When I visited Aruba a few years ago a hurricane was passing by and it “stole” the wind, so I only got to kitesurf 5 out the 9 days that I was staying on the island and this was the main reason I was not a 100% super happy, but I’ll be as optimistic as possible in this post and share my kitesurfing experience on this Island with you.
Wind and Hurricanes on Aruba
Aruba is one windy island! If you look at the picture here you will see the stats. Wind always comes from the east (so typical for the Trade Winds to blow in this direction on Caribbean Islands). And as you can see on this chart from WindFinder, the probability of a good wind here is very high! Over 80%, excluding September, October, and November – the hurricane season. This is very high probability! In other words, if you are coming here for 5 days it is very likely that there will be strong wind for at least four days, statistically speaking. And there most likely will be kiteable wind on that fifth day as well, just not as strong. Aruba is a relatively small island and it does not create noticeable thermal winds during the day, this is why the kiteable wind is there virtually 24/7. There is no need to wait for that afternoon air-draft.
Speaking of wind I should mention the hurricanes, and the good news is that Aruba lays outside the hurricane belt (see the picture from NOAA below). Aruba was never hit by a hurricane in over 100 years, according to Wikipedia, so, this island is very safe, yet the wind may be affected if a hurricane is passing by.
Kitesurfing Spots
Now the main question: Where to kitesurf on Aruba? Because of the dominant Eastern winds it would be natural to assume that the best location for on-shore unobstructed winds would be the East coast – the windward side of the island. But sadly, almost entire East Coast is covered in rough lava formations. These things are so sharp that they can cut through the sole of your converse, making this coastline non-kiteable.
But here is the good news: there are a few kiting spots here! One of them is called Boca Grandi. Located on the Eastern side of the Southern tip of the island. This boca is not protected by the reef, so, there is plenty of waves to play with. Locals come here in the afternoon and this place can get pretty packed, especially on weekends. You will probably have to drive here as there are not that many residential houses near by other than correctional facility. Next one up North is Grapefield Beach. Awesome spot! The waves are breaking some 100 yards offshore so the water is flat and shallow here. I am surprised that this beach is rarely mentioned, if ever, so, let’s call it a secret spot. Boca Grandi and Grapefield Beach are adjacent and you can ride back and forth easily.
Next spot worth checking out is Baby Beach. It’s on the Southern tip of the island. Totally flat water here! Beautiful conditions to learn to kite, but… I have a few objections against this spot. Firs of all it’s really small. With eastern winds we had about 150 meters from the inlet to the stone-ridge, which is not that much. Second, it gets really shallow leaving little room for protection when you fall. Also, it gets crowded as the Sun gets higher and there are usually lots of kids here, hence the name of this beach: Baby Beach. Oh, and there was a rope with floats securing the swimming area (in case you didn’t know, do not touch those ropes with your bare skin, as if it has been in the water long enough and is covered with algae/seaweed living greenery it may be poisonous and can sting just like poison ivy). So, if you know what you are doing, this spot is really worth checking it out, but for learning – there is not much room for errors here.
I saved the worst for last. The Fisherman’s Huts. This is the place where Kitesurfing schools train their students. The water is flat here and this makes learning a lot easier. This location is literally next to major hotels and you can just walk up here and you will not need a car, which is a big saving. And everybody knows that this is the kitesurfing spot, so, you will not be alone here. Uhmm… That’s about all on the positive note. Now the bad stuff. This is the leeward side of Aruba with expected consequences. To get here, the air has to move over a substantial stretch of land and this makes wind gusty. Also, there is a wind shadow on this beach and launching your kite is challenging. Since this is the off-shore wind, if anything goes wrong with your gear while you are riding, your next stop will be Panama. Kitesurfing schools operate several rescue boats here, but hey will charge you for saving you, unless you paid for your lesson already. There is a very shallow spot in the middle of the playground here and it is a coral (read: it is hard), so, ask around about it, make sure you know where that spot is and steer clear. And you can’t go too far South from this spot as those hotels that you see in the picture below, mess up the air flow big time, making wind gusty and turbulent.
Well, I hope this info was useful and informative for you, my friend. I hope I did not scare you away from Aruba. Please let me know about your experience on this happy island and feel free to ask me questions down below. Always glad to help. Oh, and one more tip: bring sunglasses, sunblock, and rash-guard. The Sun is brutal here, Aruba is only 12 degrees North from the equator.
Get out here, have fun and be safe!
Excellent comment – especially the part on Fisherman‘s Huts. It is the WORST spot I have ever been to. I consider myself to be a decent kiter, but I was really struggling to get back in. I guess it is the first time I was NOT smiling after a kiting session.
I havent been to Boca Grandi yet, but I doubt it will me make up for the disappointment of our trip so far. I am pretty sure I wont return to Aruba after this trip.
I am also surprised why they selected Fisherman’s Hut as the training ground. Something tells me it was driven mostly by the proximity of the hotels and tourist traffic, not so much by the wind conditions and geolocation of the spot. The wind is gusty, turbulent, and off-shore here, which is plain DANGEROUS!