Wenchang has no other spot on this map within 40 km of it. straight-line distance
When it fills in
No onset time is published for this spot.
The wind
locals call it spring-summer southern monsoon
Direction
Kite sizes
metres · typical quiver highlighted
Character
mixed
Typical strength
15-25
Also on record
15-25
The quiver, in words
9-12m
Dominant direction
E, SE, S
Forecast
Month by month
- Jan37
- Feb44
- Mar, riders' month50
- Apr, riders' month53
- May, riders' month49
- Jun, riders' month62
- Jul45
- Aug23
- Sep17
- Oct61
- Nov55
- Dec61
per cent of the month at force 4 or more
Ringed months are the ones riders and schools name: Mar, Apr, May, Jun.
- 11Jan22°
- 11Feb23°
- 11Mar24°
- 12Apr26°
- 11May29°
- 12Jun30°
- 11Jul29°
- 9Aug31°
- 9Sep30°
- 13Oct29°
- 11Nov26°
- 12Dec23°
avg knots per month · water °C below · season highlighted
| Month | Force 4+ | Knots | From | Air | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 37% | 10.5 kt | NNE | 19.6°C | 21.8°C |
| Feb | 44% | 10.9 kt | ENE | 20.6°C | 22.5°C |
| Mar | 50% | 11.2 kt | S | 23.6°C | 23.7°C |
| Apr | 53% | 12.2 kt | S | 25.6°C | 26.3°C |
| May | 49% | 11.1 kt | S | 27.7°C | 28.6°C |
| Jun | 62% | 11.8 kt | S | 28.9°C | 30.3°C |
| Jul | 45% | 10.9 kt | S | 29°C | 29.4°C |
| Aug | 23% | 9 kt | S | 28.4°C | 30.6°C |
| Sep | 17% | 8.5 kt | S | 27.6°C | 30.3°C |
| Oct | 61% | 12.6 kt | NE | 25.6°C | 28.6°C |
| Nov | 55% | 11.2 kt | NE | 23.7°C | 26.3°C |
| Dec | 61% | 11.5 kt | NNE | 19.8°C | 23°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 (2020-2024), 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 · 2020-2024
The water
Type
chop/flat with mild waves in the sheltered Gaolong Bay area
Tides
Small tide. The Qinglan (Chunlan) harbour tables beside the bay top out around 1.6 m and bottom out near 0 m against chart datum, a working day running closer to 1.4 m down to 0.3 m, and the chart can show one high and one low rather than two of each. How the launch itself changes with the water level is undocumented.
Temperature
28°C summer · 22°C winter
Wetsuit
boardshorts in the spring-summer season; shorty or thin wetsuit may help in the coolest winter water
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: wide
Somewhere else
No neighbour on record
No other spot in the atlas sits within reach of this one.
Launch
Gaolong Bay beach, Wenchang. Wide sand with room for lines over 20 m laid out and a clear run for launching and landing.
Space
wide
Rules & access
Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.
Rider tips
- Book your first sessions with North Shore Kite Surfing or the club on Gaolong Bay; nobody has documented a rescue service or a kite zone.
- Aim for April to June. The monsoon runs March to August but those are the best months.
- Rig early on weekends and holidays; Gaolong Bay is a resort beach and the sand fills with tourists.
- Fly to Haikou Meilan (HAK), then take the train from Meilan Airport station to Wenchang station or a 40-minute taxi to the city center.
- Leave the thick wetsuit at home: 28 C in summer, 22 C in winter, a shorty at most.
- Check before you travel that a school is actually open on the bay: in 2026 the Wenchang branch of North Shore Kite Surfing was showing as temporarily closed, and the beach club is the only other teaching option on record.
- Come in winter and you will be riding alone here: when the northeasterly sets in the local crowd relocates to Haikou.
- Tide is small, roughly a metre and a half at most, and some days bring a single high and a single low rather than two.
Getting there
Airport
Haikou Meilan International Airport (HAK)
Route
Wenchang has no airport. Fly to Haikou Meilan, about 40 minutes by road to Wenchang city center, or about 70 km by the other count; there is also a train from Meilan Airport station to Wenchang station.
Transfer
40 min
Cost level
medium
Staying
Gaolong Bay is a resort strip: hotels, restaurants and a full commercial district behind the beach.
No-wind days
Wenchang Space Launch / space science center area · Tongguling scenic area · Stone Park · Gaolong Bay beach walks and local seafood
Photos
FAQ
When is the best time to kite at Wenchang?
The main window is March to June, with April-June considered the best part of the southern monsoon.
Is Wenchang suitable for beginners?
Yes, it is presented as Hainan's beginner-friendly kite area, with sheltered water, gentle waves, no hidden rocks and wide beaches for safe launching.
What is the wind like at Wenchang?
East to south-sector monsoon wind typically runs 15-25 knots during the spring-summer season.
Are there kite schools nearby?
Yes, North Shore Kite Surfing and a local water sports club operate at Gaolong Bay.
Last updated: August 2026