El Yaque
El Yaque, Nueva Esparta, Venezuela
Sports: Kitesurfing, Wingfoiling, Windsurfing, Parawing
Best time to go: March
El Yaque is a small beach village on the south coast of Isla de Margarita, next to the island's airport. The north-east trade wind blows across the low land of the island and reaches the bay side-shore and steady, often for most of the year, with the strongest and most reliable months from December to August. The air and water are warm, so most people ride without a wetsuit.
The bay is shallow over sand for a long way from the beach, with flat water close in and chop further out, which makes it one of the classic places to learn to fly a parawing and to start foiling. Riders can take short downwind runs along the coast and walk or drive back, but the wind blows towards open water further down, so stay within reach of the shore. Windsurfing and kitesurfing traditionally use separate zones in the bay, and there are flight paths from the nearby airport, so follow local rules and launch from the agreed area. Check current travel advice for Venezuela before planning a trip.
Month by month at El Yaque
- January: 7 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 11 knots, waves 1.2 m, water 26°C, air 29°C (nights 24°C), 31 sunny days, 12 rainy days
- February: 12 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 12 knots, waves 1.3 m, water 26°C, air 29°C (nights 24°C), 28 sunny days, 7 rainy days
- March: 14 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 13 knots, waves 1.3 m, water 25°C, air 30°C (nights 24°C), 31 sunny days, 4 rainy days
- April: 10 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 12 knots, waves 1.2 m, water 26°C, air 30°C (nights 25°C), 29 sunny days, 6 rainy days
- May: 10 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 12 knots, waves 1.2 m, water 27°C, air 31°C (nights 25°C), 31 sunny days, 7 rainy days
- June: 10 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 12 knots, waves 1.1 m, water 27°C, air 30°C (nights 25°C), 30 sunny days, 15 rainy days
- July: 6 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 11 knots, waves 1 m, water 27°C, air 30°C (nights 25°C), 31 sunny days, 17 rainy days
- August: 3 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 9 knots, waves 0.8 m, water 28°C, air 31°C (nights 26°C), 31 sunny days, 18 rainy days
- September: 2 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 8 knots, waves 0.8 m, water 29°C, air 32°C (nights 26°C), 30 sunny days, 16 rainy days
- October: 3 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 8 knots, waves 0.9 m, water 29°C, air 31°C (nights 26°C), 30 sunny days, 18 rainy days
- November: 3 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 9 knots, waves 1.1 m, water 29°C, air 30°C (nights 25°C), 30 sunny days, 20 rainy days
- December: 3 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 10 knots, waves 1.1 m, water 27°C, air 29°C (nights 24°C), 31 sunny days, 14 rainy days
When is the best time to go kitesurfing, wingfoiling, windsurfing & parawing at El Yaque?
March, when it is windy most often.
How warm is the water at El Yaque?
25°C to 29°C over the year: boardshorts, no wetsuit needed in the warmest month, boardshorts, no wetsuit needed in the coolest.
How windy is El Yaque?
About 81 days a year with at least 2 hours of 15+ knots in the daytime, most in March.
Figures from 5 years of weather data (Open-Meteo).
More: All spots in Venezuela · Kitesurfing in Venezuela · Wingfoiling in Venezuela · Windsurfing in Venezuela · Parawing in Venezuela
Compare with: Bonaire – Lac Bay vs El Yaque · Bonaire – Atlantis Beach vs El Yaque