# Puerto Madryn - Punta Cuevas — Puerto Madryn, Argentina

Punta Cuevas is the Puerto Madryn kite launch closest to the centre: Municipal Ordinance 8888/14 and the Prefectura authorise it as Zone 1 for kitesurf, on the narrow beach on the west side of the point, at the end of the promenade. You set up on the roughly 25 m of sand between the water and the road, and ride in the Golfo Nuevo in front of the point, more than 250 m away from swimmers: from the Piedra Buena pier to Punta Cuevas, the entire beach is a swimming zone up to 200 m offshore.

The Madryn wind is the west: it blows almost all year round, gusty, and at this beach it crosses the gulf and comes towards the coast, so it always brings you back to the sand. The north comes in side-on and also works. With east or northeast, the wind drops from the point towards the water and you cannot launch; the other nearby authorised launch is Playa Kaiser, on the other side of the point. The best times are from September to April.

The water is cold all year round: use a full wetsuit. The tides are large, with two high tides per day, and at low tide the water retreats significantly on the promenade beaches: check the tide table before heading out. The promenade has already hosted the Kite Tour Patagónico (2018, at Balneario Sara Beach, Bajada 5) and the finale of the Argentine Wing Foil Championship 2025 (Parador Praia), and the Madryn Classic Windsurf starts from Bajada 6. There is parking next to the beach, a café and food trucks opposite.

Photos: "2024 Puerto Madryn - Mastil de Banderas de Punta Cuevas - Punto Panoramico - by 2eight - 7DS7799" by Stefan Brending (2eight) (CC BY-SA 3.0 de), via Wikimedia Commons; "2024 Puerto Madryn - Punta Cuevas - by 2eight - 7DS7756" by Stefan Brending (2eight) (CC BY-SA 3.0 de), via Wikimedia Commons; "2024 Puerto Madryn - Strand - by 2eight - 7DS7754" by Stefan Brending (2eight) (CC BY-SA 3.0 de), via Wikimedia Commons.

- **Sports:** Kitesurf, Wingfoil, Windsurf
- **Difficulty:** Intermediate
- **Location:** Puerto Madryn, Argentina (-42.78126, -65.00146)
- **Favourable wind directions (where the wind blows from):** SW (225°), W (270°), NW (315°), N (0°)
- **Wind range (knots):** 12–30
- **Best months:** September, October, November, December, January, February, March, April

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

| Month | <7 kn | 7–13 kn | 13–20 kn | 20–35 kn | >35 kn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 3 | 36 | 46 | 14 | 1 |
| February | 6 | 45 | 35 | 12 | 2 |
| March | 10 | 37 | 42 | 10 | 1 |
| April | 6 | 41 | 31 | 19 | 3 |
| May | 7 | 45 | 30 | 13 | 5 |
| June | 7 | 37 | 40 | 13 | 3 |
| July | 9 | 59 | 20 | 12 | 0 |
| August | 10 | 39 | 31 | 18 | 2 |
| September | 7 | 41 | 36 | 16 | 0 |
| October | 5 | 38 | 40 | 17 | 0 |
| November | 5 | 39 | 39 | 14 | 3 |
| December | 3 | 33 | 45 | 18 | 1 |

## Local winds

- **Oeste** — WSW (250°), 12–35 kn. The Madryn wind: west and southwest, almost all year round and gusty. At Punta Cuevas it crosses the gulf and comes towards the beach, so it always brings you back to the sand.. Arrives with strong gusts and can pick up suddenly: head out with small gear ready and set up away from the road.
- **Norte** — N (0°), 12–30 kn. Comes in side-on along the beach at the point, with flatter water than with west wind.. Takes you south, towards the promenade and the swimmers zone: return to the beach at the point before reaching it.
- **Sur** — S (180°), 12–30 kn. Comes in side-on from the promenade and pushes towards the point.. Takes you north, beyond the point and towards the open gulf: do not go past the point.
- **Este y noreste** — ENE (60°), 10–30 kn. Wind that drops from the point towards the water: you cannot launch at this beach. With northeast, the authorised launch is Playa Kaiser, on the other side of the point.. Offshore wind: takes you away from the coast. Do not launch from Punta Cuevas with east or northeast.

## Zones

- **Launch** — Launch zone
- **Punta Cuevas** — Navigation zone
- **Parking** — Parking
- **Swimmers zone** — Restricted zone

## Points of interest

- **Kite launch (Zone 1)**: Playa Punta Cuevas, launch authorised for kite by Ordinance 8888/14 (Prefectura Puerto Madryn).
- **Punta Cuevas parking**: Parking next to Boulevard Brown, beside the launch (OpenStreetMap).
- **Café and food trucks**: Café at Boulevard Brown 3777 and food trucks next to the parking, opposite the launch (OpenStreetMap).
- **Rocks at the point**: The point consists of rock and reef: do not drift too far north with south wind.
- **Playa Kaiser**: Kite launch on the other side of the point, behind the former El Golfito campsite: for northeast days (Ordinances 6625/07 and 8888/14).
- **Bajada 9**: Last ramp of the promenade: from here towards the centre, swimmers zone up to 200 m offshore.
- **Balneario Sara Beach (Bajada 5)**: Venue for the Kite Tour Patagónico 2018 (OpenStreetMap).

## Hazards

- Cold water all year round, around 13 °C in spring: use a full wetsuit
- Large tides: at low tide the water retreats significantly on the promenade
- East or northeast wind: blows from the point and takes you offshore
- Strong gusts with west wind
- Swimmers on the promenade, south of the point, in summer

## Obstacles

- Narrow launch: about 25 m of sand between the water and the road
- Road and parking right behind the beach
- Rocks at the point, north of the launch

## Facilities

- Restaurant
- Parking

## Restrictions

- Solo de día y con condiciones favorables (disposición de la Prefectura Puerto Madryn).

[See it on Ventus Surf (3D map, zones and live forecast)](https://ventus.surf/spots/puerto-madryn-punta-cuevas-2rSmb0VmFpCTonwPZ7wU?lang=en)