Mexico
Playa Puerto Progreso, on the Yucatán coast, is a white sand beach lined by the longest pier in the world. It is a kite spot little known to the masses, with a relaxed local atmosphere and fresh seafood in abundance.
The village of Progreso attracts cruise ship passengers but remains authentic, far from mass tourism like in Tulum. Riders find uncrowded sessions and consistent wind almost all year round.
With its shallow waters and long beach, it is an ideal playground to progress in peace.
The wind data shown here comes from ERA5 (via Open-Meteo) over 4 years, reprocessed to reflect realistic conditions.
👉 Average wind has been calibrated to avoid the usual underestimation of models.
👉 Gusts have been corrected by a median ratio to avoid unrealistic extreme values.
👉 Each day is summarized by the median wind (P50) observed during useful hours (8am–8pm), then classified into wind ranges.
👉 The weighted mode mixes average wind and gusts to best reflect felt wind.
chop
flatThe main wind comes from the NE, providing a perfect side-on on this east-west oriented beach. Thermals rise in the late morning and remain consistent until evening, boosted by the trade winds. You sail on a flat to choppy water surface in shallow water, ideal for freestyle or foil.
Launching is done directly from the sandy beach, with no obstacles, and the take-off area is wide and clear. For advanced riders, the open space allows for long runs offshore, but stay close to the shore if you are a beginner as you can stand for a long time. Avoid areas near the pier where boat traffic is dense.
The spot offers several zones: a butter-flat area near the beach for tricks, and a bit further offshore for light wave riding when the fetch is good. Tides do not significantly impact conditions, but check the times to avoid swimmers in deep water.
The ideal conditions are with NE 15-25 knots wind, constant side-on for long and clean sessions. Perfect from December to May for maximum reliability.
The water is clean and shallow, with a sandy bottom extending for several hundred meters. There is light chop in the afternoon and small waves offshore, perfect for all levels.
The currents are weak generally on the beach, but more pronounced near the pier channel. The tides are moderate, with 0.6-0.7m of amplitude, having no major impact on navigation.
Plan for sizes of 9 to 12m for most days, with a 7-8m for strong days and a 13m for light mornings.
Progreso enjoys 300 days of wind per year, thanks to the thermals and trade winds from the NE. The most reliable winds are from December to June, with strengths of 15-25 knots, sometimes up to 30 knots from March to June. The NE side-shore wind is constant and strong, while the SE offshore wind is warmer and gusty, to be avoided without a boat.
The climate is warm all year round, with temperatures around 25-30°C in the air and up to 40°C in summer. The "Nortes" bring a bit of coolness in winter, but you can still wear a shorty or lycra. The sun is strong, sunscreen and sunglasses are mandatory.
The depth is gradual with a sandy bottom. You can stand up to 200-300m from the shore, ideal for beginners and waterstarts.
The water is warm from mid-February to August, around 26-29°C, with no need for a wetsuit. In winter, a shorty is enough for the cooler "Nortes".
