of crowded bathing areas and check the summer access rules locally.

The scene

What riders come here for

big airinstructionall levelsfreeridefoilingcity-access sessions

Urban beach session spot: easy from Riga, popular with local riders and very busy with non-kiters on sunny summer days; quieter outside beach weather and outside the official bathing season.

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

See who they are

On your own

Room to launch: huge

Read the access rules

Somewhere else

7 spots nearby

All 7 spots within 40 km are under Nearby

Rescue

2026: municipal lifeguards cover Riga's official bathing sites daily from 10:00 to 22:00 through the bathing season, which opened on 19 May 2026, and Vecāķi is one of six stations that also keeps reduced cover at night.

Around 60 lifeguards work across the city's beaches. That is bathing-area cover aimed at swimmers, not kite rescue: nobody is watching a rider who ends up downwind of the flags.

Launch

Wide public sandy beach in north Riga, roughly 40-70 m of sand depending on the stretch, no stones, boardwalk access through the pine forest, changing cabins, benches, toilets, a rescue post, information boards, a summer cafe and volleyball courts.Parking is free but restricted in season, and the walk from where you can actually leave the car runs from about 250 m off-season to about 900 m on a summer weekend.

Hazards riders report 5 reported

Crowds and zones

Very busy with bathers in summer; many holidaymakers are reported, and Vecāķi is called popular with locals and tourists.
Potential rule/zoning uncertainty in bathing season: reports conflict between 'closed for summer season' and open all year; verify with local kiters or Riga beach staff before launching near the official swimming area.

Protected areas and rules

Peak-season parking and access friction: the walk from parking is about 900 m in season, signs prohibit parking, and spaces are hard to find on sunny or peak-season days.

Other

Cold water outside high summer, with Gulf of Riga average around 1.35 C in February and about 18-19 C in August.
The Vecāķi car park is officially listed as paid, though it also appears as free, and the walk to the beach is given as about 900 m in one account and about 200 m in another.

Rules & access

1 min read

2026: no Riga kite-specific rule for Vecāķi was found in municipal material. What governs use is the official bathing site and its flags — the 2026 season opened on 19 May, lifeguards work 10:00-22:00, and riders are expected to respect the marked active-recreation zoning.

Posted status differs between rider listings, one saying closed for summer season and another open all year round, with nothing municipal confirming either. Ask the lifeguards or a local rider where the water-sports area sits before you rig in July or August.

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

Take the train from central Riga when the forecast lands on beach weather; peak-season parking here is a real problem.
Rig well away from swimmer density and ask local riders or the lifeguards where the active water-sport area sits on the day.
Wait for NW to N: that sector fits the way this beach faces and flattens the water.
Bring enough neoprene for Baltic water. Riga municipality measured Vecāķi at 17 C on 2026-08-26, and winter water is close to freezing.

Getting there

Airport

Riga International Airport (RIX)

Route

From Riga Central Station take the Skulte-line train to Vecāķi: about 25 minutes, then a 10-minute walk through pine forest. Bus No. 24 to Pagrieziens uz Mangaļsalu is the other option.From RIX, airport bus No. 22 reaches the city centre in about 40 minutes and a taxi to central Riga averages about 20 minutes; carry on by train or car to Vecāķi.

Transfer

40 min

Cost level

medium

Staying

Best based in Riga for the widest hotel/apartment choice; Vecāķi itself is a residential beach district with seasonal cafes rather than a full resort strip.

No-wind days

Beach walks through the pine-backed dunes, cafes on the Vecāķi promenade, volleyball/football areas, Mangaļsala northern pier walks, central Riga sightseeing, and other Riga beaches such as Vakarbuļļi, Daugavgrīva, Ķīpsala and Lucavsala.

Photos

FAQ

When is the best time to kite at Vecāķi?

The practical season is May to October, though wind statistics actually show more windy days from October to March when the water is very cold.

Is Vecāķi suitable for beginners?

Yes; the gradual sandy bottom and shallow Gulf water are described as suiting all levels, though beginners should avoid the crowded bathing area.

What is the wind like at Vecāķi?

Wind is synoptic, averaging about 8-16 knots by month, and is best with a northerly component: NW to N is the most favourable and gives flatter water.

How do you get to Vecāķi?

From Riga Central Station, the Skulte-line train takes about 25 minutes to Vecāķi, followed by a 10-minute walk through pine forest.

What are the hazards at Vecāķi?

The beach gets very busy with bathers in summer, parking is difficult in season, and sources disagree on whether the spot closes for the bathing season.

The bigger pictureEverything about Riga

Last updated: August 2026