Spain
The beach of Playa del Zapillo is an urban beach 1.5 km long, located very close to the city center of Almería in Andalusia. It offers all services nearby, with a view of the Cabo de Gata and the port of Almería. It is a convenient spot for riders who want to combine sessions and city life.
The fine sand and pebbles make it an accessible place, with a calm water area ideal for beginners and a more turbulent part for advanced riders. The beach is bordered by a concrete promenade and a breakwater to the west.
Be careful, it is very crowded with bathers in summer, and kitesurfing is prohibited from June 15 to September 15.
Les données de vent affichées ici proviennent d’ERA5 (via Open-Meteo) sur 4 ans, retraitées pour refléter des conditions réalistes.
👉 Le vent moyen a été calibré pour éviter la sous-estimation habituelle des modèles.
👉 Les rafales ont été corrigées par un ratio médian afin d’éviter des valeurs extrêmes irréalistes.
👉 Chaque jour est résumé par le vent médian (P50) observé pendant les heures utiles (8h–20h), puis classé dans des plages de vent.
👉 Le mode pondéré mélange vent moyen et rafales pour refléter au mieux le vent ressenti.
chopchopThe spot mainly works with poniente wind (W, W-NW, SW), which comes onshore or side-on depending on the exact direction, creating a choppy water surface near the shore and small waves further out. The launch area is large along the long beach, easily accessible even with crowds. Prefer the area near the espigón for flatter water, and the left for small waves.
Conditions do not depend on tides, the beach remains usable at all times outside of the summer prohibition. In strong poniente, the wind is consistent all day, from 18 to 35 knots, perfect for long sessions. Experts will enjoy the outer areas for tricks in the chop, while intermediates stay near the shore. Avoid crowded weekends and peak hours of bathers.
The breakwater to the west offers some protection from side-off wind, but watch for gusts. It is a versatile spot, with food and services just behind the promenade.
Ideal conditions are with poniente W at 20-30 knots, side-on to onshore, for a fun choppy water surface without excess. Spring and autumn are perfect for this stable direction.
The water surface is typically choppy with small waves (0.7 to 1.4 m according to forecasts). Calm water near the espigón for relative flat, more turbulent to the left. The bottom consists of fine pebbles and sand, with no major obstacles.
Currents are generally weak on this sheltered beach. Tides do not influence sailing conditions. No major channel reported, but stay vigilant near the west breakwater.
Opt for kite sizes of 9 to 11 m² in light to moderate wind, and 7 to 9 m² when it picks up to over 25 knots. Adjust according to your weight and style.
The dominant wind regime is the poniente, blowing from the west or west-southwest, often consistent at 18 to 35 knots all day long. It is frequent and reliable on the Almería coast, especially outside of summer. The directions W, W-NW, SW work best here, with thermal winds during the day.
Almería enjoys the best climate in Spain, with over 300 days of sunshine per year. Summer temperatures hover around 26-30°C, and remain mild in winter around 15-20°C. Spring (April-June) offers the best conditions for kitesurfing, with reliable wind and pleasant warmth.
The depth increases gradually with a bottom of fine sand and pebbles. You can stand for a long time near the shore, ideal for waterstarts and beginners.
The water is 15°C in winter (full suit), 25°C in summer (shorty or boardshorts), and around 18-22°C the rest of the year with a shorty.
