# Almerimar - Playa Poniente — El Ejido, Spain

Almerimar's Playa de Poniente is the town's school spot: a cove of dark sand and fine gravel between a long breakwater and the marina's jetty, with a promenade, parking right in front and the Windsurf & Kite Mar Azul club on the shore. Guides present it as the reference point for kite and windsurf in Almería.

You ride with Poniente, which comes in side-on: inside the breakwaters the water remains flat and protected, good for learning, freestyle, foil and SUP, and outside them there are waves when the wind picks up. With Levante the wind comes from the land: the water stays smooth next to the shore, but the wind pushes you towards the breakwaters and the harbour mouth, so only with safety equipment.

In summer, from 15 June to 15 September, the beach is buoyed for swimming and according to one guide you cannot ride from it; the best time is autumn, winter and spring. Watch out for boats entering and leaving the harbour. Forecasts are checked with ARPEGE, ECMWF and ICON.

Photos: "Windsurfing at Almerimar (13869497024)" by Steve Slater (CC BY 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons; "Victor Fernández,backloop" by Jose Fernandez (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons.

- **Sports:** Kitesurf, Wingfoil, Windsurf, SUP
- **Difficulty:** Beginner
- **Location:** El Ejido, Spain (36.70045, -2.79687)
- **Favourable wind directions (where the wind blows from):** WSW (240°), W (280°)
- **Wind range (knots):** 12–30
- **Best months:** October, November, December, January, February, March, April, May, June

## Wind by month (% of days per strength)

| Month | <7 kn | 7–13 kn | 13–20 kn | 20–35 kn | >35 kn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 28 | 46 | 14 | 10 | 2 |
| February | 35 | 38 | 18 | 8 | 1 |
| March | 25 | 39 | 30 | 6 | 0 |
| April | 21 | 49 | 22 | 8 | 0 |
| May | 18 | 57 | 22 | 3 | 0 |
| June | 29 | 57 | 11 | 3 | 0 |
| July | 24 | 56 | 19 | 1 | 0 |
| August | 35 | 50 | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| September | 28 | 58 | 13 | 1 | 0 |
| October | 28 | 54 | 14 | 4 | 0 |
| November | 28 | 60 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| December | 40 | 48 | 12 | 0 | 0 |

## Local winds

- **Poniente** — W (260°), 12–30 kn. The wind of this spot: from the west, it comes side-on into the cove. Outside the breakwaters there are waves when the Poniente is strong; inside, the water remains flatter and more protected.. Onshore wind: it is the safest direction. With strong Poniente there are waves outside the breakwaters.
- **Levante** — E (90°), 12–30 kn. Wind from the east. In this west-facing cove it arrives offshore (side-off): flat water next to the shore, but it pushes you towards the sea and the breakwaters.. Offshore wind: only with safety equipment and support boat; the exit from the cove leads to the breakwaters and the harbour mouth.

## Zones

- **Launch** — Launch zone
- **Playa Poniente** — Navigation zone
- **Parking** — Parking

## Points of interest

- **Club Windsurf & Kite Mar Azul**: Federated windsurf and kite club at Playa de Poniente: courses all year round (according to the tourist brochure; approximate position on the beach).
- **Beach parking**: Free surface parking next to the promenade, right in front of the riding area.
- **Long breakwater**: Rock breakwater to the northwest of the cove: do not approach with offshore wind.
- **Marina mouth**: Boats entering and leaving: do not cross in front of the mouth.
- **Harbour restaurants**: Restaurants and bars next to the marina, 400 m from the launch area.
- **Buoyed zone (summer)**: From 15 June to 15 September the beach front is buoyed for swimming.

## Hazards

- With Levante the wind is offshore and takes you towards the breakwaters and the harbour mouth
- Waves outside the breakwaters with strong Poniente
- Bathers in summer
- Boats entering and leaving through the harbour mouth

## Obstacles

- Long breakwater to the northwest
- Jetty and marina mouth to the southeast
- Promenade and parking next to the sand

## Facilities

- Parking
- Showers
- Toilets
- Restaurant
- School

## Restrictions

- Del 15 de junio al 15 de septiembre la playa está balizada para el baño y, según una guía, no se pueden practicar kite ni windsurf desde la playa

[See it on Ventus Surf (3D map, zones and live forecast)](https://ventus.surf/spots/almerimar-playa-poniente-VhZK9eKWdCaQXyJuC9W8?lang=en)