Best time to kitesurf Los Barriles

The best time to kitesurf at Los Barriles is January–March, November–December, the season of the local thermal wind, with water around 24°C.

Los Barriles, Baja California Sur, Mexico

Sports: Kitesurfing, Wingfoiling, Windsurfing

Best time to go: January–March, November–December

Los Barriles is a small town on the East Cape of Baja California Sur, on the Sea of Cortez, about an hour and a half by car north of San José del Cabo airport. It has been a windsurfing destination for decades, and today kiters and wingfoilers share the long sandy beach. From about November to March the El Norte, a north wind that blows down the Sea of Cortez for days at a time and is helped by the afternoon heating of the land, comes in side-shore from the left, often strong enough for small kites and sails. Compared with La Ventana, further north, the wind is a little less regular but the swell is bigger.

The beach drops quickly into deep water, there is sometimes a shore break, and the wind builds chop and wind swell far out, so the spot suits confident intermediate and advanced riders; beginners should learn with a school on lighter days. The north end of the beach, near the hotels, is where most riders launch. The wind blows along the coast, so ride with others and know where you can come in downwind. In mid-winter the water is fresh, around 21 to 23 °C, so most riders wear a 3/2 mm wetsuit.

Month by month at Los Barriles

January: windy season (local thermal wind), waves 0.8 m, water 22°C, air 24°C (nights 15°C), 30 sunny days, 1 rainy day
February: windy season (local thermal wind), waves 0.7 m, water 22°C, air 25°C (nights 15°C), 27 sunny days, 0 rainy days
March: windy season (local thermal wind), waves 0.7 m, water 22°C, air 27°C (nights 16°C), 31 sunny days, 0 rainy days
April: outside the windy season, waves 0.8 m, water 24°C, air 29°C (nights 19°C), 30 sunny days, 0 rainy days
May: outside the windy season, waves 0.8 m, water 26°C, air 31°C (nights 22°C), 31 sunny days, 1 rainy day
June: outside the windy season, waves 0.9 m, water 28°C, air 33°C (nights 25°C), 30 sunny days, 1 rainy day
July: outside the windy season, waves 0.9 m, water 30°C, air 35°C (nights 28°C), 31 sunny days, 5 rainy days
August: outside the windy season, waves 0.9 m, water 31°C, air 35°C (nights 27°C), 30 sunny days, 8 rainy days
September: outside the windy season, waves 1 m, water 31°C, air 34°C (nights 26°C), 28 sunny days, 9 rainy days
October: outside the windy season, waves 1 m, water 30°C, air 32°C (nights 24°C), 30 sunny days, 6 rainy days
November: windy season (local thermal wind), waves 0.8 m, water 28°C, air 28°C (nights 19°C), 29 sunny days, 1 rainy day
December: windy season (local thermal wind), waves 0.8 m, water 25°C, air 26°C (nights 16°C), 29 sunny days, 1 rainy day