Windsurfing El Yaque Beach

Before kitesurfing took the world by storm, El Yaque Beach was already famous among windsurfers. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, international sailors discovered that this unassuming beach on the southern tip of Margarita Island offered something rare: consistent, strong trade winds combined with flat water and warm temperatures. The Professional Windsurfers Association (PWA) held events here, and El Yaque became a staple on the competitive circuit.

Today, while kitesurfing has grown to dominate the beach in terms of numbers, windsurfing at El Yaque is experiencing a renaissance. A new generation of sailors is discovering what the originals knew all along — that El Yaque's conditions are as good as anywhere in the world for windsurfing. The flat water inside the sandbar is perfect for freestyle tricks and learning to plane, while the open water beyond offers chop and small waves for more advanced sailing.

The wind conditions that make El Yaque great for kitesurfing — 18-25 knots of cross-shore trade winds from November through May — are equally ideal for windsurfing. The consistent direction and steady strength mean you can rig the right sail size in the morning and ride all day without needing to change. Most intermediate to advanced sailors will use sails in the 4.5m to 6.5m range during peak season, with larger sails (7.0m to 8.5m) useful for the lighter wind days and off-season sessions.

One of the great advantages of El Yaque for windsurfing is the shallow water. Unlike many sailing spots where you are in deep water from the start, El Yaque's sandbar creates a large area where you can stand up after a fall, walk back to your gear, and try again without the exhausting deep-water uphauling. This makes it one of the best places in the world to learn windsurfing and to practice new maneuvers.

The windsurfing community at El Yaque is tight-knit and welcoming. You will find experienced sailors happy to share tips about conditions, help you dial in your equipment, and join you for post-session refreshments at the beach bars. Several resident sailors have been riding El Yaque for 20+ years and are living encyclopedias of local knowledge.