I got to Tarifa about the first week of July and I’m about to leave today, wrapping almost a month of Kitesurfing Tarifa coasts.
During this period we got 3 or 4 days of strong Levante wind where I went out on 7m dice and 8m dice. And according to the locals, usually summer season would have more Levante wind, and more stronger, >40knots. The majority of the days in July this year were Poniente wind, where the wind ranges from 12-20 knots, and I got to go out on 12m rebel and 12m evo. I don’t recall going out on 9m dice more than once or twice.
I preferred kitesurfing on Valdevaqueros Beach more than Los Lances. On Valdevaqueros I found more room and space, beside less kite schools and students on the water. In Valdevaqueros the Levante wind tends to be less gusty than Los Lances.
I didn’t get the chance to kite near the town, but anyway, kitesurfing near the town is prohibited during the summer season, and only allowed after 8 pm, which makes kiting there a little bit of tight on the schedule and the day.
My favorite spot on Valdevaqueros is El Tumbao. The music is always nice, and it alternates everyday. The crowd is fun and party vibes goes on through the sunset. The food options at Tumbao are also good to not bad. Anyway for good food, there is Bibos, by the 3 Michelin stars chef Dani Garcia, only few hundred meters away on the same beach.
One of the hussles of kitesurfing in Tarifa is the crowded beach and crowded water with kites. However, I noticed that it doesn’t really get crowded 2 or 3 pm everyday, probably because Tarifa is also a party town, most people won’t make to the beach before 2 or 3 pm. I had few sessions where I was kiting solo on Valdevaqueros, or with 2 or 3 other kites max.
Throughout the month I had to wear 2mm short wet suit. And I noticed most other riders are also wearing wetsuits. The water temperature about20 c degrees.
All in All, kitesurfing in Tarifa is fun and could be very progressive, as conditions varies almost everyday. Some days it be steady with nice set of waves, or gusty and intense wind. The change in conditions allows the rider to change kites and techniques in handling the wind, which all add to the skills set that I feel it helps a lot in progressing and keeps kitesurfing thrilling.
Media on Tarifa
