Tarifa is great for kitesurfing it is perched on the southern tip of Spain, looking towards Africa just a few miles across the Straits of Gibraltar, where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean. The town itself is clustered around the narrow streets and has spread outside the old walls. Surf shops line the road into town from the beach and it is clear that most of the visitors are windsurfers and kiters. The beach starts in town and extends about 6km to the Club Mistral centre at the Hurricane and extends around the small headland past Las Dunas to another 8km of sandy beach. Due to the limited amount of good accommodation, it is imperative to book at least four months ahead if you are planning to travel between May and October. You have been warned! Tarifa is famous for two prevailing winds that blow through the Straits of Gibraltar. The levante from the south-east is most common in summer when it can blow for weeks, day and night. It is generally stronger, warmer and produces flatter conditions. The westerly poniente, most prevalent in autumn and spring, comes in from the Atlantic, is cooler and can bring waves. The best time for kitesurfing lessons in Tarifa is in the summer, especially for beginners. The huge space, sandy beach, and flat water make this a great spot for learning to kitesurf. In spring/autumn the onshore winds are more frequent, creating more waves, so it is best for advanced levels. On the water it is best during a poniente when the wind is blowing cross onshore. Conditions in Tarifa can vary considerably so you need to be prepared to be flexible, especially if you are a beginner. It is a destination that is most suitable for improvers or for those wishing to combine windsurfing and kitesurfing. There are plenty of excursions and tours in Tarifa for those rare light wind days; the mountains behind can be explored on horseback or by bike. Also there is a good dive centre, climbing, surfing and hang gliding. If you want to visit another continent then try a day trip to Morocco. Tarifa is ideal for windsurfing slalom blasting with sail sizes varying from 3.5 - 6.5. The levante gives flatter water in a slightly offshore wind and little shorebreak. Tarifa offers the best combination of Spanish and European nightlife. It starts late and ends late, but the choice is yours. There are different bars and restaurants to satisfy everyone and all good value. If you want to party, remember it doesn't get going until 1am! At least you don't have to get up early in the morning to catch the wind! |
Location of Tarifa Spain View Larger Map |
Tenerife is an island located in the Atlantic Ocean close to the coast of Africa. It is a part of the Canary Islands archipelago and it is the biggest one of them. It is a volcanic island and it belongs to Spain. The population of Tenerife is 839 000. The highest point on Tenerife is Teide- a volcano with elevation of 3718m. It is the highest peak in Spain. The tourism is very well developed in the south part of the island, which is the warmer and dryer part. One of the best tourism places are Playa de las Americas and Los Christianos. But enough with all the bull shit and lets talk about the wind. The kite surfing conditions are not bad. The most famous kite surfing spot is called El Medano and it is only 10 minutes away from the South airport (There are 2 airports: the south airport- Los Rodeos and the north one-Reina Sofia) There are other kite surfing spots but they are very dangerous with a lot of rocks and at the same time they are not so popular. El Medano is not a bad spot. Besides the black sand, gusty wind, choppy water and lots of kite surfers in the water there is plenty of wind. The temperature is 25-27 degrees year around and the water 21-23. The prices of accommodation, food and drinks are pretty decent, especially for European resort. A single room in a 3 star hotel on the beach (you can do your lines from your terrace) with breakfast included is only 38 euro per day, yes it is a off season price but it is comparatively cheap. Tenerife is not a bad choice for a holiday with a lot of places of interests, bars, restaurants, stores . But the worst fact about Tenerife is that the island is to close to Fuerteventura, where all we know the wind never stops .. |
Location of Tenerife View Larger Map |